From film critic to filmmaker, Chris Stuckmann moves from his YouTube screen to the directing chair with his debut feature “Shelby Oaks”. This unique supernatural horror mystery makes for an impressive feature film debut for Stuckmann who serves as director, writer, and producer. Even with a small budget, Stuckmann’s film almost didn’t get made due to a lack of funds. But that changed after a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign and NEON acquiring the distribution rights.

To his credit, Stuckmann doesn’t let budget constraints hinder his vision. As a result, “Shelby Oaks” is able to create the precise effect he’s going for. It’s a movie where atmosphere is the prime focus. And while he throws in a well-timed jump scare or two, Stuckmann concentrates most on creating and developing a steady sense of unease. It results in a richly atmospheric chiller that’s brimming with the kind of sustained tension that keeps you fidgeting in your seat for all the right reasons.

With “Shelby Oaks”, Stuckman employs several methods to tell his story. Much of the first half features a combination of documentary style and found footage. For many of us, the latter has ran its cinematic course. But Stuckmann uses found footage in a compelling way. And he wisely pulls away from it before it becomes a liability. The film’s second half goes the traditional narrative feature route which works well with the story he’s telling, despite some final act bumps in the road.

The story is an interesting mix of true crime and the supernatural. Without question it’s a creepy tone-centered horror film but with a distinct mystery element to it. The mystery revolves around the disappearance of Riley Brennen (Sarah Durn), the host of the YouTube ghost-hunting show “Paranormal Paranoids”. In 2008, Riley and her three crew members disappeared without a trace while investigating the old ghost town of Shelby Oaks.

Many believed the disappearances to be a hoax – a gimmick to build anticipation for their next episode. But when the three gruesomely murdered bodies of her crew members were discovered, the fate of Riley Brennen became a national discussion. The last time she was seen alive is in some grainy video footage that shows her leaving a room and being confronted by something outside of our sight.

Twelve years later, Riley’s sister Mia (Camille Sullivan) hasn’t given up her search. While being interviewed for an upcoming true crime documentary, Mia is visited by a mysterious man who rambles incorrectly before pulling out a gun and shooting himself in the head. A shocked Mia notices the man is clutching an old camcorder cassette labeled “Shelby Oaks” which she grabs before the police arrive. On it, Mia finds new information that refuels her already obsessive investigation.

In the first of several head-scratching character choices, Mia sets out for Shelby Oaks alone(?) and in the middle of the night(?) to follow her new leads. The series of dark discoveries she makes sends the story into some unsettling territory. And as the mystery patiently unfolds, the film is able to generate some authentic suspense, aided by the eerie and dread-drenched presentation from Stuckmann and his DP Andrew Scott Baird.

But as we’ve seen time and time again, landing the perfect ending isn’t as easy as it looks on paper. “Shelby Oaks” doesn’t botch its finish, but it leaves it feeling underdeveloped. The supernatural components are especially underwritten which shortchanges key pieces of the final 30 minutes. But the movie easily makes up for it in other areas, namely in creating a dark, immersive experience that embraces its classic horror inspirations while adding some of its own touches.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

2025’s “Safe House” shouldn’t be confused with or considered connected to the 2012 Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds action thriller of the same name. They do fall into the same genre, but that’s about as far as the similarities go. This recent film features a much different story, and director Jaimie Marshall tells it within an impressively lean and efficient 90 minutes.

Penned by screenwriter Leon Langford, “Safe House” maneuvers us through a handful of contrivances and an occasional trope or two on its way to delivering a propulsive action movie that’s just as much a tightly-wound thriller. It does an amazing amount within its fairly modest budget and the ensemble make good fits, often adding more to their characters than the script itself.

The film opens in downtown Los Angeles as a convoy is transporting the Vice President of the United States to a gala being held at City Hall. Suddenly the convoy is hit with high-grade explosives only a few blocks from its destination. At the same time, a bomb is detonated in front of City Hall, releasing a chemical agent into the heart of the city. As unknown gunmen rain down bullets, five federal agents scramble to a high-security federal safe house operated by a “housekeeper” named Anderson (Lucien Laviscount).

With barely any connections between them, the six key characters find themselves locked in a safe house with fellow agents they barely know, if at all. Aside from Anderson, we meet Special Agents Owens (Hannah John-Kamen) and Reeves (Michael Bradway) from the Department of Defense, the secretive Agent Choi (Lewis Tan) who was among the VP’s security detail, the trigger-happy Agent Sorello (Ethan Embry) from Homeland Security, and the grizzled Agent Halton (Holt McCallany) from Langley.

Still shaken from the terrorist attacks, the six agents must navigate their suspicions and work together if they want to survive. But that becomes increasingly difficult after the safe house is contacted by General Marshall (Brett Cullen). He informs the agents that the signal from the detonator used in the bombing has been traced to their building. Believing one of the agents to be the bomber, Marshall remotely seals the safe house until the identity of the bomber is discovered.

Most of the film follows the six rats in a cage who are not only fighting to survive threats from terrorists breaking in from the outside, but also the potential threat from a traitor already among them. Fear and frustration soon leads to paranoia. And the characters, with their distinct personalities and tightly held secrets, begin to clash. As for the audience, we’re left to take it all in – studying the agents and weighing the variables, all in effort to figure out who is or isn’t the person they claim to be.

As the mystery is playing out, the filmmakers break it up with several kinetic action sequences as the terrorists begin penetrating the fortified building. If you look close, there are clues to spot in the hectic shoot-outs and bone-cracking brawls. But these scenes are mostly about the well-choreographed action. It’s intense, fast-paced, and thrilling in large part due to Marshall’s crisp approach and the skillful lensing from cinematographer Michael Merriman.

The biggest problem with “Safe House” is a frustrating one. It’s found in the movie’s big reveal which unfortunately goes the more obvious route. Not only is the culprit’s identity fairly predictable, but their revelation rushes the movie to an underwhelming finish that’s capped off with a cliffhanger meant to set up a sequel. But the unexceptional ending doesn’t undermine the taut powder-keg story that leads to it. Marshall shrewdly keeps us invested by steadily propelling things forward and raising the stakes every step of the way. His steady screw-tightening and bursts of furious action makes “Safe House” an entertaining watch.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS

Bruce Springsteen is an interesting specimen. There is no denying his status as a rock ‘n’ roll legend. And while I’ve never been his biggest fan, he had a series of hits during the early to mid-1980s that I still love to this day. Yet Springsteen (affectionately known as The Boss) has always seemed like a regional favorite. For instance he remains much beloved in the Northeast but doesn’t have the same kind of following in the South.

Nonetheless, the 76-year-old Springsteen has released a total of 21 studio albums and sold over 140 million records worldwide. In addition, The Boss has won 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, and even an Academy Award. Those numbers alone speak volumes about the New Jersey native’s magnificent run. And now (as so often happens) he has his own music biopic. Unfortunately it doesn’t do justice to Springsteen’s life story or music career.

Based on the 2023 book of the same name by Warren Zanes, “Deliver Me From Nowhere” is a strangely unfocused sketch of Springsteen’s life. Writer-director Scott Cooper hones in on a specific time in the singer-songwriter’s history. It’s a compelling period that’s perfect for a ‘slice of life’ music biography. But instead of tightening its focus, the movie is frequently glancing back at another part of Springsteen’s life. Sadly we end up with a movie that’s hampered by two out of sync and underdeveloped stories competing for screen time.

In one respect “Deliver Me From Nowhere” is about Bruce (Jeremy Allen White) in his early thirties fresh off the enormous success of his multi-platinum double album “The River”. After his final show of his year-long tour, Bruce informs his loyal and supportive manager Jon Landau (a terrific Jeremy Strong) that’s he’s going back home to New Jersey to “slow things down a bit”. While at Asbury, Bruce reconnects with his past which inspires him to start writing and recording a collection of new songs.

Bruce ends up writing several sure-fire hits. But instead of releasing them, his heart leads him towards something more personal. So he records a series of acoustic folk songs that would form his sixth album, “Nebraska”. But his record label wants to take full advantage of his popularity with a new album full of chart-toppers. An acoustic folk album is not what they had in mind. Still Bruce persists. And making it an even tougher sell is his insistence that there be no press, no singles, and no tours.

The creative tensions between Bruce staying true to his convictions and the desire of record executives to capitalize on his fame is when the movie is at its best. But there is another story that attempts to explore the more personal themes of generational trauma and depression. It consists of a series of flashbacks sprinkled throughout the movie that focuses on Bruce’s complicated relationship with his abusive alcoholic father (Stephen Graham).

The father-son angle begins in 1957 during Bruce’s childhood and ends with a surprisingly tidy finish. The problem is we’re missing so many details that would better explain Bruce’s feelings towards his father. Even worse, their troubled relationship seems to haunt Bruce leading to bouts of depression. But his internal conflict doesn’t translate well to the screen. For much of the time we don’t know what’s wrong with Bruce. It isn’t until later that we get something resembling an explanation.

While the script bounces him back and forth between stories, White pours every bit of himself into portraying Springsteen. There are moments where the resemblance is uncanny both in his look and mannerisms. Other moments aren’t quite as convincing. Strong offers up another strong biographical supporting turn. And Odessa Young is very good as a single mother who becomes Bruce’s love interest. Unfortunately Young’s character is undercut by the muddied handling of Bruce’s mental state.

There’s no denying Bruce Springsteen is worthy of his own biopic. “Deliver Me From Nowhere” offers a mere glimpse of his creative journey rather than a celebration of it. Instead it attempts to balance music with a more personal story of strained family relationships and mental health. Cooper’s intentions are noble and he delivers some energetic scenes and enlightening moments (such as Bruce jamming with friends at The Stone Pony or his growing discomfort with fame). But it all feels curated to a fault, and there’s too much surface-level treatment to do justice to this music legend’s life and career.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

Director Antonio Negret effectively explores the cultural clash of spiritual beliefs and less effectively observes the impact of colonialism in his new feature “Shaman”, a supernatural horror film penned by his brother, Daniel Negret. Their collaboration is both beautiful and terrifying, with the brothers using horror’s well-traveled possession subgenre as a means of examining its bigger and more specific themes.

The story is set in a remote part of Ecuador where a well-meaning Catholic missionary family have come to minister to the indigenous locals under the direction of a local priest, Father Meyer (Alejandro Fajardo). Candice (Sara Canning), her husband Joel (Daniel Gillies), and their teenage son Elliot (Jett Klyne) have jumpstarted a school, they offer medicines to the sick, and provide warm meals to those in need.

But things take a sinister turn after Elliot ventures into a nearby cave despite the warnings of some local kids. He inadvertently breaks a seal that unleashes a malicious spirit which is later identified as Supay, the God of Death. Unknowingly possessed by the evil Supay, Elliot returns home. But it’s not long before Candice begins noticing her son acting unusual. To no surprise his actions progressively get more disturbing, from disappearing in the middle of the night to throwing up blood (among other things).

Adding to the eeriness is a creepy old shaman (Humberto Morales) who takes an immediate interest in Elliot. The devout Candice wants no part of the shaman or his unsettling rituals. But his repeated presence raises concern. Is he someone who can help and can he be trusted? Or is he and his black magic the root cause of Elliot’s condition? That mystery plays a big part of the film’s second half. As Elliot’s condition worsens, a troubled Candice feels more helpless and the shaman’s presence grows more peculiar.

“Shaman” is not for the squeamish. In addition to the strange totems, animal sacrifices, and creepy occult rituals, there is no shortage of graphic and squirm-worthy images to make you uncomfortable. Bleeding eyes, burning skin, cracking bones, scorpions. The movie throws in a variety of genre conventions plucked from all kinds of past possession movies. That inevitably strips away some of the tension for fans who have seen it all before. But the setting remains interesting even when the scares aren’t quite hitting their marks.

Thematically, the movie takes some swings at religion and colonialism through the clash between the family’s firm Catholic beliefs and the local culture. Meanwhile we get a slow drip of revelation that hints at past family troubles. But within the bounds of the story neither are explored in enough detail to matter much. Still “Shaman” manages to get under your skin just enough to be effective. And familiar possession tropes aside, the film does things with its unique setting to give the story its own distinct identity.

VERDICT – 3 STARS

“Stella. A Life.” is a Holocaust drama that tells a true story unlike most others. It’s a fictional film that is based on historical facts that were researched from the 1946 trial records of the Soviet Military Court. At the center of the trial and this story is Stella Goldschlag, a young Jewish woman living in Berlin during the rise of Naziism. Like many Jews, Stella felt the devastating horror of Hitler’s unspeakable despotism. But unlike other Jews, the actions she took were every bit as unspeakable.

The film stars the captivating Paula Beer who was so good in her three collaborations with director Christian Petzold, “Transit”, “Undine”, and “Afire”. Here she takes on an especially challenging lead role that sees her character significantly and tragically transform over the film’s compelling two hours. To no surprise Beer is up to the task, keenly handling the emotionally heavy workload to such great effect that we find ourselves beguiled by Stella’s vivacity and charm. At least until the allure turns to repulsion.

The film opens in 1940 where we’re introduced to Stella Goldschlag (Beer), a spirited young woman living in Berlin with big dreams of becoming a jazz singer. Early on it seems as if she has everything going for her. Not only is she and her band getting gigs in fancy nightclubs, but they’ve even earned an invitation to one day travel to America and play on Broadway. But just as her dreams look to be within reach, Stella is faced with the crushing reality of being a Jew in Nazi Germany.

From there director Kilian Riedhof makes a sobering time jump to 1943 where we see Stella working in a factory making pistol clips for a German military. Gone are the elegant gowns, jazzy music, and spirited nights out with friends. And it only gets worse when Stella, her mother Toni (Katja Riemann), and her father Gerhard (Lukas Miko) are forced into hiding after the Nazi roundups begin.

Yet while everything is collapsing around her, Stella refuses to accept the reality of the world. She sneaks out at night, assimilating in with the non-Jewish crowds. “They don’t recognize me,” she naively tells her father, “I don’t look like a Jew.” And despite having married her longtime friend Fred (Damian Hardung), Stella spends many of those evenings cruelly cavorting with low-level German officers before eventually hooking up with an unruly forger named Rolf (Jannis Niewöhner).

Stella’s luck eventually runs out when she and her family are captured. Beaten and terrified of being sent to Auschwitz, Stella barters with the Gestapo and agrees to become a “catcher”, exposing the location of hidden Jews to the Nazis for modest wages and protection from deportation. She later recruits Rolf, and what begins as a desperate attempt to save her family turns into a shamefully willing betrayal marked by callousness and revelry.

Riedhof deftly handles Goldschlag’s complex story, showing both the root and consequences of her actions. He also superbly recreates the timeline through period-accurate costume and production design as well as performances that run the emotional gambit. And it all begins with Beer who takes on the challenge of finding humanity in a monster. True accounts state that hundreds to thousands of Jews were captured due to Stella Goldschlag’s betrayal. Yet Beer succeeds in gaining our empathy and turning our stomachs via a richly defined performance that’s not to be missed.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt reteam in a movie that’s far removed from their lighthearted “Jungle Cruise” adventure. “The Smashing Machine” is a biographical sports drama based on the 2002 John Hyams documentary “The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr”. As you can probably guess, it highlights the career of Mark Kerr, one of the pioneers in the world of mixed martial arts.

“The Smashing Machine” premiered at the Venice Film Festival where its director, Benny Safdie won the Silver Lion. And it was produced and is being distributed by none other than A24. Those things alone raised expectations. But surprisingly, “The Smashing Machine” is a fairly conventional sports drama. It follows a pretty familiar blueprint but with some notable traits all its own.

As many have rightly said, Dwayne Johnson delivers a revelatory performance portraying Mark Kerr. As a professional wrestler turned action star, it’s no surprise that the musclebound Johnson has the sheer brawn and in-ring prowess for a role like this. It’s what he does beyond the physicality that surprises most. It’s here that Johnson loses himself in the role (and he’s not the easiest guy to lose into anything).

In many ways “The Smashing Machine” looks and plays like a slice-of-life documentary. Visually, Safdie (directing solo for the first time) and cinematographer Maceo Bishop shoot the film in a variety of formats, most notably VHS and 16mm. As a result, the gritty and grainy texture conveys authenticity as well as a distinct sense of time. Narratively, the movie sticks with one segment of Kerr’s life from 1997 to 2000, offering us a documentary-like profile of the man rather than more plot-focused story.

We first meet Kerr in the early stages of his professional career, before mixed martial arts became a global phenomenon. It was a time of few rules, no regulations, and no infrastructure around the sport. After turning heads with an undefeated run in Brazil, Mark agrees to a few fights in the growing Ultimate Fighting Championship. From there he takes off to Japan where he joins Pride FC with his close friend, trainer, and fellow fighter, Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader).

Safdie makes a point to show the crafted perception of the fighters and Mark’s determination to live up to it. The MMA organizations would portray their fighters as fiercely violent warriors surrounded with an aura of invincibility. But for Mark, the reality is dramatically different. Behind his brawny public image is a disarmingly kind and gentle man. He possesses a near childlike tenderness when things are going well. But when things get tough, it can be more of a childlike petulance. And things get really tough for Mark.

Mark’s professional troubles begin in Japan with his shocking first loss – the result of a referee not calling the match according to the recent rule changes. His frustrations only get worse after his body begins showing signs of wear and tear, leading to an addiction to pain killers. Meanwhile at home, his volcanic relationship with his girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt) is an emotional rollercoaster with problems all its own.

The film is at its best when Mark and Dawn are together. Their beautiful yet blustery coexistence produces moments of potent domestic drama. The two truly love each other but frequently fight, sometimes due to Mark’s petty passive-aggressiveness; other times from Dawn’s bruising self-righteousness. There’s undeniably a dysfunctional quality to their relationship, but neither are villains. Their love is real but so are their frustrations which boil over into several heated clashes.

Johnson looks right at home in combat leading to some visceral fight scenes, effectively shot in a way that emphasizes the brutality. But it’s the humanity outside the ring that makes his performance so powerful. Blunt is equally good, bringing a whirlwind of emotional to a critical supporting character. That is until she suddenly vanishes for a big chunk of the second half. Along with the immersive visual style, these are all strengths that set this otherwise conventional sports drama apart from the many others that come down the pipeline. “The Smashing Machine” is in theaters now.

VERDICT – 3.5 STARS