- REVIEW: ‘Pizza Movie’ is Topped with Surreal Humor and Memorable Performances
Packed with lavender clouds, nightmare chainsaws, and exploding heads, Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney’s feature directorial debut, “Pizza Movie,” is anything but half-baked. A Hulu original, “Pizza Movie” follows two college students, Jack (Gaten Matarazzo) and Montgomery (Sean Giambrone), on a mission to retrieve their pizza delivery down two flights of stairs. The only problem…
- REVIEW: “Forbidden Fruits” is Ripe with Both Sisterhood and Betrayal
In her feature directorial debut, Meredith Alloway captures an aesthetic comparable to Tina Fey’s “Mean Girls.” But instead of being headed by The Plastics, who run a high school in suburban Illinois, Alloway’s film stars The Fruits, who run a shopping mall in Texas. “Forbidden Fruits” follows four young women who work at a mall…
- This Is The Life: The ‘Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special’ Brings Back Millennial Nostalgia
Sweet niblets! This year, the Disney Channel show “Hannah Montana” turned 20. To celebrate the milestone that left an entire generation of millennials both nostalgic and suddenly feeling their age, Miley Cyrus, yes, Hannah herself, returned to her roots for a special packed with familiar sets, surprise guests, and a rush of memories. The Disney+…
- A Novel Idea: Luc Besson Reimagines Dracula as “A Love Tale”
Where does a director find the confidence to give new form and light to a film that reckons with a legend as well-known and enduring as Dracula? Luc Besson, director and screenwriter of “Dracula: A Love Tale,” reimagines cultural conceptions of Dracula, attributing his madness, cruelty, and alleged soullessness to a single cause (or curse)—love.…
- ‘Project Hail Mary’ : Andy Weir’s Best Book Becomes One of the Year’s Best Films
There’s a particular kind of dread that comes with watching your favorite book get turned into a movie. You know the one. You’ve already cast it perfectly in your head, you know every beat, and you’re acutely aware of everything that could go wrong. “Project Hail Mary,” Andy Weir’s acclaimed follow-up to “The Martian,” arrives…
- REVIEW: Here Comes “THE BRIDE!” But Where Exactly Is She Going?
With a mix of romance, carnage, and theatrical song-and-dance, Maggie Gyllenhaal offers her take on the Bride of Frankenstein, first introduced in Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel “Frankenstein.” Set in 1930s Chicago, “The Bride!” follows the rebellion of a murdered young woman who is brought back to life by a groundbreaking scientist as the companion for…
- REVIEW: The Real Tragedy of Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights”
From the mind that gave us the comedy thriller “Saltburn,” “Wuthering Heights” presents Academy Award-winner Emerald Fennell’s interpretation of the 1847 novel by Emily Brontë. “Wuthering Heights” follows the tragic love story of Catherine Earnshaw (Margot Robbie) and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) on the Yorkshire moors, the latest of many film adaptations of the literary classic.…
- “The Moment” Review: Charli xcx Says Goodbye to Brat Summer in Meta-Mockumentary
What’s a 365 party girl to do when the party’s over? In her newly released A24 film, “The Moment,” pop singer Charli xcx recons with the pressures to maintain her cool-girl status as the album-turned-cultural-phenomenon Brat comes to a close. Directed by Aidan Zamiri, the mockumentary is a satirical take on the conventions of pop…
- “How to Lose a Popularity Contest” Review: Tubi Takes on the Teen Romance in New Original Movie
Not to be confused with the early 2000s romantic comedy “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” “Ginny & Georgia” actress Sara Waisglass and singer Chase Hudson team up in the new Tubi original, “How to Lose a Popularity Contest.” “How to Lose a Popularity Contest,” released on the streaming service last Friday, follows…
- “Being Feels Really Good”: Kristen Stewart Discusses Directorial Debut “The Chronology of Water” at Boston Screening
Kristen Stewart is no stranger to book adaptations. Nearly two decades after starring as Bella Swan in the cultural phenomenon “The Twilight Saga,” she is stepping behind the camera, making her directorial debut with the adaptation of the cult-favorite memoir by Lidia Yuknavitch, “The Chronology of Water.” Following a screening at Boston’s Coolidge Corner Theater,…
- “People We Meet on Vacation” Review: Emily Bader and Tom Blyth Bring Beloved Emily Henry Characters to Life On-Screen
Nearly five years and 1,659,320 ratings on Goodreads later, “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry has finally found its way onto the silver screen. The book-to-screen adaptation, which premiered on Netflix last Friday, follows two long-distance best friends, Poppy and Alex (Emily Bader and Tom Blyth), on their annual week-long summer vacations throughout…
- Timothée Chalamet Serves a Winning Performance in Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme”
At the end of December 2025, “Marty Supreme” surged past the competition, garnering enough press to be heralded as the major feature film of the year, but did it live up to expectations? “Marty Supreme” is a brazen exploration of our nation’s favorite archetype: a man of special talents with all odds stacked against him.…
- REVIEW: The Knives Out Mysteries Continue with the Third Installment, “Wake Up Dead Man”
Writer and director Rian Johnson is once again at the helm for “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” the third installment in a series that finds a way to evolve with each film. There is an impressive tonal distinction in each of these stories that feel like thematically intertwined alternate universes of the…
- Choosing Forever: A24’s ‘Eternity’ Turns the Afterlife Into the Ultimate Love Triangle
What if the ideal afterlife could be found through a choice as arbitrary as picking up the right pamphlet, hearing the right pitch at Exhibition A, or flipping through channels and landing onto a commercial that seems specifically (and almost eerily) made for you? This is the bureaucratic and precise world that director/writer David Freyne…
- Wicked Returns For Good: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande Reunite for Act 2
After a year-long intermission, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are flying back into theaters for “Wicked: For Good,” directed by Jon M. Chu. The story picks up just after Elphaba (Erivo) has fled the Emerald City, upon realizing that the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) isn’t as “wonderful” as she was told. With its roots as a stage…
- Rewriting Dystopia: Edgar Wright and Glen Powell Play to Win with ‘The Running Man’ Remake
When I think of the filmmakers who have shaped my personal taste in movies, Edgar Wright is one of those names at the top of the list. In my eyes, he has not had a single miss across his filmography, from his signature Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World’s End),…
- Now Streaming on Disney+: ‘The Fantastic Four:First Steps’ Proves That Family Is the Strongest Superpower
The Fantastic Four: The First Steps has made its long-awaited debut on Disney+. Originally released in theaters on July 25, 2025, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe were eagerly awaiting this superhero team to “flame on” to their screens at home. And it did not disappoint. Directed by Matt Shakman, the movie follows a team…
- ‘Regretting You’ Struggles to Balance Comedy and Tragedy, Faltering Under Its Own Emotional Weight
Regretting You is a dramatic romance that achieves much more in the comedy department than in the romance one. It is overly aspirational in its adaptation of the 2019 novel by writer Colleen Hoover, attempting to cram in oversized tragic plotlines without enough dramatic chops to measure up to the task—whether from its cast or,…
- ‘Maintenance Required’ Sputters in its Attempt to Give the Rom-Com Trope a Modern Tune-Up
“Maintenance Required” marks the directorial debut of writer-director Lacey Uhlemeyer, centering on a female-led, family-owned auto repair shop. The film is largely inspired by a short documentary she previously created about an all-female auto shop, as well as classic romantic comedies. Stylistically, the film leans unabashedly into romantic comedy tropes, calling to mind genre staples…
- “The Smashing Machine” Delivers a Knockout: Safdie’s Solo Debut and Johnson’s Career Best
Uncut Gems co-director Benny Safdie makes his solo directorial debut with another A24 film, The Smashing Machine, a biopic tribute to the birth of MMA and one of its pioneers, Mark Kerr. The year is 1997, and Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson) is at the height of his MMA career. He’s won two consecutive UFC titles,…
- Moving Forward After the Split: Sweeney’s “Twinless” Offers a Searing Portrait of Grief and Redemption
After James Sweeney’s 2019 debut feature “Straight Up,” he has returned as writer, director, and lead actor in “Twinless,” a measured dark comedy and psychological drama that picks at the scabs of grief and absence. The film’s premise centers around a chance encounter between Roman (Dylan O’ Brien) and Dennis (James Sweeney) at a support…
- Tatum and Cianfrance Tackle One of NC’s Most Notorious Figures in “Roofman”
The city of Charlotte, North Carolina is not exactly known for its representation in major cinematic productions, at least in comparison to your typical New York City, Los Angeles, or Chicago centric films. However, Channing Tatum appears to have laid claim to Charlotte in his filmography more than any other A-list star. “Roofman” marks the…
- Sex, Ultraviolence, and Deadpan Wit: Coen and Cooke Deliver Again with ‘Honey Don’t!’
After their 2024 runaway hit Drive-Away Dolls, Ethan Coen and his wife and creative partner, Tricia Cooke, are keeping their foot on the gas with the second film, Honey Don’t!, in their unexpected sapphic trilogy. Margaret Qualley, who starred in Drive-Away Dolls, slides back into the driver’s seat as Honey O’Donohue, a private investigator and…
Packed with lavender clouds, nightmare chainsaws, and exploding heads, Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney’s feature directorial debut, “Pizza Movie,” is anything but half-baked. A Hulu original, “Pizza Movie” follows two college students, Jack (Gaten Matarazzo) and Montgomery (Sean Giambrone), on a mission to retrieve their pizza delivery down two flights of stairs. The only problem…
In her feature directorial debut, Meredith Alloway captures an aesthetic comparable to Tina Fey’s “Mean Girls.” But instead of being headed by The Plastics, who run a high school in suburban Illinois, Alloway’s film stars The Fruits, who run a shopping mall in Texas. “Forbidden Fruits” follows four young women who work at a mall…
Sweet niblets! This year, the Disney Channel show “Hannah Montana” turned 20. To celebrate the milestone that left an entire generation of millennials both nostalgic and suddenly feeling their age, Miley Cyrus, yes, Hannah herself, returned to her roots for a special packed with familiar sets, surprise guests, and a rush of memories. The Disney+…
Where does a director find the confidence to give new form and light to a film that reckons with a legend as well-known and enduring as Dracula? Luc Besson, director and screenwriter of “Dracula: A Love Tale,” reimagines cultural conceptions of Dracula, attributing his madness, cruelty, and alleged soullessness to a single cause (or curse)—love.…
There’s a particular kind of dread that comes with watching your favorite book get turned into a movie. You know the one. You’ve already cast it perfectly in your head, you know every beat, and you’re acutely aware of everything that could go wrong. “Project Hail Mary,” Andy Weir’s acclaimed follow-up to “The Martian,” arrives…
With a mix of romance, carnage, and theatrical song-and-dance, Maggie Gyllenhaal offers her take on the Bride of Frankenstein, first introduced in Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel “Frankenstein.” Set in 1930s Chicago, “The Bride!” follows the rebellion of a murdered young woman who is brought back to life by a groundbreaking scientist as the companion for…
From the mind that gave us the comedy thriller “Saltburn,” “Wuthering Heights” presents Academy Award-winner Emerald Fennell’s interpretation of the 1847 novel by Emily Brontë. “Wuthering Heights” follows the tragic love story of Catherine Earnshaw (Margot Robbie) and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) on the Yorkshire moors, the latest of many film adaptations of the literary classic.…
What’s a 365 party girl to do when the party’s over? In her newly released A24 film, “The Moment,” pop singer Charli xcx recons with the pressures to maintain her cool-girl status as the album-turned-cultural-phenomenon Brat comes to a close. Directed by Aidan Zamiri, the mockumentary is a satirical take on the conventions of pop…
Not to be confused with the early 2000s romantic comedy “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” “Ginny & Georgia” actress Sara Waisglass and singer Chase Hudson team up in the new Tubi original, “How to Lose a Popularity Contest.” “How to Lose a Popularity Contest,” released on the streaming service last Friday, follows…
Kristen Stewart is no stranger to book adaptations. Nearly two decades after starring as Bella Swan in the cultural phenomenon “The Twilight Saga,” she is stepping behind the camera, making her directorial debut with the adaptation of the cult-favorite memoir by Lidia Yuknavitch, “The Chronology of Water.” Following a screening at Boston’s Coolidge Corner Theater,…
Nearly five years and 1,659,320 ratings on Goodreads later, “People We Meet on Vacation” by Emily Henry has finally found its way onto the silver screen. The book-to-screen adaptation, which premiered on Netflix last Friday, follows two long-distance best friends, Poppy and Alex (Emily Bader and Tom Blyth), on their annual week-long summer vacations throughout…
At the end of December 2025, “Marty Supreme” surged past the competition, garnering enough press to be heralded as the major feature film of the year, but did it live up to expectations? “Marty Supreme” is a brazen exploration of our nation’s favorite archetype: a man of special talents with all odds stacked against him.…
Writer and director Rian Johnson is once again at the helm for “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” the third installment in a series that finds a way to evolve with each film. There is an impressive tonal distinction in each of these stories that feel like thematically intertwined alternate universes of the…
What if the ideal afterlife could be found through a choice as arbitrary as picking up the right pamphlet, hearing the right pitch at Exhibition A, or flipping through channels and landing onto a commercial that seems specifically (and almost eerily) made for you? This is the bureaucratic and precise world that director/writer David Freyne…
After a year-long intermission, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are flying back into theaters for “Wicked: For Good,” directed by Jon M. Chu. The story picks up just after Elphaba (Erivo) has fled the Emerald City, upon realizing that the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) isn’t as “wonderful” as she was told. With its roots as a stage…
When I think of the filmmakers who have shaped my personal taste in movies, Edgar Wright is one of those names at the top of the list. In my eyes, he has not had a single miss across his filmography, from his signature Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World’s End),…
The Fantastic Four: The First Steps has made its long-awaited debut on Disney+. Originally released in theaters on July 25, 2025, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe were eagerly awaiting this superhero team to “flame on” to their screens at home. And it did not disappoint. Directed by Matt Shakman, the movie follows a team…
Regretting You is a dramatic romance that achieves much more in the comedy department than in the romance one. It is overly aspirational in its adaptation of the 2019 novel by writer Colleen Hoover, attempting to cram in oversized tragic plotlines without enough dramatic chops to measure up to the task—whether from its cast or,…
“Maintenance Required” marks the directorial debut of writer-director Lacey Uhlemeyer, centering on a female-led, family-owned auto repair shop. The film is largely inspired by a short documentary she previously created about an all-female auto shop, as well as classic romantic comedies. Stylistically, the film leans unabashedly into romantic comedy tropes, calling to mind genre staples…
Uncut Gems co-director Benny Safdie makes his solo directorial debut with another A24 film, The Smashing Machine, a biopic tribute to the birth of MMA and one of its pioneers, Mark Kerr. The year is 1997, and Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson) is at the height of his MMA career. He’s won two consecutive UFC titles,…
After James Sweeney’s 2019 debut feature “Straight Up,” he has returned as writer, director, and lead actor in “Twinless,” a measured dark comedy and psychological drama that picks at the scabs of grief and absence. The film’s premise centers around a chance encounter between Roman (Dylan O’ Brien) and Dennis (James Sweeney) at a support…
The city of Charlotte, North Carolina is not exactly known for its representation in major cinematic productions, at least in comparison to your typical New York City, Los Angeles, or Chicago centric films. However, Channing Tatum appears to have laid claim to Charlotte in his filmography more than any other A-list star. “Roofman” marks the…
After their 2024 runaway hit Drive-Away Dolls, Ethan Coen and his wife and creative partner, Tricia Cooke, are keeping their foot on the gas with the second film, Honey Don’t!, in their unexpected sapphic trilogy. Margaret Qualley, who starred in Drive-Away Dolls, slides back into the driver’s seat as Honey O’Donohue, a private investigator and…