I wanted to love Scott Derrickson’s The Gorge, streaming now on Apple TV+. On paper, this is my kind of movie: A high-concept sci-fi action spectacle with a big mystery and a doomed romance at its center. Exactly the kind of swing-for-the-fences genre flick that, when done right, hits.
A great thriller can't skimp on these few essentials: compelling characters, escalating stakes, surprise twists, and unrelenting suspense. Companion delivers all of that, and then some. Drew Hancock’s feature debut is one of the most confident, propulsive, and deceptively sharp genre films of the year so far.
Steven Soderbergh’s Presence is one of the most gripping cinematic experiences I’ve had in a long time. Soderbergh, who hilariously announced his retirement a decade ago, has spent the last few years directing everything from the 2018 iPhone-shot experiment Unsane to star-packed Hollywood thrillers like Black Bag, slated
I love werewolf movies, and Leigh Whannell, the inventive mind behind Upgrade and The Invisible Man, seemed like the perfect filmmaker to breathe new life into the subgenre. His latest, Wolf Man, Blumhouse’s first horror release of 2025, arrives with promising ambitions, two strong lead actors, and a fresh
I get why The Brutalist might be a tough pitch for a wide audience. Despite snagging a Golden Globe for Best Drama and landing a spot on the Oscars shortlist, it doesn’t exactly scream “crowd-pleaser.” When I invited a friend to join me for a screening, his first question—
I’ll watch almost anything starring Amy Adams. She’s not just one of the most talented actors of her generation—she’s also someone who consistently takes on challenging, left-of-center roles. For every mainstream blockbuster like Enchanted or Man of Steel, there’s an Arrival, a Nocturnal Animals. She’
Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu arrived in theaters as a Christmas offering, though it’s anything but festive. What it is, however, is a nightmarish — if somewhat lengthy— triumph. This is a dark, gothic epic that feels both like a natural evolution of Eggers’ work and something wholly its own—a film
As the year’s best-of lists start rolling in, you’ve probably noticed a familiar pattern: critics name-dropping films that haven’t even hit your local theater—or anywhere accessible—yet. Films like The Brutalist and Nickel Boys are hovering just out of reach, premiering in a trickle of select
Ridley Scott returns to the world of Gladiator with the weight of expectation firmly on his shoulders. Following up an Oscar-winning epic that’s been cherished for over two decades is no small feat, but with Gladiator II, Scott crafts a rousing sequel that, while not without its flaws, delivers
My Old Ass took me by surprise in the best way possible. What starts as a low-key coming of age story quickly unfolds into something pretty unforgettable—a film that charms you when you least expect it. Released on Prime Video earlier this month, My Old Ass didn’t initially
Horror sequels are a tricky business. The best of them build on their predecessors, deepening the mythology and taking creative risks that push the story into new territory. The worst? They settle for recycling familiar beats, banking on spectacle over substance. Smile 2, sadly, falls into the latter camp. It
In a year dominated by bold, all-caps cinema—like Furiosa, Dune: Part Two, and The Substance—A Real Pain takes a different approach. It trades bombast for quiet intimacy, delivering a story that’s just as profound and emotionally resonant as its flashier counterparts, proving that subtlety can hit just