The Dink (2026)

 

I felt obligated to see this one as an avid pickleballer. The opening premise and character introductions were actually pretty good, but it descended into lame tropes from there. 

Rating: C-

Disclosure Day (2026)

 

It’s an interesting take on the revelation that aliens-exist genre. They’ve tried really hard to imagine how our world would react to this knowledge, but I found it unrealistic. The story plays out more like a long episode of The X-Files, with some corny plot holes to boot. 

With Spielberg at the helm, the film is gripping and well crafted. Emily Blunt acts the hell out of it. Just don’t expect any sort of satisfying conclusion.

Rating: C

Backrooms (2026)

 

There’s a great movie tucked away somewhere in those backrooms, but the film we got isn’t it. I loved the idea around secret backrooms that go on forever, with unknown boogiemen hiding behind every door. It’s a mystery that needs exploring. 

Unfortunately, after revealing said mystery, the screenwriter simply gave up. Big letdown from the audience’s perspective. Such is the case with so many high concept films. They never deliver in the third act. 

Rating: D

Enola Holmes 3 (2026)

 

They cranked out this third Maltese turd with a snoozer of a plot and underuse of key characters. Lacked the spark of the first two. Didn’t need to be made.

Rating: C-

Greenland 2: Migration (2026)

 

I loved the first film so much that I wanted to see the sequel, despite poor reviews. As a post-apocalyptic film, it’s not bad. Everyone struggling to survive in a heavily damaged world. Trouble seems to find this family every step of the way on their journey, some more compelling than others. The end is cheesy. 

Rating: C

The Castle (1997)

 

Considered an Australian classic. Moderately interesting characters with a lukewarm plot. I expected more. 

Rating: C-

Power Ballad (2026)

 

I’m a big fan of John Carney films, but this was a miss. The songs themselves weren’t very catchy. The element of fun and joy that is a staple of his other works was missing here. In fact, it was a bit depressing. 

Rating: C-

The Furious (2025)

 

I’ll say it. There were too many fights that never ended. They took so much damage that it became ridiculous they were still alive. Yes, the fight choreography was incredible. But a movie needs more. 

It’s a shame these two weren’t around to infiltrate Trump’s child trafficking ring and mete out justice. Sadly, in real life, the bad guys win and get elected president. We’re living in the most depressing action movie ever conceived–all the deviants escaping justice and rising in power. 

Rating: C

Enola Holmes 2 (2022)

 

Another dangerous mystery for the Holmes siblings to solve. Moriarty is introduced, and at the very end: Dr. Watson. Enjoyed the first one a bit more. 

Rating: C+

Enola Holmes (2020)

 

It’s a shame Millie Bobby Brown’s talents were wasted on Stranger Things rather than an Enola Holmes series. Still, this first film manages to tell a layered story that sets up two sequels, to date. 

Family friendly, yet with sufficient danger and action to make outcomes matter. It’s a fun take on the Holmes universe. 

Rating: B-

Over Your Dead Body (2026)

 

Grim stuff. Despite a few chuckles, there’s nothing to endear the viewer to this film. 

Rating: D+

Blades Of The Guardians (Biao Ren: Feng Qi Da Mo) (2026)

 

Why are Chinese action films always so silly? Weak acting, implausible fight choreography, and convoluted storylines make it impossible to be invested in the characters. Everything is sacrificed at the altar of overlong fight sequences. 

Rating: D

The Last Viking (Den Sidste Viking) (2025)

 

A depressing Danish tale with generally confusing and unlikable characters. 

Rating: D

Lorne (2026)

 

Any fan of Saturday Night Live will enjoy this documentary about the man behind the show. It’s not that Lorne’s life is that fascinating, but SNL and Lorne’s interaction with it, is. 

Rating: C

Normal (2025)

 

I like a good town under siege movie as much as the next guy. Normal had some potential, even with the weird Yakuza angle. The barely there plot and characters made it hard to emotionally invest, and so the carnage didn’t carry much weight when bodies hit the floor. 

Rating: C-

The Big Lebowski (1998)

 

Gave this one a second viewing in case I wasn’t able to fully appreciate it back in the day. To be fair, I think I did like it more this time. Certainly one of the Cohen Brothers weirdest, and that’s saying something. More about the characters than a compelling story, and there are some strange ones. 

Rating: C+

Remarkably Bright Creatures (2026)

 

Local octopus helps mend a cleaning lady’s heart. Lots of feels. Happy ending. 

Rating: C+

Buffet Infinity (2025)

 

Literally an endless stream of commercials and clips stitched together to create some kind of mystery. It didn’t work for me. Waste of time.

Rating: F

The Sheep Detectives (2026)

 

Once you get past the CGI sheep, it’s a cute film that focuses on community and a mystery. Made me miss Babe Pig In The City.

Rating: C

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+

Train Dreams (2025)

 

A man’s tale of loneliness, brief joy, and then lots more loneliness. Not exactly a good time. Beautifully shot though. 

Rating: C-

Shelter (2026)

 

Statham gives up the solitary lighthouse keeper’s life to kill his way to the boss in order to protect a young girl. Basically the same movie I’ve seen a dozen times and will likely see a dozen more. I’m a sucker for action movies. 

Rating: C

F1: The Movie (2025)

 

A peek into the world of Formula One with Brad Pitt at the helm. A typical redemption story told through high stakes, high speed racing. It’s a sport I’ll never be into, but the fast action held my attention. 

Rating: C+

The Rip (2026)

 

Not the Ben and Matt reunion I was hoping for. The script wasn’t very good. Performances didn’t feel genuine. Yawning through the big finale. 

Rating: C-

Good Fortune (2025)

 

I was lucky enough to stumble across Aziz Ansari’s directorial debut. It starts out a little slow, but quickly gets really funny, taking some quirky turns along the way. Surprising A-list cast for a film I had heard nothing about. Excellent script. 

Rating: B-

We Bury The Dead (2024)

 

A unique Australian take on the zombie genre. That teeth grinding sound will haunt you. Shame the film didn’t go a different way instead of focusing so much on this lady getting closure in her relationship. 

Rating: D

Eternity (2025)

 

Skip this and watch Defending Your Life instead. 

Rating: D+

Crime 101 (2026)

 

An ok crime premise with typical moving parts. I got hung up on storyline inconsistencies like I typically do. All that planning to make sure nothing goes wrong, and then this dude drives like a maniac that could result in his death or an innocent bystander with every turn. Plenty of plot holes in the final act as well. Viewers expect more. 

Rating: C

Glass Onion (2022)

 

I keep getting sucked into these Knives Out films and then being disappointed when they inevitably collapse into a convoluted mess. There’s a bit of fun, sure. But mostly I’m just waiting around for dots to be connected. 

Rating: C

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)

 

An early Guy Ritchie double-crossing classic. Not much honor among these English thieves. 

Rating: C+

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026)

 

The set-up at the end of 28 Years Later had us all buzzing. Little Spike joins a post-apocalyptic gang of professional zombie killers. It was quite disappointing that they turned out to be a bunch of flesh skinning Satanists. Hopefully the 3rd installment of this trilogy turns out to be a better ride. 

Rating: C