For us film critics, November and December are the busiest months on the calendar. It’s when studios and distributors send us their biggest movies of the year for awards consideration. So we go on a two-month cram session, watching every big or small awards contender before our voting deadlines. These are often more serious-minded movies. And after 15 or 20 in a row, you’re often looking for an escape. Enter “Predator: Badlands”.

Dan Trachtenberg continues to re-energize the Predator series with his third entry into the franchise. After two direct-to-Hulu hits (2022’s “Prey” and the animated “Predator: Killer of Killers” from earlier this year), Trachtenberg brings Predator back to the big screen with “Badlands”, and he doesn’t disappoint. His latest takes us to a new setting yet features the same feral action the movies are known for despite its surprising PG-13 rating.

The setting isn’t the only thing fresh about “Badlands”. Thematically, Trachtenberg takes his film in a slightly new direction, tapping into such themes as family strife, forging your own path, and finding the will to trust others. But fear not, “Badlands” serves up a steady diet of gritty action that fans will expect. And Trachtenberg leaves the door wide open for more of the traditionally ruthless Predator stories. Simply put, the franchise is in great hands.

On the distant planet Yautja Prime, a young Predator named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) is considered the runt of his Yautja Clan. His older brother Kwei (Mike Homik) tirelessly trains him, but Dek is never able to earn his chieftain father’s approval. Kwei tells Dek he can earn his place in the clan by traveling to the deadly planet Genna and hunting an unkillable beast known as the Kalisk. Dek eagerly accepts. But before he can depart, his father arrives and orders Kwei to kill his weaker brother. Kwei defies his father and is executed on the spot. But before he is, Kwei manages to seal Dek in their ship and launch him to Genna.

Genna is a planet of beauty and peril. It has lush forests and vast mountain ranges which Trachtenberg exquisitely captures. It’s also a planet where both flora and fauna can be a threat. The rage-fueled Dek immediately finds himself fighting for his life. But he gets help from the most unexpected source – Thia (Elle Fanning), a Weyland-Yutani synthetic who had her bottom half torn off during an encounter with the Kalisk. The comically cheerful Thia convinces the comically gruff Dek that she can be a useful “tool”. So he (literally) carries her with him on his hunt.

But creatures and plant life aren’t the only dangers on Genna. Thia’s synthetic sister, Tessa (also played by Fanning) leads an army of androids from Weyland-Yutani’s bioweapons division to capture the Kalisk for the company’s own nefarious purposes. This puts them at direct odds with Dek and Thia, setting up the film’s second-half conflict which is loaded with sci-fi action of all sorts. We get a little bit of everything from primal combat to giant creatures versus mechs. And of course there are the Predator favorites – shoulder-mounted cannons, triangulated laser sights, retractable blades, etc.

“Badlands” takes the series in a unique direction by having a Yautja become a protagonist rather than the antagonist. It also injects a healthy dose of humor, much of which is implemented well. Most of it comes through Dek and Thia’s oddball partnership (you can’t help but laugh as he carries her around on his back as Luke Skywalker did Yoda on Dagobah). Less effective is an indigenous CGI creature dubbed Bud who is a bit too cutesy and who visually stands out against the otherwise extraordinary digital effects.

But again, the franchise faithful shouldn’t worry and no one should give air to the knee-jerk negativity on social media. “Badlands” offers a new kind of story within the Predator universe that adds more depth and dimension to its eponymous hunter than we’ve ever seen. Yet it doesn’t forsake the sheer ferocity and (in some cases) brutality that has been a signature of the series. “Badlands” doesn’t come close to reaching the heights of the 1987 original. But to Trachtenberg’s credit, he doesn’t try to. He simply shows there are a variety of stories to tell within this growing franchise. And I’m thrilled that he has the keys to it.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Back in the 1980s there was a wave of Vietnam War era action movies that focused on the P.O.W. experience. They included such poppy franchise flicks as “Missing in Action” and “Rambo: First Blood Part II”, smaller star-driven films like “Uncommon Valor”, and more obscure Cannon Group titles like “P.O.W. the Escape”. I admit to endlessly absorbing these movies as a kid, repeatedly renting them on VHS from our favorite video store.

The vanilla titled “Prisoner of War” hearkens back to those movies of old, proudly possessing many of their strengths and weaknesses. The film does distinguish itself in one key way – rather than Vietnam, its story is set in Japan during the waning days of World War II. It’s directed by Australian actor turned director Louis Mandylor and written for the screen by Marc Clebanoff. It stars English actor and martial artist Scott Adkins who also originated the story.

Adkins plays James Wright, a Wing Commander in the Royal British Air Force. In April of 1942, his plane is shot down while carrying out a mission over the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines. Wright survives but is quickly captured and taken to a Japanese prison camp ran by Lieutenant Colonel Ito (Peter Shinkoda). After evading an attempted execution, Wright gains the attention of Ito who pits him in a series of fights against the Colonel’s best warriors. For Wright, they are fights for survival. For Ito, it’s the opportunity to publicly strip his prisoner of his honor.

When not fighting, Wright is on work detail where he gets to know the other POWs. They’re a mostly generic group of captives with only a handful of them sketched enough to stand out. They’re led by an American, Captain Collins (Cowboy Cerrone) who’s light of personality but heavy on brawn. Other prisoners such as Sergeant Villanueva (Michael Copon) and Beard (Michael Rene Walton) get a little to do. But most are faceless fodder to be killed at certain intervals to show Ito means business.

The same can be said for the Japanese soldiers. Aside from Ito, there is the short-tempered Captain Endo (Masanori Mimoto) who bullies his way to an evitable showdown at the end. And there’s the woefully underdeveloped Hiroshi (Atsuki Kashio) who is sympathetic to the prisoners and their plight. The rest of the soldiers are little more than faceless targets for Wright and company to take out. The movie attempts to add more humanity via a kindly nurse named Theresa (Gabbi Garcia). But she too is trapped in a fairly shallow supporting role.

Overall the story follows a fairly conventional blueprint, finishing off with a predictable big escape that goes exactly as we expect. Along the way there are a few references to the greater war and more specifically the Bataan Death March. But it’s never enough to add much weight. And it’s all bookended by two post-war scenes of Wright seeking some closure. But most of the storytelling revolves around the dynamics at play within the camp.

While “Prisoner of War” may struggle in the narrative department, it excels with the action, especially the well-choreographed and deftly shot fight sequences. Adkins is a formidable martial artist and a convincing presence in front of Mandylor’s camera. The director locks onto the action rather than chopping it to death with quick cuts. Meanwhile the hard-working Adkins does most of the heavy lifting, impressively kicking and punching life into this serviceable throwback action movie.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

Since Steven Spielberg’s original “Jurassic Park” first blew up the global box office, there has been no shortage of feature length knockoffs. They’ve come in all varieties, bearing such hilariously corny titles as “Jurassic Galaxy”, “Jurassic Shark”, “Jurassic Thunder”, and so on. As Oscar Wilde so eloquently put it, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness“. For the most part that certainly fits when it comes to Spielberg’s 1993 blockbuster classic.

In some ways “Primitive War” may fall into the knockoff category. It has the CGI dinosaurs and its story revolves around humanity’s clash with these beasts from the past. Even some of its shots directly call back to the Jurassic Park movies. Yet dismissing “Primitive War” as nothing more than a knockoff would be a disservice considering how the film takes so many wild swings all its own. To be clear, this is no clone of “Jurassic Park”, not in style, tone, narrative, or ambition.

“Primitive War” is an Australian production helmed by Luke Sparke. A man of many hats, Sparke serves as the film’s director, writer, producer, editor, visual effects supervisor, and production designer. On paper there’s no way “Primitive War” should work. But Sparke’s craftsmanship does wonders in many of the areas mentioned above. His direction is solid, his editing is crisp, his production design is superb, and his budget special effects impress more than they let down (more on them in a second).

Arguably the film’s biggest strength involves its time and place. Sparke gets a ton of mileage out of his Vietnam War setting. Set in 1968, the story (based on a 2017 novel of the same name by Ethan Pettus) follows Vulture Squad, a well-oiled elite unit of highly trained Army outcasts who conduct dangerous missions deep behind enemy lines. Sparke smartly lets us spend some time with the seven men early on, both in the field and in the barracks. It’s a choice that adds some needed weight to what’s to come.

After a Green Beret unit goes missing in occupied territory, Vulture Squad is called on by their commander, Colonel Jericho (played by Jeremy Piven brandishing an unfortunate Southern accent). He tasks them with discovering the whereabouts of the missing soldiers and reporting back. But Jericho gives them practically no intel, content with saying everything is “classified”. So Vulture team leader Sergeant Baker (Ryan Kwanten) and his ragtag unit are sent deep into the jungle under the cover the night. And what they discover isn’t the Viet Cong. It is in fact (as you’ve probably guessed) dinosaurs.

Sparke wastes no time putting Vulture Squad in danger. They immediately discover a massive animal track, a giant feather, a heaping pile of dung, and a journal with the slightly ambiguous words “we are being hunted” scribbled inside. Those words become a reality after the soldiers are attack by a ravenous pack of Deinonychus. During the chaos, Baker and a rookie named Leon (Carlos Sanson) are separated from their squadmates. They have a harrowing encounter with a Tyrannosaurus Rex before being saved by a stranded Russian scientist named Sofia (Tricia Helfer) who takes them to her heavily fortified research station.

From there the movie takes one of its several genre turns, introducing a stone-cold crazy science-fiction twist. I won’t spoil it, but you have to respect the audacity while you’re audibly laughing out loud. It’s utterly preposterous, yet the movie’s earnest treatment of it makes it work within the confines of the story. And the entire cast is fully onboard, embracing the nuttiness through characters who have just enough individual personality for us to care. That sounds like a small thing, but it makes a difference in a movie like this.

As mentioned, Sparke squeezes a lot out of the story’s Vietnam War setting. He puts plenty of effort into recreating it, as seen in his choices of shooting locations, the carefully detailed sets, the authentic uniforms, gear, vehicles, and weaponry. As for the visual effects, Sparke doesn’t let his modest budget stymie his vision and what he is able to do with $8 million is pretty remarkable. Without question, some of the CGI isn’t up to snuff. But for the most part, the dinosaurs look great with Sparke and DP Wade Muller often using their camera in a number of clever ways to enhance what we see. It’s pretty impressive.

As for the script, it not only presents a gonzo premise – it fully embraces it. It does so by weaving together a war movie, a gory creature feature, and sci-fi action, putting its own spin on each in the process. At the same time, it tries a little too hard to be grounded and gritty – an issue that shows itself most in the dialogue. Sure, you can pick apart certain things (such as the squad’s seemingly endless supply of ammunition). But those issues are trivial in a movie that succeeds in being exactly what it wants to be – two fun-filled hours of pure genre entertainment.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

I wonder if there has ever been a filmmaker more devoted to his or her style than Wes Anderson? If you went into a movie blind, chances are you would know it was a Wes Anderson movie midway through the opening credits. His new film, “The Phoenician Scheme” is about as Wes Andersonian as a Wes Anderson movie can be. So your appreciation for his latest will undoubtedly hinge on your feelings towards his work as a whole.

I proudly consider myself a Wes Anderson fan and (sometimes) apologist. For that reason, “The Phoenician Scheme” was a must see for me. But that doesn’t mean I’ve fallen for every movie he has made (sorry “The French Dispatch”). But there’s so much admire in a Wes Anderson production – the immaculately detailed compositions, his distinct color palette, the quirky characters, the hilarious deadpan performances, etc. His latest features all of those elements plus some.

Yet despite having all the Andersonian hallmarks, “The Phoenician Scheme” stealthily surprises with its mix of humor and heart. There are plenty of wry and whimsical laughs scattered throughout the movie’s zany adventuring, corporate espionage, and family melodrama. But at its core is a sweet father-daughter reconciliation story. And while it takes some time to fully develop, the slow and subtle healing of that central relationship adds an unexpected tenderness that leads to a heartfelt payoff.

“The Phoenician Scheme” brings together another colorful ensemble that mixes longtime Anderson favorites with fresh new faces. Benicio Del Toro gets top billing playing Anatole “Zsa-Zsa” Korda, a ruthless industrialist and overall controversial figure who narrowly escapes the latest in many assassination attempts from an unknown enemy. It prompts him to reach out to his estranged daughter, Liesl (Mia Threapleton) who is studying to become a nun.

Liesl reluctantly meets with her father where she learns he wants to make her the sole heir to his fortune and the overseer of his grandest and most ambitious scheme yet. Korda’s meticulously planned scheme involves a number of large infrastructure projects meant to revitalize the long-dormant region of Phoenicia. Of course Korda sets himself up to make a nice profit, namely a 5% annual revenue share for the next 150 years. Liesl is suspicious and hesitant, but she eventually agrees, hoping she can bring some good out of her father’s shady plans.

Unfortunately for Korda, it doesn’t take long for his scheme to hit a snag. A clandestine international business consortium led by a driven bureaucrat codenamed Excalibur (Rupert Friend) use their power to fix the prices of essential construction materials. Realizing the crippling effects of a funding deficit, Korda sets out to meet with each of his underground investors, hoping they will help financially cover the gap. He’s accompanied by Liesl and Bjørn (Michael Cera), a nerdy entomologist who gets promoted to Korda’s administrative assistant.

As the motley trio travel across the region they encounter all kinds of threats from business rivals, hired assassins, and terrorists. Meanwhile each stop they make plays like its own Anderson vignette, and each eccentric investor they visit have their own distinct peculiarity. They’re wonderfully portrayed through the finely tuned talents of Riz Ahmed, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston, Mathieu Amalric, Jeffrey Wright, Scarlett Johansson, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

While Benicio del Toro is a pitch-perfect lead and we’re treated to my very favorite Michael Cera performance, it’s Mia Threapleton who will have most people talking. Her bone-dry delivery and off-kilter charm gels perfectly with Anderson’s world. And it’s a world we know well. “The Phoenician Scheme” has all the visual artistry, striking symmetry, and stunning production design fans have grown accustomed to. And the dense dialogue has that same witty tenor. But to his credit, Anderson often delivers something unique amid all the creative sameness. And that is certainly the case with his latest.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

The Predator universe was infused with new life following the release of the surprise hit “Prey” in 2022. The franchise kicked off in 1987 with “Predator”, a sci-fi action feature that remains one of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s very best films. Since then there have been a number of sequels, spin-offs, and crossovers of varying degrees of quality. But director Dan Trachtenberg offered a new take on the franchise with “Prey” and since has been given the keys to the series.

Trachtenberg has a standalone movie coming out in November titled “Predator: Badlands”. But in October of last year, it was revealed he had made a secret film that was set for release between “Prey” and “Badlands”. That movie is “Predator: Killer of Killers”, an adult animated anthology(ish) film co-directed by Trachtenberg and Joshua Wassung. Releasing as a Hulu Original, “Killer of Killers” puts a fresh spin on Predator, similar to what “Into the Spider-Verse” did for Spider-Man movies. And it sets the standard for animation’s potential in future Predator projects.

Built upon an action-fueled script by screenwriter Micho Robert Rutare and extraordinary visuals from the animation studio The Third Floor, “Killer of Killers” takes us through centuries and across cultures in telling the stories of three warriors. The three – a Viking raider, a ninja assassin, and a World War II pilot – fight their battles at dramatically different points on Earth’s timeline. While they all could be considered killers, they also have something else in common. Each encounter a technologically advanced alien predator who turns these warriors into prey.

The first chapter is titled “The Shield” and is set in 841 AD. It follows Ersa (Lindsay LaVanchy), a Scandinavian Valkyrie who leads her son Anders (Damien C. Haas) on a quest for revenge against a brutal chieftain. The second chapter titled “The Sword” takes place in 1629 feudal Japan where a ninja assassin (Louis Ozawa) confronts his shogun brother who now leads their family’s clan. And the third chapter, “The Bullet” sees a young man from Florida named John Torres (Rick Gonzalez) drafted to the military during World War II.

Rutare’s script does a nice job introducing and defining each character, stumbling only with some shaky dialogue in “The Bullet”. Each story is distinctly compelling in its own way, exploring such themes as vengeance, trauma, and generational cycles of violence. But franchise fans needn’t worry. Each story is action-packed with brutal fight sequences often playing out through stunningly choreographed set pieces. They’re fittingly and unabashedly bloody and each alien predator is uniquely menacing.

Most surprising is the unexpected yet satisfying way Trachtenberg, Wassung, and Rutare brings the three stories together. It’s best you see it for yourself, but just know it involves an unanticipated turn that sets up the film’s big finish. And it’s capped off with a killer final shot that has intriguing implications for past and future movies, especially with Trachtenberg at the helm of the franchise (for the time being).

“Predator: Killer of Killers” is arriving with very little attention, but it’s a movie worthy of some buzz, especially for anyone interested in the Predator universe. The inventive story and savvy storytelling work hand-in-hand with the many rousing action sequences. And it’s all enhanced by a visually captivating art style that does justice to the time periods and cultures as well as the brutally violent Predator world. “Predator: Killer of Killers” premieres June 6th on Hulu.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

Despite getting rave reviews and making big money at the box office, there’s a part of me that believes the Paddington films are remain surprisingly underrated. There never seems to be the same enthusiasm surrounding them as there is with so many other stock quality family movies. And they’ve been completely overlooked by most major awards shows including the Oscars, Golden Globes, and Critics Choice.

But for my money the two previous Paddington movies sit among the very best family features ever made. So it goes without saying that “Paddington in Peru” immediately found its place on my ‘Most Anticipated’ list for 2025 movies. Based on the popular series of children’s books by the late Thomas Michael Bond, the Paddington films follow the adventures of Paddington, a warmhearted Peruvian bear who finds a loving home in London with the kindly Brown family.

Dougal Wilson takes the directing reins from Paul King and tells a new story – one that may not have the laughs of previous Paddington films but that has the same big heart. Despite living in the same London flat, the Browns don’t spend much time together. Judy (Madeleine Harris) is getting ready to head off to college. Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) spends all of his time in his room playing video games and tinkering with his inventions. Henry (Hugh Bonneville) is swamped with work at his insurance firm. And Mary (Emily Mortimer) is left to her painting while lamenting how times have changed.

The one constant in the Brown family is the lovable Paddington (wonderfully voiced by a returning Ben Whishaw) with his red floppy hat, blue duffle coat, and heart of gold. Paddington still loves his life in London, but he also enjoys his letters from his beloved Aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Staunton). She lives in a retirement home for bears back in Peru.

But one day Paddington receives a concerning letter from the retirement home’s Reverend Mother (Olivia Colman). She tells him that Aunt Lucy deeply misses him and has been acting noticeably strange lately. A worried Paddington is determined to pay her a visit. Meanwhile Mary sees the trip as an opportunity for their family to spend some much needed time together.

So the Browns pack up and set off for Peru. But upon arrival they’re met with some bad news. The Reverend Mother informs them that Aunt Lucy has gone missing. While searching for clues in her cabin, Paddington discovers an old map to a mysterious place called Rumi Rock. So the Browns hire out a boat captained by treasure hunters Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter Gina (Carla Tous) to take them deep into Peruvian Amazon to find Rumi Rock and hopefully Aunt Lucy.

From the opening title card, there’s something comforting about being back in this world. The characters, the tone, the style, the aesthetic, the gorgeous digital effects, the extra storybook animations – it’s all like a warm hug from someone (or on this case something) you‘ve missed. Wilson knows what fans expect from a Paddington movie and for the most part he delivers.

That said, “Paddington in Peru” doesn’t quite reach the heights of the previous movies. Most notably, it’s not as funny. It certainly packs some laughs and just the very notion of it all is amusing in itself. Yet it’s hardly a steady diet of humor. Also, by the third act Paddington’s adventure begins to run out of steam. And there are times when the movie leans a little too much on big action sequences and not on what makes the characters and their journey special.

But to Wilson’s credit, even when his film wanders he still manages to guide it back, punctuating the story with a tender and heartfelt ending that hits just the right note. And as the credits roll we’re reminded of why we adore this marmalade loving bear and his endearing human family. Even more, it leaves us with the hope that there are more big screen Paddington stories set to be told. I know I’ll be there for them.

VERDICT – 4 STARS