Reviews

*Insidious: Out of the Further* isn't reinventing the wheel on its sixth go-around, but it delivers enough legitimate chills to earn its keep. Directed by Jacob Chase, the film shines brightest when it leans into surreal visual set pieces—including a nauseatingly tense dental-chair sequence and a claustrophobic, spatial-warping couch fort. Amelia Eve gives a strong, grounded lead performance, and Lin Shaye’s return as Elise Rainier provides the usual warm, ghostly nostalgia that ties the franchise together. Movie relies a bit too heavily on loud, predictable jump scares though. It doesn't reach the heights of James Wan's original films, but with solid lead performances and a few standout sequences, it’s a fun, spooky ride that lands at a comfortable 7/10.

We discover from fairly early on that the young "Gemma" (Charli Penton) is usually left to her own devices by her clearly distracted mother, so it's no surprise when we spin forward a generation and discover that she (now Amelie Eve) has had to deal with a fairly traumatic experience before going on to becoming a dentist and raising her own daughter "Maya" (Island Austin) in the very same house. She's been dating, on the quiet, the hunky cop "Nick" (Brandon Perez) and all in her life seems stable until a visit to the basement with her child unearths some old family memorabilia - and then things start going bump in her dreams. A terrifying experience in a pillow fort and an even more gruesome one in her own dental practice encourages her to seek advice from "Clare" (Maisie Richardson-Sellars) who acts as a conduit to the world of the benign "Elise" (Lin Shaye) who explains something of...

I'm not really much of a fan of R Patz, but this might be his best effort since "The Lighthouse" (2019). Here, he's a real-life television host who fronts a show that exposes older men who have a penchant for young teens. These men are entrapped by an actor on social media and then lured to an home where they are confronted by Chris Hansen before being surrendered to the authorities. One problem for the show is that their (not always very convincing) decoys tend to find the whole experience fairly traumatic and so don't tend to stick around for long. Perhaps the latest "Dan" (Skyler Gisondo) might endure? Well at the insistence of the producer Andie (Merritt Wever), Hansen goes on a bit of a charm offensive with him and that could end up proving crucial as the show's bosses are falling out of love with their newly promoted primetime concept and he needs to land a big catch else they...

What I learned from Primetime is that catching child predators is "right wing" and "egotistical" and "bad." Which about sums up why all the heavily leftwing political injections makes movies suck. Sort of lost the plot when you spend an entire movie making the point that the dude who was CATCHING CHILD PREDATORS was WORSE than the actual child predators. Seriously, Hollywood, you lost the plot and we don't think you're ever going to find it again.

It’s been said that we often become what we concentrate upon. That’s ironic, because frequently this results in the creation of that which we’re purposely trying to avoid. And, in this third feature outing from director Lance Oppenheim, that’s precisely what happens to its high-profile protagonist, investigative journalist Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson). In this fact-based satire, the film follows the ascendancy of the reporter on the tabloid TV series *Dateline NBC*, specifically through his work on the show’s *To Catch a Predator* segment (2004-2007) in which he covered stories designed to expose the exploits of pedophiles. Working in conjunction with the website Perverted-Justice, Hansen, his producer (Merritt Wever), and a pair of predator bait decoy actors (Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers) orchestrated sting operations aimed at capturing their unsuspecting prey in the act on...

A true-crime story this inherently bizarre should not require much embellishment, yet *Primetime* spends so much energy dressing itself up that the actual story gets buried underneath the filmmaking. What could have been a sharp, uncomfortable examination of television, celebrity, and the ethics of true crime instead becomes a frustratingly uneven film that mistakes stylistic excess for substance. Robert Pattinson gives a pretty good performance as Chris Hansen, bringing enough conviction to make the central figure compelling even when the screenplay does not. The supporting cast is strong as well. Skyler Gisondo makes an impression as the adult decoy pretending to be an underage boy, while Merritt Wever brings welcome dimension as the show’s producer. There are also genuinely interesting ideas scattered throughout the film, particularly in its examination of how media can commoditize...

There are several movies like this with Winnie the Pooh and Popeye and Mickey Muscle coming into the public domain and all being used for cheap horror schlock. This movie does work however while the others really couldn't pull through in their own right. This is just a really good horror movie. It has characters that you can engage with and an antagonist whose motives are understandable and this allows tension to be built naturally. The twist feels justified and the ending is earned and it's just a good time overall I think this is worthy recommendation.

I’m still trying to find the words to fully encapsulate everything this film made me feel. I can’t recall the last time a movie left me so moved and devastated that it continued to linger in the back of my mind days after watching it.  La Bola Negra is objectively one of the most important and deeply necessary films ever made—one that will hopefully inspire future generations of queer people to live truly and freely, while confronting those who still proudly raise their fists for fascism. It is a powerful reminder of how magnificent it is to have art that resonates across generations. This is a transcendental masterpiece that will undoubtedly stand the test of time. I cannot praise Los Javis enough for creating something truly monumental.

Even though, with the exception of a couple moments, the humor didn't really land with me. But I still enjoyed the movie and thought it was really unique, creative and original.

Buddy feels like a deranged children’s show discovered on a cursed VHS tape: loud, colorful, impressively handmade, and increasingly hostile to its audience. The puppetry, sets, and practical effects are the main attraction, and Casper Kelly commits so completely to the nightmare logic that even the weaker jokes have a fascinating texture. Unfortunately, what works brilliantly as a sketch strains at feature length. The film keeps escalating without finding enough emotional or comedic variety, so the shock of its premise gradually becomes repetition. Cristin Milioti and the cast sell the panic, while the songs are obnoxiously catchy in exactly the right way. I admired how unapologetically strange it is more than I actually enjoyed it. A memorable orange menace trapped inside a movie that needed a sharper edit—and yes, the end-credits song absolutely rules.

If you like puppets, practical effects, and grotesque horror that is disguised as something cutesy, then *Buddy* is a must-see. As a horror film, it’s surprising because it feels fresh and original with not only its comedic roots and psychological elements but also because it thrusts the audience into a bloodthirsty wonderland ruled by a demented orange unicorn eager to twist your head off. https://bit.ly/ItsBuddy

Trying to tie this to the first movie is possibly the downfall of this entire endeavor. The main character is related to one of the main characters from the first movie and carries some trauma about her dead sister, but the movie isn't about that, and it serves as a long dying hook for a story that doesn't play out. In substance, the movie is pretty much like the first one, and the twist isn't welcome, nor is it interesting. The first movie had a ludicrous premise, and while this movie has a similar premise, it is nowhere near as ludicrous and therefore not as entertaining. It is a gorgeous movie, but it is not wonderful.

"Jax" (Harriet Slater) is disposing of the property of her recently deceased sister when she encounters her college friend "Luce" (Arsema Thomas) who encourages "Jax" to embrace some of the challenges sister "Shiloh" had intended to carry out before her untimely death. One such trip involves the pair travelling to Thailand and walking a precarious route four thousand feet above sea level to visit a sacred dragon that will eat all of their fears. Turning up, they discover that this route has been deemed unsafe by the authorities and that it's a no-go area. Foiled? Well, no - they meet "Jon" (Tom Brittney) who offers to guide them for $5k. A bit steep? Yes, but not as steep as the ladder up the cliffs to a rotting wooden path supported by scaffolding poles (allegedly built by monks decades ago!!). This area is prone to earthquakes, so guess what happens as they meander along towards the...

As one of the 2026 summer movie season’s most anticipated releases, writer-director Christopher Nolan’s screen adaptation of Homer’s literary epic, The Odyssey, has generated more than its share of reactions and for a variety of reasons. So I’ll come right to the point on my view of this release: I liked it, but I didn’t love it. This retelling of the diverse experiences of Greek warrior Odysseus (Matt Damon) on returning to his Grecian home of Ithaca after fighting in the Trojan War explores the many adventures and profound soul-searching of his 10-year journey, the second half of a 20-year-long absence. Waiting for him back home are his devoted wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), who has long been courted by a band of would-be suitors like Antinous (Robert Pattinson) who believe her husband is dead, and Telemachus (Tom Holland), the son who’s never met his father and stands to succeed him...

The hype was massive, the crowd was packed, but the boredom in the theatre at the end credits said it all. A 172-minute film felt like it was a 6+ hour watch. This isn’t a respectful adaptation of Homer’s epic; it’s a bloated, self-important disaster that butchers the source material, erases Greek identity, and rams woke DEI nonsense down your throat while delivering some of the worst big-name acting I’ve seen in years. Right from the opener, it was clear Nolan had zero interest in Homer’s actual text. Instead of going back to the original Greek or a faithful classic translation, he based the whole thing on Emily Wilson’s modern, feminist-slanted version, that crappy, agenda-driven reinterpretation that twists the poem’s language, downplays traditional heroism, and injects contemporary gender politics. No wonder the soul is missing. The Odyssey is the foundational poem of Western...

Check out my full review @ https://www.manuelsbento.com/the-odyssey-2026-christopher-nolans-most-faithful-epic-is-also-his-most-ambitious-one/ Rating: A+ (updated after second viewing) THE ODYSSEY is a maximalist, deeply faithful adaptation of Homer's poem that somehow ends on a quiet, contemplative note despite everything it throws at you along the way. Completely unafraid of its own scale and scope, it's ten years of war, myth, and horror (!) woven into the story so tightly that the whole thing paradoxically feels more grounded, not less. An astonishingly stacked ensemble led by a phenomenal Matt Damon, deceptively convincing practical effects, and filmmaking craft firing on every level. Ludwig Göransson's score alone is worth the ticket. Easily one of the best theatrical experiences of the year. This is Christopher Nolan at his most alive. SECOND VIEWING: Just rewatched THE...

Monty Python couldn't improve on this. Suffice to say, someone doesn't know their classical Greek history/mythology too well. They have excavated remains from the site of Troy and undertaken facial recreations. Would it surprise anyone to know they look Greek? Would it surprise anyone, too, to know the main figures of Homer's work, are described clearly, as Greek? Upsides include reasonable if at times miscast acting, great sets, okay action and top locations. In summary, I wonder what actual Greeks make of this re imagining of their proud heritage? For me, what I can say the past is what it is, not what revisionists want it to be. Enough said.

"Lowen" (Dakota Johnson) has just left a sparsely-attended book signing when her agent tells her she might have an opportunity to make some proper cash. That involves her doing a bit of collaboration with the well-established best-seller "Verity" (Anne Hathaway) who has become temporarily incapacitated. She's very anxious about taking on this responsibility, but the poorly author's husband "Jeremy" (Josh Hartnett) - with whom she'd already had an unfortunate encounter en-route to the meeting - convinces her to give it a go and to move in with them at their remote and luxurious Montana home. It's once she is there that she discovers just what is wrong with "Verity" and also a manuscript on a hidden flash drive that provides her with quite a ghastly narrative of the goings-on within this marriage. All the while she is finding herself increasingly drawn to "Jeremy" and their young son...

The psychological thriller sets up an intriguing, twisted premise filled with dark secrets and moral ambiguity. Unraveling the hidden manuscript inside an unsettling household provides genuine suspense, giving the story enough eerie tension to make it a good, engaging watch overall. Dakota Johnson is absolutely stunning in the lead, bringing effortless allure, quiet curiosity, and sharp emotional vulnerability to her character. Her commanding screen presence anchors the entire film, making her descent into obsession feel captivating even when the narrative begins to drag. However, the dull screenplay keeps the movie from reaching its full potential. The pacing feels sluggish in key stretches, relying on convenient exposition rather than building sharp psychological dread. While the writing stumbles and fails to deliver a tighter punch, Dakota's magnetic performance and the atmospheric...

A movie that bills itself as more than it turns out to be has got to be guilty of one of the most egregious sins in filmmaking, and director Michael Showalter’s screen adaptation of this best-selling novel by author Colleen Hoover qualifies on virtually all fronts. Although touted as a dark, erotic psychological thriller, this offering is none of those things. In fact, it barely passes as fare that one might find on the Lifetime cable TV network. When famed novelist Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway) is severely injured in a car accident, her publisher (K.K. Moggie) looks to hire a ghostwriter to stand in for her to finish several titles in her current book series while (or if) she recovers. Crawford’s husband, Jeremy (Josh Hartnett), recommends the job go to a struggling, little-known aspiring writer, Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson), whom he inexplicably believes is best capable of...