Brad Pitt fans and dog lovers will both find much to love about the new survival thriller “Heart of the Beast”. The ageless 62-year-old actor teams with a charming German Shepherd to tell a gripping story set in the rugged untamed Alaskan wilderness. Pitt is every bit as sturdy and charismatic as we have come to expect. But the real star of the film is Uber, a scene-stealing canine who gives one of the best animal “performances” ever to appear on screen.

“Heart of the Beast” is directed by David Ayer, who previously collaborated with Pitt on the 2014 war film “Fury”. Here he works from a script by Cameron Alexander, who turns a straightforward and somewhat familiar premise into a powerful story of shared trauma and the unbreakable bond between a man and his dog. The action is harrowing, the central relationship is deeply moving, and the journey we take is as inspirational as it is entertaining.

Pitt plays Army Special Forces veteran James Belmont. Since retiring from the military, James spends his time in the Alaskan wild with his military combat dog Odin (Uber). Together they travel in his seaplane to the most remote parts of the wilderness, sleeping under the stars, well away from the hustle and bustle of society. For James and Odin it’s a needed retreat and a chance to heal from the active duty wounds they share.

We learn that the relationship between James and Odin goes back years and has remained intensely close. They didn’t just serve in the military together. They faced the horrors of the fiercest combat and both have the scars to prove it. Odin’s can be seen etched into his face. He also has a prosthetic leg and a few titanium teeth to replace those he lost. But there’s also the emotional toll. Both James and Odin suffer from PTSD, and the only comfort they find is in each other.

Their story takes a terrifying turn after James has a heart attack while flying over the forest. Their plane crashes and sinks to the bottom of an icy river. He and Odin manage to survive and salvage as many supplies as they can. After spending the night recuperating and getting their bearings, James determines they are 58 miles from the nearest road. So the two friends set off on a grueling journey across the forbidding Alaskan wilderness. Along the way they’re forced to maneuver through rugged terrain, dangerous wildlife, and their own injuries to make it to safety.

Ayer makes sure there is no shortage of jaw-dropping scenery for us admire. The stunning South Island of New Zealand steps in for Alaska and offers one breathtaking vista after another. But he also captures the peril that coexists with the natural beauty. With the vibrant outdoor setting in place and the high stakes firmly established, much of the rest relies on the two stars. Despite the physical and emotional demands, Pitt delivers a remarkably restrained performance. His intense commitment shows itself in every scene, and the raw authenticity he brings shines, never more than in his captivating chemistry with his canine co-star.

As for Uber, he isn’t your prototypical Hollywood trained pup. He spent time as a mountain search-and-rescue dog which made him comfortable in the harsh and sometimes treacherous shooting locations. But it’s the unexpectedly soulful aspect of his performance that makes it such an achievement. He does more than run when needed and bark on command. He conveys real emotion as he navigates grief, fear, and exhaustion. Whether it’s through his mannerisms or his gaze, Uber becomes the most essential ingredient to the storytelling.

I don’t really consider myself a “dog guy”. But that didn’t stop me from being swept away by “Heart of the Beast”. That’s because the film doesn’t rely on the usual ‘man-and-his-dog’ conventions. Instead it defines and sustains a richly genuine relationship rooted in love, loyalty, and unwavering trust. Even the coldest hearts will be warmed by the deeply moving friendship that unfolds on screen. I know I was.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

It’s not often that a science fiction action epic like “Hope” finds itself competing for the Cannes Film Festival’s illustrious Palme d’Or. But such was the case for South Korean writer-director Na Hong-jin’s ambitious feature “Hope”. Of course it didn’t win, but its inclusion was a big step in getting the movie recognized. Neon ended up nabbing distribution rights and immediately put into motion a stateside theatrical release.

Few trailers have raised my expectations for a movie quite like this one. They teased us with exhilarating slices of the film, showing off tension-soaked action, the epic sci-fi scale, and some compelling mystery. Those things are all present in “Hope”. But sadly, the finished product doesn’t quite live up to Hong-jin’s lofty aspirations. He delivers a movie with plenty of cool ideas, most of which find their way on screen. But the frustrations set in as the film’s issues come more into focus.

Near the small town of Hope Harbor, police chief Ko Bum-seok (Hwang Jung-min) is called out to meet his second cousin Sung-ki (Zo In-sung) who has discovered a dead cow covered with massive claw marks. Sung-ki convinces Bum-seok the wounds are from a tiger. So the chief rushes back to Hope Harbor to warn the townsfolk of the danger while the headstrong Sung-ki and his hunting buddies track the dead cow’s demise to a nearby farm where they discover more carnage.

From there the majority of the story follows two separate but connected storylines. The first involves Bum-seok who returns to Hope Harbor only to find it in shambles. Most of the buildings lie in ruin and many of the people have been savagely killed. As Bum-seok investigates, he runs into several locals who frantically tell of a hideous monster rampaging through the city. He finally encounters the horrific creature and is almost killed. He ends up being rescued by a rookie cop named Sung-ae (Jung Ho-yeon).

Elsewhere, Sung-ki and his buddies continue to track what they believe to be the creature. The trail leads them deep into the forest where they find more carnage at a ravaged trappers camp. They quickly realize that they are not alone in the woods. And as they venture further they stumble upon some alarming truths that help bring the story’s mystery to light. But those truths come at a cost. And for them, it’s a brutal confrontation with the very thing they’ve been hunting.

The parallel storylines work really well, with both packing their own cool moments and big surprises. Each take their time revealing their otherworldly threats. And each comes with harrowing encounters, gruesome deaths, bizarre revelations, and pitch-black humor. Of course they inevitably converge for the film’s huge finish which does more to setup a sequel than tie-up any existing narrative threads.

But both storylines are also hindered by the same problems. They often take far too long to get where they’re going, overextending numerous scenes and wasting time on meaningless chatter and panic-driven potty-mouthed bickering. Also, numerous characters are noticeably underwritten and lacking depth, despite the movie’s hefty runtime. As for the CGI, it ranges from incredible to micro-budget awful. There are some wild tonal shifts, some shaky editing, and a final action sequence that is as endless as it is ridiculous.

Yet the most frustrating thing about “Hope” is that there is a truly great 100-minute movie somewhere inside of its overly long 156 minutes. Hong-jin treats us to some thrilling action, jaw-dropping set pieces, incredible production design, and some all-out gnarly moments (the alien autopsy scene is a grisly delight). But after a promising setup, the movie struggles to maintain its momentum and grows more repetitive the longer it goes. It’s an unfortunate result considering how great “Hope” can be when it’s hitting its marks.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

As fans of the genre well know, horror movies aren’t just a seasonal thing. But over the past several years, it seems they’ve pushed themselves more into the year-round mainstream. Studios are putting more effort into giving horror films wider releases and stronger promotion. And it’s easy to understand why. The formula is pretty simple. Horror movies are usually made on a small budget which means turning a profit is a lot easier. So it makes sense why we get so many.

The first of three horror films getting a wide release in May is writer-director Damian McCarthy’s “Hokum”. As with his previous two chillers, “Caveat” and “Oddity”, McCarthy relies mostly on atmosphere, mood, and patient pacing to unnerve us. He tells another emotionally grounded ghost story, shrouded in mystery and steeped in folklore. For the most part, it stays true to its effectively eerie approach, only occasionally disrupting things with a lazy jump-scare.

Adam Scott plays Ohm Bauman (Scott), a successful author struggling to finish the third novel in his popular Conquistador trilogy. He’s stuck on the epilogue to his bleak story, which may or may not be inspired by some pretty heavy personal trauma. But Ohm’s book briefly takes a back seat after he discovers some of his parents’ old belongings including a picture of his mother by a massive redwood tree in Ireland.

Ohm traces the picture back a remote country inn in Ireland called the Bilberry Woods Hotel. During happier days, it’s where his mother and father spent their honeymoon. So Ohm travels there with plans to stay for a week, hoping to spread his parents’ ashes by the big redwood tree from the photo, and finding closure for himself in the process. But there is a deeply troubled side of Ohm that ends up sending the movie down a dark path. And the events that unfolds will have you questioning much of what you see.

The hotel itself introduces an interesting assortment of characters including the creepy old owner named Mr. Cob (Brendan Conroy), the receptionist Mal (Peter Coonan), the groundskeeper Fergal (Michael Patric), the bellhop Alby (Will O’Connell), and the bartender Fiona (Florence Ordesh). The smug and sardonic Ohm leaves a bad impression with everyone other than Fiona who helps him locate the old redwood tree from his mother’s photo.

But then the movie broadsides us with a shocking turn which I won’t spoil. It’s a jolt that we never see coming, yet that never feels as significant moving forward as it clearly means to. Shortly after, Ohm learns that Fiona has gone missing. The semi-concerned hotel staff are quick to name a shaggy local named Jerry (David Wilmot) as the prime suspect. Yet they bristle at Ohm’s questions, especially when he asks why they refuse to search for her in the glaringly suspicious, locked-tight honeymoon suite.

Of course there turns out to be a lot more to the honeymoon suite. Ohm faces off against an unexpected enemy. He gets help from an equally unexpected ally. And the frights come from all directions, inspired by old witch tales, the notion of demons, and even classic haunted house stories. McCarthy weaves them all together into something genuinely macabre yet without fountains of blood and gore. And he succeeds in keeping us on the edges of our seats.

While it does borrow ideas from other horror movies that came before it, there is a uniqueness to “Hokum” that gives the film its own identity within a grounded and ever-growing field. That said, key elements of the story could have used more attention, whether it’s Ohm’s family issues or deeper explanations of the hotel’s secrets. Still, getting something that’s even slightly original to the horror genre is refreshing. And McCarthy continues to build a resume that makes him an exciting new voice going forward.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

One of big treats of the 2026 El Dorado Film Festival was the screening of writer-director Lilian T. Mehrel’s “Honeyjoon”. This is an emotionally rich, life-affirming dramedy that had its world premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival. Now as it continues to make its way along the festival circuit, more people are getting to experience this impressive feature debut from a filmmaker with a number of compelling interests on her mind.

Set and filmed in the gorgeous Azores islands off the coast of Portugal, “Honeyjoon” tells a mother and daughter story that has its own unique flavor. It’s a story with deep-rooted humanity that is conveyed in a variety of ways. It’s mostly seen through the two fully defined lead characters. Their individual experiences, their emotional complexities, their vastly different philosophies – it all fuels the heartfelt drama while setting the table for some smart and often unexpected humor.

The sensual June (Ayden Mayeri) and her more modest mother Lela (Amira Casar) travel to the Azores islands for the one-year anniversary of their husband and father’s death. Years earlier he had visited the islands and he had hoped to one day take his family. But he was diagnosed with cancer and died before he had the opportunity. So June and Lela make the trip themselves as a way of honoring his memory.

But the mother and daughter are at two dramatically different points in their lives. They have sharply contrasting views on how to grieve, how to move forward, and how skimpy June’s wardrobe should be. That last bit feeds one the film’s best running jokes, but it also adds some clarity to their clashing perspectives. To her credit, Mehrel doesn’t judge either of them. She simply explores what has shaped their points of view.

June and Lela arrive at there hotel to find themselves surrounded by honeymooners. To get away from all the intimacy, they book a private island tour that’s guided by a hunky surfer named João (José Condessa). The aggressively flirty June tries to get João’s attention. But he seems much more interested in philosophical conversations with Lela. Ultimately their time with João opens their eyes, allowing them to see each other in a new light.

Things start to come unglued in the final act as Mehrel dilutes the film’s theme of moving forward by linking it with sexual pleasure. It leads to a strange and unwieldy turn that probably looked better on paper than it turned out on screen. But Mehrel gets things back on track with a moving final sequence that really speaks to what “Honeyjoon” is all about.

With “Honeyjoon”, Lilian Mehrel balances a wealth of themes through her intimate and grounded mother-daughter story. It’s a funny and affecting drama that would never work without the sparkling chemistry between Mayeri and Casar. Her film is also a visual feast, from the breathtaking scenery to the impressive camera choices (crisp digital, an iPhone, and best of all, vintage Super 8). It all makes for a strong first feature and it will be exciting to see what Mehrel does next.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

When not playing a key role in the box office shattering Avatar film series, Stephen Lang is still making a variety of modest independent movies. His latest is “Hellfire”, a small town action thriller that tells a familiar story in a familiar setting about familiar characters facing a familiar dilemma. But Lang makes anything watchable. And supporting turns from Harvey Keitel and Dolph Lundgren add to the fun.

Set in 1988, the residents in the small one-horse town of Rondo, Texas live in the iron grip of a local crime boss and drug runner named Jeremiah Whitfield (Keitel). Whitfield owns most of the town and uses his power to force the handful of citizens to do his bidding. If they refuse, there’s a heavy price to pay. And they know too much for Whitfield to let them leave town.

Among the oppressed townsfolk is Owen (Chris Mullinax) and his daughter Lena (Scottie Thompson) who run a local bar. They are frequently terrorized by an area thug named Clyde (Michael Sirow). He is Whitfield’s entitled son who happens to have an eye for Lena. The people get no help from their spineless and corrupt Sheriff Wiley (Dolph Lundgren) which leaves them with little choice but to do what they’re told.

Things heat up when a drifter (Lang) wanders into town. He begins doing odd jobs for Owen in exchange for enough money for a meal and a motel room. But Whitfield is leery of newcomers. So he orders the sheriff to make sure the drifter, who Owen nicknames “Nomada”, packs his things and gets out of town. But the drifter decides to stick around, much to the chagrin of Whitfield’s gang who quickly learn that Nomada isn’t some helpless vagrant. He’s a highly skilled military war veteran with a possible higher calling.

What transpires from there isn’t hard to figure out. And generally speaking, the story plays out just as we might expect. But director Isaac Florentine and screenwriter Richard Lowry help things by throwing in a surprise or two, including an unexpected dark turn which we never see coming. Meanwhile Lang is a steady and sturdy presence who consistently elevates the material. And he’s especially good in the action sequences, showing remarkable physicality for a 73-year-old.

“Hellfire” is an easy and involving watch, and at 95 minutes it doesn’t drag out what is a pretty straightforward story. With the exception of one especially sharp turn, it doesn’t get a lot of mileage out of its well-travelled story. And it doesn’t have enough of its own flavor to leave a lasting impression. Still, Stephen Lang anchors the movie with grit and commitment while Keitel, Thompson, and Lundgren offer solid support.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS