Tag Archives: movies

REVIEW: “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come” (2026)

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8

“Ready or Not” released in 2019 and quickly became one of the biggest surprise hits of the year. The horror comedy thriller was picked up and distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures who gave it a proper theatrical release. They were rewarded when the film brought in $58 million against its modest $6 million budget. Even better, the film was well-received by critics who were quick to brand it as an instant cult classic.

The only thing more surprising than the first film’s success is that it birthed an unexpected sequel, “Ready or Not 2: Here I Come”. The key creative minds return including co-directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett and co-writers Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy. But the most crucial returning piece is Samara Weaving, reprising her role as Grace MacCaullay, the lone survivor of the Le Domas family blood bath.

Image Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

“Ready or Not 2” plays like an extension of the first film, picking up exactly where part one left off. Following what was quite literally the wedding ceremony from Hell, Grace (Weaving) passes out on the steps of the Le Domas family mansion, soaked in the blood of her dead devil-worshipping in-laws. After being transported to the local hospital, she’s visited by her estranged younger sister Faith (Kathryn Newton). The combative siblings waste no time dragging out old baggage.

But little do the sisters know, the Le Domas clan was just one of six families in an international cult of upper-crust worshippers of Le Bail. And their death triggered a clause in the by-laws putting the leadership of the cult’s ruling council up for grabs. So the heads of the remaining families converge on the lavish Danforth estate in Newport, Rhode Island, each vying for the all-powerful high seat. To win it, all they have to do is be the one to kill Grace, and by association Faith, in another game of Hide-and-Seek.

So Grace and Faith are kidnapped and brought to the Danforth mansion where they’re introduced to a new batch of pampered and power-mad hunters. Among them is the domineering Ursula Danforth (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her impetuous twin brother Titus (Shawn Hatosy), the pompous Ignacio El Caido (Néstor Carbonell), the conniving Wan Chen Xing (Olivia Cheng), and the playboy Viraj Rajan (Nadeem Umar-Khitab).

But there are rules that must be followed, and Le Bail takes his rules seriously. So much so that the consequences for breaking them are…messy. The rules are laid out by a mysterious lawyer for Le Bail (a really fun Elijah Wood) and there are A LOT of them. Most are dropped in overly long information drops. Others pop up out of the blue, feeling more like devices to get the plot from one point to the next. But at its core it’s the same as before- Grace and Faith must survive until dawn if they want to live.

Image Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

From there the bulk of ”Ready or Not 2” is more of the same but at a different venue and with different villains. Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett once again playfully lather us in blood and guts. The only thing more prevalent than the chunky red stuff are the ludicrously forced f-bombs. The pointlessly potty-mouthed script dumbs things down, sometimes to the point of being a distraction. We also get a lot more lore building, but it’s nothing that will pique your interest.

While “Ready or Not 2” floods us with more gore, more lore, and more mind-numbing f-bombs than before, it also features less laughs and even fewer surprises. Still Weaving and Newton give it their all, making it easier to navigate the frustrations along the way. The inevitable kills can be fun and the overall goofiness of it all makes it easier to digest. But it’s ultimately a sequel that doesn’t offer up enough to justify its existence. And Grace probably would be better off still sitting on the Le Domas estate steps.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Iron Lung” (2026)

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8

The potential game-changing success of “Iron Lung” has become a compelling story on its own. The science-fiction horror film is written, directed, edited, and produced by Mark Fischbach, a popular YouTuber who goes by the online name Markiplier. He sits as one of the most popular streamers on the platform with over 38 million channel subscribers to date.

Fischbach self-financed “Iron Lung” for $3 million. Even more impressive, he self-distributed his film, initially only negotiating a small release in 60 independent theaters across the United States. He then reached out to his fans who spearheaded a massive grassroots campaign which caught the attention of several major theater chains. As of now, the film is showing in over 4,100 screens worldwide and made over $21 million in its opening weekend.

“Iron Lung” is based on a 2022 indie game developed and published by David Szymanski. It was a first-person simulation horror experience set entirely within a cramped midget submarine. The movie follows suit, keeping us confined inside a small iron shell for the duration of its two hours. The confinement itself is never an issue. But the two-hour runtime is, with Fischbach too often dragging things out considerably longer than he needs to.

The story is set in a distant future where mankind has colonized space. But a catastrophic event called the Quiet Rapture caused all star systems to vanish. Planets, stars, moons – all gone. And nearly all of humanity disappeared with them. The only survivors are the small numbers of people who were onboard space stations and starships. Those remaining desperately do what they can to stave off their extinction.

Enter Simon (strongly played by Fischbach), an antsy convict about to go on a dangerous mission as penance for a crime that we learn more about as the movie progresses. His mission is to descend deep into an uncharted ocean of blood on a desolate moon believed to hold information and resources crucial to human survival. His handlers have nothing but surface scans. So Simon is tasked with exploring the deep and photographing his findings in exchange for his freedom.

Simon’s small single-chambered submarine is welded shut and the lone porthole is sealed to prevent leaks due to the ocean’s intense pressure. That leaves him completely blind when submerged. His only means of navigation are his instruments and the crude images of an x-ray camera. His chief handler on the surface is the stern and cryptic Ava (Caroline Rose Kaplan) who barks Simon’s orders through a small speaker while trying to keep him focused.

There’s not a lot in terms of plot, but the first half-hour is riveting both narratively and technically. The early storytelling is equal parts harrowing and mysterious as new revelations raise the stakes while introducing an array of physical and psychological dangers. Tensions simmer, trust erodes, and deeper questions emerge. At the same time, Fischbach impressively acquaints us with the “Iron Lung” vessel, skillfully capturing the claustrophobia and peril through his camera and rich sound design.

But things take a frustrating turn as the film goes beyond slow-burning to meandering. Fischbach stretches his already limited story beyond its bounds, overextending sequences and repeating himself in scenes to the point of tedium. The gaps between new information get wider as Simon slowly navigates an assortment of drawn-out side quests that end up opening more questions than the movie ever answers.

Things do pick up in the final half-hour as Fischbach lets the blood gush (and I say that in its most literal sense). He and his team serve up a gory, blood-drenched ending that’s realized through a series of gnarly practical effects. And though it’s sometimes hard to discern what’s happening amid the dim lighting and shaky camera, the film’s ending goes for the jugular, more so visually than narratively.

In the end there is so much to admire about “Iron Lung” – the concept, the craftsmanship, the ambition, the determination. Markiplier shows some real creative chops, both in front of and behind the camera. Unfortunately the middle-hour’s languid pacing really stymies the movie’s momentum and zaps it of its tension, making the experience more grueling than thrilling. It’s a bummer because somewhere in “Iron Lung” is a tighter and more focused 90-minute movie that I would have loved.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS

REVIEW: “The Plague” (2025)

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10

There’s so much to admire about Charlie Polinger’s gripping directorial debut, “The Plague”. It may also be one of the toughest films you watch due to its uncomfortably honest treatment of its serious subject matter – preteen bullying. This psychological drama pulls no punches in its depiction of cruelty masked as horseplay. And it doesn’t shun from showing the consequences. It can be bleak, but urgent and enlightening as well.

Polinger writes and directs the film which takes place in the summer of 2003 at the Tom Lerner Water Polo Camp for Boys. Ben (Everett Blunck) is a sensitive twelve-year-old who recently moved to the area from Boston. Ben’s home life isn’t the best, which is why he doesn’t mind going away to summer camp. But not knowing anyone has its challenges, especially for the anxious and awkward Ben. He finds support with his coach (Joel Edgerton), but fitting in with the other boys proves difficult.

Image Courtesy of Independent Film Company

Among the many compelling elements to Polinger’s story is his recognition of social structures, even among preteens. Here it’s a tight-knit group of six boys, who by shallow external measures might be considered the “cool kids”. Ben desperately wants to join their ranks, even enduring mockery from the pack’s alpha, Jake (Kayo Martin) in order to be accepted into their circle.

But deep down, Ben is a good kid, which is why he’s alarmed when witnessing some of the group’s antics. They’re openly loud and rowdy. But Ben learns they’re also crude and vulgar. Much worse is their cruelty which is seen most in their targeting of Eli (Kenny Rasmussen), an eccentric and introverted outcast. Jake claims Eli is the carrier of a highly contagious “plague” which the group uses to mock and ostracize him. As for Ben, his desire to win the group’s approval ends up blinding him to his own complicity.

Yet Ben’s conscience weighs on him which keeps him from being as cold and callous as the others. But his internal conflict seeps through to the surface after he dares to show compassion to Eli, even befriending him when no one else is looking. It immediately puts him in Jake’s crosshairs. Suddenly the group Ben desperately wanted to join has made him their prime target. It all makes for a heartbreaking chain of events that moves towards a finish that is as inevitable as it is troubling.

Polinger’s stylish and confident direction is helped by some truly standout performances from the mostly young cast. Blunck and Martin are especially strong, with each being fully convincing in dramatically different roles. Blunck conveys as much through observations as interactions, expressing Ben’s insecurities and anxiety despite his character working hard to conceal them. It can be a quietly devastating performance, but not without nuance. Martin is surprisingly sinister, hiding his ruthlessness behind a seemingly harmless smirk and curly mop of blonde hair. He’s both infuriating and terrifying.

Image Courtesy of Independent Film Company

As the film plays its hand, any obviousness is discarded in the final act. What begins as a unique spin on the coming-of-age formula turns darker, using dashes of shock and body horror to make us squirm. But Polinger never loses his grip on the material. And the final shot offers a ray of hope, depending on your interpretation. DP Steven Breckon shines, especially with his otherworldly underwater photography, while Johan Lenox’s score offers an unnerving mix of experimental and orchestral.

“The Plague” can feel a bit too broad at times, both with its handling of certain characters and anything resembling their motivations. It will also leave you with a handful of questions, none bigger than wondering where is the adult supervision? It can also be tough distinguishing between the real and metaphorical. But Polinger shows himself to have a remarkable vision, using the various arms of cinema to open our senses to a profoundly serious topic. Overall, “The Plague” is a remarkable and significant big screen debut.

VERDICT – 4 STARS

REVIEW: “The Housemaid” (2025)

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18

Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried square off in Paul Feig’s “The Housemaid”, a movie that starts off as a fun campy throwback before nosediving in its final act by taking the cheapest and most predictable route available. It’s a shame because Feig has all the ingredients he needs, from a game cast to a genre formula that audiences tend to enjoy. But all of its entertaining buildup is wasted on a ridiculous and trite final act that narratively and thematically rehashes ideas we’ve seen several times before.

In fairness, “The Housemaid” is based on Freida McFadden’s 2022 novel of the same name and from all indications it sticks pretty close to the book’s central story. But if you’re unfamiliar with the novel and hoping for a movie with the slightest original punch, you might leave this adaptation disappointed. For me, seeing potential squandered for something this obvious is more frustrating than disappointing.

Image Courtesy of Lionsgate

Sweeney plays a young woman named Millie Calloway who we first meet as she’s arriving at a lavish estate in Great Neck, New York. There she meets Nina Winchester (Seyfried), a wealthy wife and mother who has invited Millie to interview for a live-in housemaid position. It’s an important opportunity for Millie who isn’t quite who she claims to be. While she hides it from Nina, we learn Millie is fresh out of prison after serving ten years of a fifteen-year sentence for a crime which comes to light later. And she needs a steady job to meet the requirements of her parole.

Millie gets hired and wastes no time moving into a cramped A-frame attic space in the Winchester’s home. The converted bedroom isn’t much, but it beats sleeping out of her car. Millie is also introduced to Nina’s young daughter Cece (Indiana Elle) and her hunky husband Andrew (Brandon Sklenar). It looks like the ideal scenario for Millie. Cleaning, organizing, some light cooking, and helping with Cece in exchange for living in a nice house with a nice family for a nice salary.

But of course Millie’s scenario turns out to be far from ideal. It starts with Nina’s wild fits of rage. She then begins lashing out at Millie, blaming her for things she hasn’t done. Things get even more twisted when Nina begins framing Millie to make her look foolish. In normal circumstances, Millie would quit on the spot. But she desperately needs the job to stay out of prison. Thankfully she finds an ally in the endlessly charming Andrew who routinely steps in to reassure and reinforce Millie with his dreamy eyes and winning smile.

Image Courtesy of Lionsgate

Without giving too much away, screenwriter Rebecca Sonnenshine wastes no time ratcheting up the drama before eventually turning the story on its head. Seyfried does unhinged well while Sweeney wins our sympathy and our suspicion. But neither performance hits every right note, mostly due the material. The script cunningly pushes both characters to their breaking point only to undo its own good work with a lame reveal that’s more interested in being relevant than original.

Sadly the predictable big twist lets all the air out of “The Housemaid”. Not only does it sour the good stuff that came before it, but it kills the film’s finish where things get wackier and bloodier. But even without the story’s eye-rolling “surprise”, the final 20 minutes are a wobbly mess. It’s an ending littered with arbitrary actions, an overly long explain-it-all flashback, and a final scene with ludicrous implications. But to be honest, by that point it didn’t really matter. The damage had already been done.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

REVIEW: “Jay Kelly” (2025)

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5

File Noah Baumbach under ‘Filmmakers I’ll Watch No Matter What’. I have been drawn to his unique body of work since his early Wes Anderson collaborations. And I have enjoyed most of the films he has directed from high-spirited indies à la “Frances Ha”, to serious-minded dramas such as “Marriage Story”, to utterly bizarre concoctions like “White Noise”. I just love his eccentric style, off-beat perspective, and rich dialogue.

His latest is “Jay Kelly” and it’s very much a Noah Baumbach movie. Yet at the same time, it distinctly stands out in a number of interesting ways. Unlike Baumbach’s tightly focused settings, this one plays out on a noticeably grander scale. And rather than tell something more intimate, this time he broadens his story significantly. Even the filmmaking feels different, using a style that calls back to classic Old Hollywood productions.

In a nifty bit of casting, George Clooney plays the titular Jay Kelly, a celebrated actor whose existential crisis forces him to reevaluate what matters most in his life. The movie opens with Jay wrapping his latest film, “Eight Men From Now”. Jay’s hard-working and intensely loyal manager Ron (a terrific Adam Sandler) already has his famous client’s next feature lined up. But Jay throws Ron a curveball when he announces he’s pulling out of his next movie and taking a trip to Europe.

Image Courtesy of Netflix

Jay’s out-of-the-blue decision puts his handlers in a panic as they scramble to make sense of his actions. Ron is forced to set aside his own family plans and join Jay and his entourage on a plane bound for Paris. There he plans on surprising his youngest daughter Daisy (Grace Edwards), who’s traveling abroad with friends. Afterwards he plans on hopping a train for Tuscany where he’s to accept a career achievement award that he had previously declined.

Ron’s main job is to coddle his star client while convincing him not to quit his next movie. But the blasé Jay is more interested in mingling with adoring fans and tracking down Daisy, who would rather be with her traveling companions. It all frustrates Jay’s handlers, especially his volatile publicist Liz (Laura Dern). But amid the chaos, we begin to see the real reason for Jay’s inward sabbatical. He begins reflecting on his life, from his career successes to his failings as a father.

In his melancholy, Jay begins weighing his past choices which forces him to reckon with their consequences, mostly involving his two daughters. While he at least has some connection with the younger Daisy, his relationship with his oldest daughter Jessica (Riley Keough) has soured. The fallout from prioritizing himself and his career has left a divide that she’s not ready to bridge. Keough only gets a couple of scenes, but she provides the story’s most heart-wrenching moments.

Image Courtesy of Netflix

Baumbach also gives time to Jay’s relationship with Ron which plays a key role in the star’s journey. Clooney and Sandler have terrific chemistry and consistently find humanity and humor in the scenes they share. Clooney slides right into Jay’s skin, at times so convincingly that you could interpret it as him playing a version of himself. Meanwhile Sandler gives one of the best supporting performances of the year and one of the best performances of his career. In many ways he’s the beating heart of the story, embodying the many things Jay has lost sight of in the name of success.

Early on, Jay makes the revealing statement, “All my memories are movies.” Could it mean that he has invested so much of his life to movies that it’s hard to find a memory that’s not in front of a camera? Or does he mean he has no memories of his own; that his memories are movies – scripted, directed, and produced for others to relish? Both can be true, and both add to Jay’s overwhelming feeling of regret.

Baumbach’s soulful script (which he co-wrote with Emily Mortimer) has us accompany Jay Kelly on a painful personal journey of self-reflection. But to Baumbach and Mortimer’s credit, they don’t turn it into a clean-cut redemption story. While they do find empathy for Jay, there’s no tidy reprieve from the personal consequences or the collateral damage he has left behind. Together with its rich, nuanced performances, lush cinematography, and Baumbach’s vibrant direction, “Jay Kelly” resonates as both a contemplative character study and a meaningful cautionary tale.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

REVIEW: “Roofman” (2025)

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14

“Roofman” is based on the real-life story of Jeffrey Manchester, a former U.S. Army Reserve officer turned small-time robber. Manchester committed as many as 60 robberies, mostly McDonald’s restaurants. He was finally caught in North Carolina and sentenced to 45 years in prison. But he would eventually escape, making his way to Charlotte where he secretly lived inside of a Toys “R” Us store. He hid there for months, unknown by the employees, living on baby food and candy.

Manchester’s story seems too ridiculous to be true making it prime material for a big screen adaptation. “Roofman” is directed by Derek Cianfrance who works from a script he co-wrote with Kirt Gunn. Channing Tatum plays Jeffrey Manchester who we first meet as he’s successfully robbing a local McDonald’s. While in the service, Jeffrey was a unique soldier known for catching details, recognizing systems, and memorizing routines. Those particular set of skills have made him a successful robber but they haven’t helped him at home.

Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Jeffrey is crazy about his young daughter Becky (Alissa Marie Pearson). But his ex-wife Talana (Melonie Diaz) has grown tired of his flaky antics. And that only gets worse after he’s finally apprehended and sent to prison. Missing his daughter, Jeffrey uses the very same skills that made him a good thief to escape. While on the run, he finds the most peculiar hiding spot – inside of a Toys “R” Us store where he stays hid during the day and rummages during the night.

But the story’s wackiest turn comes when Jeffrey falls for Leigh Wainscott (Kirsten Dunst), a single mother who works at the store. Despite being all over the television, Jeffrey tracks Leigh to her church’s toy drive where he pretends to be new in town, brought there by his top-secret government job. He begins attending services, and even goes to a singles social where he charms the church ladies and eventually Leigh. Before long the two are going on walks in the park and hanging out with her teen daughters, the proudly geeky Dee (Kennedy Moyer) and the angsty older Lindsay (Lily Collias).

Some of the film’s silly additions make the already crazy real-life account even crazier, and not necessarily in a good way. Whether it’s lazier stuff like Tatum running around Toys “R” Us naked or the dumbing down of characters to make Jeffrey’s ruse work. Also, this is one of those predictable stories where you know everything is going to blow up in Jeffrey’s face. There’s simply no scenario where he can settle down with his old life or his potentially new one.

Image Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Still “Roofman” remains watchable thanks to a cast who all seem to be having a lot of fun. This isn’t the first time Tatum has played an endearing dunderhead so he knows what he’s doing. Peter Dinklage gets some moments playing the bully Toys “R” Us manager, Mitch. Notorious screen villain Ben Mendelsohn has a blast going against type as Leigh’s pastor. LaKeith Stanfield gets a handful of good lines as Jeffrey’s cranky friend and former squad mate. And best of the bunch is Kirsten Dunst, an actress who is infinitely better than the material she’s working with.

“Roofman” certainly has its moments of fun, and Cianfrance mines some pretty good emotion and the occasional big laugh out of a wonky story. But the movie often feels tonally confused. And the writers seem more interested in telling a sanitary good guy tale than considering Lancaster’s crimes and what drove him to continue committing them. It leaves you with the feeling that there is a much better version of this gonzo true story still waiting to be told.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS