Vampires and Irish folklore collide in the new supernatural horror film appropriately titled “Feed”. It’s written and directed by Marco van Belle who employs the tried-and-true formula of sending a group of good-looking young people to be terrorized (and more often than not slaughtered) by some deadly force. In this case it’s five obnoxious influencers who come face-to-face with a mysterious and very angry local legend.

Social media influencers haven’t always made for the most sympathetic protagonists and it’s no different here. This time it’s five of the most unconvincing “friends” imaginable, who arrive at a remote Irish Airbnb for a week-long getaway. Nessa (Daisy Jelley) is a self-obsessed social media maven who expects everyone to prioritize her the way she prioritizes herself. Austin (Rhy Mannion) is Nessa’s lapdog American boyfriend and photographer. Sean (Oskar Smith) is Nessa’s starstruck assistant. And tagging along is Nessa’s best friend Orla (Grace Collender) and her boyfriend Lorcan (Clinton Liberty).

While the trip seems to revolve around Nessa shooting promotional videos for her own line of products, we learn there is another motivation. The group hopes the getaway will help Orla who is still reeling from a horrific family tragedy one year earlier. She once had her own blossoming social media career which Nessa hopes to rekindle. But Orla’s trauma has a crushing hold on her, and getting her out of her own head proves to be harder than her friends expect.

The horror kicks in after the group stumbles upon an old ritual site while roaming around in the nearby forest. Nessa instantly orders her lackeys to start filming for her channel. But Orla has a violent vision after accidently cutting her finger on some creepy wreath. As they rush the panicking Orla back to the house, blood from her cut seeps into the ground, unearthing a vengeful revenant known as the Dearg Due.

The Dearg Due (which is translated “red bloodsucker”) takes her female form and sets out to find a new host. And her first stop is the house where she begins terrifying the influencers in a number of horrifying ways. The house’s owner, Nora (Charlotte Bradley) and her eerie granddaughter (Sadbh McMullin) factor into the story, and they end up being more interesting than any of their five guests. But even they can’t bring enough to really invest us in the story.

That said, van Belle does generate some pretty good suspense in the film’s second half as things finally ramp up. He also includes some genuinely creepy makeup and practical effects (the few swings with digital effects aren’t nearly as effective). It’s also easy to appreciate his reliance on atmosphere and tension-building rather than cheap jump scares. It doesn’t help some of the movie’s frustrating narrative problems, but it does help to deliver a decent payoff for genre fans.

At a lean 83 minutes, “Feed” doesn’t drag along or overstay its welcome. At the same time, it would be a better movie if more time had been spent building up and fleshing out the Dearg Due’s backstory. There is still so much begging to be told. And if it had been, I can’t help but believe the film would pack a much bigger punch. As it is, “Feed” manages a few chilling moments and a couple of impressive kills. But sadly there’s not much to cling to beyond that.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

Veteran stunt coordinator turned director Kenji Tanigaki brings the energy of Hong Kong action cinema to his explosive new movie that fully and unapologetically lives up to its name. “The Furious” is a kinetic, no-holds-barred action thriller in the vein of 2011’s “The Raid”. It’s a ballet of brutality that takes the simplest of stories and turns it into something you can’t take your eyes off of. It’s hands-down the best action movie of the year so far.

Written by Mak Tin-shu, Lei Zhilong, Shum Kwan-sin, and Frank Hui, the story driving “The Furious” does little besides presenting an emotional core and speeding us along from one action sequence to the next. Set “somewhere in Southeast Asia”, the film follows a humble handyman named Wang Wei (Xie Miao). Little is revealed about Wang’s past other than he is mute, his wife died tragically, and his martial arts skills are off the charts.

The one true joy in Wang’s life is his young daughter Rainy (Yang Enyou), who is reluctantly about to head back to her grandma in China after spending her summer vacation with her father. There’s clearly a heartfelt story somewhere involving their mutual grieving over the loss of his wife and her mother. But Tanigaki alludes to it more than explores it. Instead he sets his sights on the film’s bread an butter – bone-cracking and blood-spraying action.

It kicks into gear after Rainy is snatched off the street by a group of thugs. Wang gives chase but is unable to catch them. Frantic, he seeks the help of the local police, only to find them too bogged down in “procedure”. So he sets out on his own, eventually crossing paths with a man named Navin (Joe Taslim), who is searching for his wife Matia (JeeJa Yanin) after she disappeared while investigating area child abductions.

Through Navin, Wang learns that a sex trafficking outfit has been snatching children from some of the poorest communities. Together the two set out to find their lost loved ones. To no surprise, they will have to fight their way through an entire underground criminal empire to do so. And they will use anything at their disposal including blades, hammers, wood pallets, ladders, and bicycles (yes, bicycles).

Wang and Navin’s investigation takes them from one exhilarating fight scene to the next, with each as expertly choreographed as the most detailed musical number. The fight scenes rely heavily on practical martial arts combat with very little in the way of digital effects. And Tanigaki wisely stays away from disorienting shaky cams and annoying quick cuts. Instead the action plays out with such brutal clarity that you can’t help but admire the incredible skill onscreen.

“The Furious” does a good job balancing weighty subject matter with sheer genre spectacle. It doesn’t pull punches in showing the horror of child trafficking. At the same time, you’ll lose count of the times you let out an audible “OHHH” when watching Miao and Taslim in action. And it only escalates when they’re joined by baddies Joey Iwanaga, Yayan Ruhian, and Brian Le for a relentless and intense final 20 minutes that impresses on an entirely different level.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

With “Fuze”, director David Mackenzie (“Hell or High Water”) offers up a twisty, taut, and fast-paced heist thriller that wisely doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel yet is deftly made so as not to come off as a tired rehash. In fact, despite clearly calling back to a very specific style of movie, “Fuze” is surprisingly savvier than it first appears – a truth that really comes to light in the final act when Mackenzie and screenwriter Ben Hopkins take a refreshingly cool route in wrapping things up.

The film wastes no time kicking into gear after a 500-pound World War II bomb is unwittingly unearthed at a Westminster construction site in central London. The police, under the leadership of Chief Superintendent Zuzana Greenfield (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), immediately cordon off the area and begin evacuating the nearby neighborhoods. The British Army calls in Major Will Tranter (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), an explosives expert who begins by assessing the scene.

It all makes for a straightforward yet thoroughly gripping setup with blaringly obvious stakes. But as mentioned, “Fuze” doesn’t follow a conventional path, and the filmmakers quickly reveal they have more up their sleeves. With the surrounding areas vacant and shutoff, and with the authorities frantically occupied with the bomb, four men hiding out in an apartment building slip out and begin a meticulously planned bank heist.

The crew is ran by a seasoned thief named X (Sam Worthington). But the score is the brainchild of the new guy, Karalis (Theo James). Their heist unfolds with pinpoint efficiency and a remarkable attention to detail. So much so that it eases the mind of the noticeably cautious X. At the bomb site, Tranter proves to be a composed and capable crisis manager, barking orders with convincing authority yet keeping his team calm. Meanwhile Zuzana monitors it all from her control center, eventually spotting leads that could blow the lid off everything.

These three distinct story threads play well on their own while also feeding a central narrative that will inevitably tie them all together. Yet they’re only parts of the puzzle – certainly the most prominent parts. But several other players factor in, usually with the reveal of a new twist. And there are numerous twists that keep us constantly wondering who can be trusted, where do loyalties lie, and how on earth is Mackenzie going to pull it all off in the end?

The good news is he does pull it off, and in a surprisingly unexpected way. We may not get answers to all of our questions, and we may be forced to overlook some obvious stuff in order to get to the finish. But I enjoyed getting an ending that didn’t lazily follow the usual formula. It also doesn’t hurt to have such a crack cast who are fully onboard for the ride. They help make “Fuze” work as sheer entertainment, which is exactly what Mackenzie is going for.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

Fans of the old Westerns are sure to find something to like in “Frontier Crucible”. It’s a film that captures some of the genre’s biggest strengths as well as its noticeable weaknesses. Yet director Travis Mills doesn’t blindly stick to the classic Western formula. He and screenwriter S. Craig Zahler give us a slow-burning and character-driven feature that doesn’t shy away from bursts of grisly violence.

Filmed in the stunning Monument Valley Tribal Park in Prescott, Arizona, there is never a shortage of rugged natural beauty to take in. Despite having a modest budget, Mills and cinematographer Maxime Alexandre make the most of every shot. They lean heavily on their locations, often filming in places where no vehicle could get. It led to an arduous and exhausting eighteen-day shoot, but the results are magnificent. In addition to the gorgeous scenery, the film has a striking aesthetic that calls back the Westerns of the early 1960s.

As for the story, it’s based on Harry Whittington’s 1961 novel “Desert Stake-Out”. Set in 1872, it unfolds across the Arizona Territory where tensions boil between frontier settlers and native Apaches. It’s where me meet Merrick Beckford (Myles Clohessy), a former Union soldier whose name is well known among the locals. Clohessy’s performance is unintentionally comical at first as he goes too far in channeling Clint Eastwood, from his scruffy beard to his brown cigarette to Clint’s famous squint. But over time Clohessy loosens up and finds his own rhythm.

Merrick is summoned to a meeting with a tired cavalryman, Major O’Rourke (the always welcomed William H. Macy) who desperately needs to get medical supplies to San Carlos, where a fever epidemic has spread across the small town. But the journey crosses Apache land and sending a company of soldiers could spark a conflict. Merrick knows how to navigate the Apache, so he reluctantly agrees to transport the wagon full of meds himself.

But his journey is sidetracked after he stops to assist five strangers who were ambushed by Apaches at a remote watering hole. Among the group is Valerie (Mary Stickley) and her seriously wounded husband Jeff (Eli Brown). They’re accompanied by three hard-to-read ruffians, Charlie (Thomas Jane), his wiry son Billy (Ryan Masson), and his shifty hand Edmond (Armie Hammer).

The unique and specific dynamics that emerge between Merrick and the five strangers shapes the storytelling going forward. A big reason it works is that Mills invests time in those dynamics. Psychological chess matches between characters leads to rising tensions. And unease sets in as motivations gets sketchier and trust evaporates. Soon it becomes obvious that their inner conflicts are more dangerous and threatening than the Apache.

While the script impressively balances honoring classic Westerns and subverting them, its dialogue doesn’t always make things easy for the actors. The stilted dialogue can be as short and silly as “Is something amiss?” or as long and ungainly as “I fear the smells of this area may effect my constitution.” My personal favorite may be, “You purchased for us the merciless black wrath of the Apache!”. In fairness, this isn’t a crippling issue by any means, nor is it prevalent throughout. But it can be distracting.

Reminiscent of a slow-boiling crime thriller, “Frontier Crucible” steadily builds towards an explosively violent final act where all the tensions reach their breaking point. But even it isn’t handled in a conventional way. While not everything in the last twenty minutes gels, it’s nice to see filmmakers playing around with genre rather than being shackled to it. That creative freedom is what keeps “Frontier Crucible” from being just another trip to the Old West.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel “Frankenstein” has always felt like the perfect material for Guillermo del Toro. Now the Oscar-winning filmmaker is bringing to life his extraordinary vision of Shelley’s celebrated classic. Del Toro puts together an exceptional cast along with a team of amazing artists and designers to create a profoundly fresh retelling of “Frankenstein” while also capturing what has made it such a beloved and timeless story.

For decades del Toro has longed to make his own Frankenstein movie. He was finally given the means by Netflix following the massive success of his Academy Award winning “Pinocchio”. Del Toro’s approach to “Frankenstein” is much the same as it was for “Pinocchio”. By that I mean he not only looks at the well known core of the story, but also the depths of the source material that has yet to make it on screen. And of course we also get del Toro’s unique sense of the dark and fantastical which is what ultimately gives the movie its distinct identity.

Del Toro opens his film with a stunning prelude that highlights the kind of eye-popping practical effects work woven throughout the entire production. In 1857, a Danish ship finds itself trapped in thick Artic ice while on an expedition to the North Pole. As night falls, an explosion in the distance grabs their attention. The Captain (Lars Mikkelsen) leads a detail of men to investigate the site where they find a severely injured man. A loud unidentifiable roar sends the frightened men retreating to the ship. Once back, the captain takes the injured man to his quarters. The stranger introduces himself as Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac).

As the creature (a sublime Jacob Elordi) wreaks havoc amid the terrified crew, Victor begins telling his story to the Captain. Through exquisitely crafted flashbacks he shares about his troubled childhood under the rule of a cold and overbearing father (Charles Dance). And he expresses his immense sadness at the loss of his mother, who died while giving birth to his younger brother William. That loss triggered an obsession in young Victor who pledged to one day conquer death.

Years later in 1855, we see the brilliant yet vain Victor defending his attempts at reanimating the dead during a disciplinary hearing at Edinburgh’s Royal College of Medicine. After he brings part of a corpse to life, the repulsed professors expel him from their ranks. But he impresses Henrich Harlander (Christoph Waltz), a wealthy arms broker who offers him unlimited funding, starting with securing an abandoned coastal tower to serve as Victor’s laboratory. Through del Toro’s beautifully twisted lens we see Victor bring his grotesque creation to life and soon after face the consequences of playing God.

From there the perspective shifts to the creature. While Victor’s tale is one of genius converging with madness, the creature’s story is more of a heart-wrenching tragedy. Elordi brilliantly captures his character’s traumatic evolution, where childlike innocence transforms into pain-filled maturity. Just as del Toro vividly reveals Victor’s profound arrogance and recklessness, he equally conveys the creature’s emptiness and despair. The ugliness he encounters leaves him dejected and hopeless, eventually fueling a vengeful fury within him which only adds to the tragedy.

To no surprise, “Frankenstein” is a feast for the senses. Whether it’s the intensely detailed sets, the gorgeous vistas, or the meticulously designed costumes, there’s never a moment where there’s not something for our eyes to admire, especially as captured by DP Dan Laustsen. The sound design is equally captivating, as is composer Alexandre Desplat’s score which oscillates between ominously Gothic to emotionally tender. As for the violence, it’s fittingly gruesome and in-tune with the gloriously dark vibe del Toro is going for.

The performances are nearly as captivating. As mentioned, Elordi impresses in a role originally planned for Andrew Garfield. But the 28-year-old Australian makes the character his own. Isaac is just as good, furiously teetering between brilliance and insanity. Waltz is his usual sturdy self while Mia Goth is compelling as Harlander’s niece, Elizabeth. The grizzled Mikkelsen is a nice fit for as the sea-weary Captain Anderson. And Felix Kammerer is solid as William although his character sometimes gets lost within the story’s many moving parts.

“Frankenstein” is a symphony of creative energy emanating from a filmmaker with a deep and obvious passion for the classic tale he’s retelling. Del Toro’s passion project honors the very best from Shelley’s beloved work. But as with most inspired filmmakers, he adds his own distinct spin which manifests itself in the soulful storytelling and the visionary craftsmanship. His imagination soars throughout his richly textured world. His heart finds empathy and humanity in the story’s darkest places. And his longstanding affection for myth and the macabre is on full display, pleasing GDT fans everywhere.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

2025 hasn’t been the best year for superhero movies. Yes, I know we’re still drowning in the flood of unbridled (and often wildly hyperbolic) adulation for James Gunn’s “Superman” reboot which has certainly raked in the money at the box office. But while some fiercely defend Gunn’s overstuffed and underdeveloped concoction, neither it or Marvel’s two early 2025 releases (“Captain America: Brave New World”, “Thunderbolts*”) have come close to matching the genre in its heyday.

That brings me to the latest film from this inexhaustible genre, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”. As most people know, this isn’t the first attempt at bringing Marvel’s First Family to the big screen. Roger Corman’s doomed 1994 project aside, most will remember director Tim Story’s 2005 film “Fantastic Four” followed by its 2007 sequel “Rise of the Silver Surfer”. Both had their strengths, but neither film is especially memorable. Then there was 2015’s “Fantastic Four” – a disastrous attempt at a reboot that is best forgotten.

So considering the rocky history of the Fantastic Four on the big screen and the MCU’s rockier post-Endgame track record, it’s easy to see why some would be skeptical of “First Steps”. But it quite honestly thrills me to say that this new iteration of the classic First Family is easily the best we’ve been treated to. Even more, “First Steps” is the best Marvel movie in years and a nice reminder of the MCU’s glory days. Don’t get me wrong, the movie has some issues. But considering the shaky state of the MCU, this was an exciting step in the right direction.

While I’m not a big fan of the multiverse crutch which the MCU seems fully committed to, here it allows for a story that feels refreshingly self-contained and detached from any interconnected baggage. That immediately gets the movie started on the right foot. But perhaps most surprising (and satisfying) is how “First Steps” brings to mind what was once great about the MCU. Its distinct style helps to give the film its own identity. And while it bypasses the conventional origin story, “First Steps” does a great job introducing these characters and their world.

Set on Earth-828, Reed Richards (the current everywhere man Pedro Pascal), his wife Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Reed’s best friend Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Sue’s brother Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) are four years into their time as the Fantastic Four. Since an accident in space left the four with their own unique special powers, they have invested their new abilities into protecting mankind which has made them the toast of an adoring New York City.

In the movie’s early moments, Sue gets some wonderful news. After trying for two years, she reveals to Reed that she’s pregnant. As the family and the city celebrate their soon-to-be new addition, the mysterious Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) appears as the herald for Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a cosmic planet-devouring entity tortured by an insatiable appetite. Silver Surfer proclaims that Earth has been marked for destruction which sends the city into a panic.

Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny vow to protect their world. They head into space, following a trail of missing planets across different star systems, eventually encountering the massive Galactus. Reed attempts to negotiate and Galactus gives him one option – he will only spare Earth if Reed and Sue pledge to him their unborn son. They reject his offer and barely escape with their lives. Shortly after Sue goes into labor and delivers baby Franklin on the trip home.

Upon arriving to Earth, the team is greeted by an anxious and frightened public who quickly turn on their once beloved heroes after hearing of their failure. But with the arrival of the terrifying Galactus looming, the desperate yet determined Fantastic Four scramble to come up with a plan. And as with any good team, it will take all of them committing their power, bravery, and sacrifice if they’re to have any chance at saving their son and their planet.

In many ways, director Matt Shakman keeps things noticeably simple and his movie benefits greatly for it. Unlike so many recent superhero movies, he and the screenwriting team of Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer tell a tighter, more focused, and more human story where the characters are the centerpieces, their relationships are authentic, and the personal stakes are through the roof. Meanwhile they exist within a visually stunning world, flavored by a rich 1960s retro-futuristic aesthetic. There’s always something to admire on screen.

Meanwhile Galactus makes for a formidable villain. Interestingly it’s not because he gets a well-told backstory or is given some well-defined motivations. Galactus has very specific reasons for what he does which (unfortunately) are mentioned rather than explored. Still, his sheer size and scale make him a petrifying threat. Shakman does a good job relaying his enormity which is especially effective on the big screen. There are some size consistency issues, especially later in the film. But for the most part Galactus delivers as he needs to.

The movie has a few issues – some minor holes in the story, a shaky vision of Silver Surfer, and occasional instances of wonky CGI. But as a whole, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is the Marvel movie I’ve been wanting for years. Pascal, Kirby, Moss-Bachrach, and Quinn have great chemistry and are key reasons why the themes of family, devotion, and sacrifice resonate so strongly. Best of all, “First Steps” looks and feels different than any of the more recent MCU assembly line productions. It hearkens back to the ‘good old days’ when MCU movies felt special and left you excited for more. And for the first time in a while, I find myself excited for more.

VERDICT – 4 STARS