I Swear (2025)

 

How effing stupid is this kid’s family, coaches, and school faculty? It’s painfully obvious he’s not behaving normally, and yet they either pretend nothing is wrong or tell him to stop doing something that is clearly out of his control. It doesn’t matter if they’ve never encountered the condition. Something is wrong and they all behave like assholes. It was infuriating to watch, and honestly didn’t seem credible as a plot device. 

Even after he’s diagnosed, the people around him don’t make necessary accommodations to insulate him from hardship and pain. The film is one depressing scene after another. I gave up before reaching the midway point. 

Rating: N/A

Bookworm (2024)

 

An absent father reconnects with his daughter in the New Zealand wilderness. It’s an uneven film, but there are sweet and fun moments. 

Rating: C

Avatar: Fire And Ash (2025)

 

That was a marathon to get through. I feel less connected to each Avatar film that comes out. The storytelling in this one felt tired. The characters aren’t as engaging. Monkey Boy was kind of annoying. I heard there might be two more coming. Don’t really care either way at this point. 

Rating: C

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair (2004)

 

Nice to have a reason to revisit these films as a single feature, with deleted scenes added or improved. I originally rated them an “A”, and I won’t argue with myself over it, other than to say that nothing tops seeing them for the first time.

Heel (Good Boy) (2025)

 

I thought this was going to be a comedy for some reason. It absolutely is not. The film tackles the question of forced rehabilitation. The divide between good guys and bad guys is fluid. There’s some warmth to be found, but always with an undercurrent of tension. An intriguing British indie. 

Rating: C+

Freaks Out (2021)

 

I simply can’t fathom how a film like this gets made. The story and characters are bonkers, but everything is crafted so seriously that you can’t help buying into it. The cinematography is gorgeous. 

Mainetti is a wizard of a director. Not every choice he makes is genius, but it’s hard to turn away from the screen. One could describe this as circus freaks vs. Nazis, and you’d be right, but it’s so much more than that. You really have to see it to understand. I can’t wait to see Gabriele Mainetti’s next project.

Rating: B

Marty Supreme (2025)

 

This movie is a lot. It’s long. It’s tedious. It’s filled with characters who make poor choices. One could draw comparisons to John Safdie’s previous film, Uncut Gems, which I hated. 

Marty Supreme has some lighter moments that helped keep the viewer from complete despair. The ping pong action scenes are amazing. Timothee trained in the sport for 6-7 years in preparation for this role. Seems like CGI would have saved him a lot of trouble, but he’s a method actor. 

Rating: C

Air (2023)

 

Based on the true story of how Nike signed Michael Jordan and took over the athletic shoe market. It’s scrappy and fun. A much better pairing of Affleck and Damon than The Rip. 

Rating: C+

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man (2026)

 

Dark, dirty, and dreary. Not as fun as the series. While it was good to see some of these characters again, I wish they would have trotted them out for something more upbeat. 

Rating: C

Pretty Lethal (2026)

 

Tiny ballerinas execute their way to freedom after getting trapped in a Hungarian murder house. Plausible? Not in the slightest. But the ballerina bloodbath will hold your attention. Uma deserves better than this. 

Rating: D

Project Hail Mary (2026)

 

Loved it. A nerdy space flick that puts in the work with the science and storytelling, yielding emotional investment later on. Ryan Gosling is outstanding. No one could have done it better. So much is conveyed through his eyes and facial expressions. He is effortlessly funny throughout the film. Incredibly witty dialogue between him and Rocky. 

I appreciated the attention to detail, like with developing the communication between Grace and Rocky. Nothing was glossed over like in other sci fi movies. Their friendship felt genuine and believable. 

Sticking the landing is the toughest thing to do in screenplays, and they nailed it. Happy, hopeful, and satisfying. Ryan Gosling deserves an Oscar nomination and the film deserves an adapted screenplay nom. 

Rating: A

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice (2026)

 

Beyond some quips from Vince Vaughn, this time traveling crime caper was dead on arrival. 

Rating: D

Send Help (2026)

 

I’m a shallow man who is easily distracted by huge, unsightly moles, which makes seeing Rachel McAdams difficult to watch on screen. But putting the moles aside, the script choices in the second half of the film were beyond ridiculous. It stopped being fun and more of a slog. 

Rating: C-

They Call Me Jeeg Robot (Lo Chiamavano Jeeg Robot) (2015)

 

I wanted to check out Mainetti’s first feature film to see how it compared to his recent gem The Forbidden City. It’s not bad for an unconventional superhero origin story. A bit silly at times. Some odd script choices. 

Rating: C

Cold Storage (2026)

 

As far as mind control fungus horror comedies go, it’s pretty good. Characters are likable enough and the script keeps things moving–and exploding. 

Rating: C

The Forbidden City (La Città Proibita) (2025)

 

An unexpected Italian Chinese fusion, blending cultures across multiple movie genres. There’s an underlying mystery that needs to be solved. A brutal revenge that must happen. A love story that needs to flourish. Wounds in need of healing. I can’t wait to see what Gabriele Mainetti does next. 

Rating: B

The G (2023)

 

Incredibly slow first half that partially delivers in the second. I could have jazzed up this script into a banger. 

Rating: C

War Machine (2026)

 

Robots from outer space wreak havoc on the world’s population, but the film revolves around a group of Ranger cadets facing off against a couple. Not a strong or novel premise, and the script doesn’t bring much else to the table beyond severed limbs and charred bodies. 

Rating: D

Zootopia 2 (2025)

 

While I had a good time at the first Zootopia, the sequel had me yawning and zoning out. The plot and hijinks played out more like a Bad Guys movie, which is to say, sloppy and juvenile. Not at all engaging for a thinking adult. 

Rating: D

The Bluff (2026)

 

A rare pirate movie. And even rarer that it was violent–not some pansy amusement water ride yawner. The Boys wreck havoc on a tranquil beach village. Nearly everyone in the film dies. Spoiler alert! But it’s a mostly fun time watching it happen. 

Rating: C+