Sinners

“You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home.”

SINNERS is a 2025 gothic supernatural horror film written, directed, and co-produced by Ryan Coogler, the talented writer/director behind Fruitvale Station, Black Panther, and Creed. The film is produced by Coogler and frequent collaborators Sev Ohanian and Zinzi Coogler. The executive producers are Ludwig Göransson, Will Greenfield and Rebecca Cho. Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson handled the music for the film.

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers (Michael B. Jordan) return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

The cast includes Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo, Jack O'Connell, Jayme Lawson, Wunmi Mosaku, Omar Benson Miller, Hailee Steinfeld, Lola Kirke, and Christian Robinson.

SINNERS made its debut in theaters April 18th, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

THE GOOD

Ryan Coogler has always been a master storyteller, but SINNERS feels like the full flowering of his talent — a sweeping, soulful, and searingly original vision that cements him among the greats of modern American cinema. After seeing the glowing praise pour in for a week, I caught SINNERS in IMAX with my girlfriend, and it’s safe to say it exceeded the hype. This is Coogler’s best film yet, a triumph of atmosphere, emotion, and innovation.

Set against the haunting backdrop of the Mississippi Delta in 1932, SINNERS instantly immerses you in a richly textured world where past and future collide. Michael B. Jordan, in his finest performance to date, plays twin brothers Smoke and Stack, war-scarred veterans turned dreamers, trying to carve out a life for themselves — and their community — in the shadow of racism, violence, and supernatural menace. The premise sounds heavy, and it is, but Coogler balances the darkness with a palpable love for the culture, history, and spirit of his characters.

The film’s opening act is astonishing: a slow-burn tapestry of music, memory, and myth-building. Working again with cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Coogler crafts images that feel at once timeless and urgent, the dusty fields and flickering lights of the juke joint rendered in shimmering 70mm grandeur. It’s easily one of the best-looking films of the year, a technical marvel that never loses sight of the humanity at its core.

And then there’s the music. SINNERS doesn’t just have a great soundtrack — it has one of the most vital, bone-deep integrations of music into narrative storytelling in years. Ludwig Göransson’s score, interwoven with stunning blues performances recorded live on set, feels like a living, breathing character in the film. Each song, each chord, carries the weight of generations, the joy and pain of a people trying to endure and transcend. It’s no exaggeration to say the music pierces through you — it’s exhilarating, heartbreaking, and essential to the film’s magic.

What’s most impressive, though, is how SINNERS straddles so many genres without ever feeling confused. It’s a historical epic, a horror fable, a supernatural thriller, and a musical — and somehow it’s all of those things at once, fully and confidently. There are echoes of FROM DUSK TILL DAWN and NEAR DARK in the way the horror unfurls, but Coogler’s approach is more soulful, more mournful. The supernatural elements never drown out the deeper emotional currents about family, trauma, faith, and the complicated quest for freedom.

The cast is uniformly excellent. Hailee Steinfeld brings a complex, tragic energy to Mary, while newcomer Miles Caton, as Sammie, gives a breakthrough performance full of youthful yearning and stubborn hope. Wunmi Mosaku is a standout as Annie, radiating both strength and sorrow. Jack O’Connell’s vampire villain Remmick is chilling yet charismatic — a monster born of the same broken system as his victims, which gives the film’s horror a devastating resonance.

Michael B. Jordan’s dual performance, though, is the film’s heartbeat. Smoke and Stack are brothers forged in the same fires but shaped into very different men, and Jordan makes you feel every ounce of their love, resentment, and pain. It’s a virtuoso performance that captures the contradictions at the heart of SINNERS itself: beauty and brutality, loyalty and betrayal, survival and sacrifice.

THE BAD

If there’s one minor critique, it’s that the film’s third act leans a little heavier into traditional horror action beats, slightly thinning the complex textures Coogler weaves so deftly early on. But even then, the film’s emotional gravity never wavers. Coogler doesn’t just want to scare you — he wants to haunt you. And SINNERS lingers long after the credits roll.

At 138 minutes, SINNERS is a dense, layered experience, but it’s never ponderous. Every moment feels earned, every payoff rooted in character and history. Coogler directs with a confidence and boldness that feels almost revelatory — a reminder of what ambitious, personal filmmaking can achieve when given the resources and freedom to flourish.

THE VERDICT

In a year already full of strong films (BLACK BAG & MICKEY 17), SINNERS stands apart. It’s not just one of 2025’s best movies — it’s one of the most resonant, daring works of mainstream American cinema in recent memory. It feels destined to become a classic, the kind of film that audiences and artists will be studying and talking about for decades.

Ryan Coogler has always been great. SINNERS proves he’s something rarer: a visionary. And we are lucky to be witnessing his prime.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.8/10

SINNERS is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Drop

DROP is a 2025 mystery thriller film directed by Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day, Freaky), and written by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach. Producers on the film include Michael Bay, Jason Blum, Brad Fuller, and Cameron Fuller.

A widowed mother's first date in years takes a terrifying turn when she's bombarded with anonymous threatening messages on her phone during their upscale dinner, leaving her questioning if her charming date is behind the harassment.

The cast includes Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, Reed Diamond, Gabrielle Ryan, Jeffery Self, Ed Weeks, and Travis Nelson.

DROP made its debut in theaters April 11th, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

The “cat-and-mouse” thriller genre of films has a ton of wiggle room when it comes to screenplay, with the overall idea being to keep viewers hooked and guessing right until the very end. The trailer for DROP enticed me right away but I did have concerns in terms of how they would be able to maintain the appeal for the entire film, and whether or not things would get a bit too wacky by the end. Thankfully you can rest assured because my concerns were put to rest pretty much immediately as DROP proved to be one of the more enjoyable films I have seen in some time.

The film taps into two things that give people anxiety this day and age, our reliance on technology and online dating. Violet is a single mom with more baggage than most people thanks to a traumatic past, but she is finally willing to take a chance by going on a date with Henry, a man she had been talking to online for a few months. Violet’s nerves are put to rest early on as her charming date and restaurant with a breathtaking view point to a promising evening, that is of course until she receives a DROP on her phone that changes everything. What seems like a joke at first turns deadly serious forcing Violet to make decisions that will change her life forever.

I’m not going to lie I was hooked from the jump, and I just loved how the story began to unravel. I apologize for the overuse of the term cat-and-mouse thriller, but it is just the perfect description for DROP. The story is such a whirlwind and it gets more intense by the minute leaving viewers on the edge-of-their-seats. The cast is fantastic and I loved the chemistry between lead actors Meghann Fahy (Violet) and Brandon Sklenar (Henry). Both characters have a certain level of intrigue adding depth to the story, and I really liked the direction of the screenplay. I mentioned my concern as far as the film maintaining interest and providing a satisfying final act, but man did it deliver. DROP is a wild ride from start to finish and everyone involved deserves a ton of credit.

DROP is creative in terms of the screenplay but it also delivers big time from a technical standpoint. The story needs to make Violet seem isolated as her life hangs in the balance and under the control of a mysterious stranger communicating with her via her cell phone, and they did a great job utilizing technical elements like showing some of the messages she was seeing as an on-screen graphic for example. Plus the camera angles are wild as viewers feel like everything is spiraling out of control. I also thought the score/soundtrack was amazing as it blended perfectly with the overall feel of the film. I mean sure the premise is over-the-top in many ways if you want to overthink it, but if you are willing to sit back and just appreciate DROP it will be more than worth your time I guarantee it.

THE VERDICT

A crafty and fast-paced cat-and-mouse thriller that gets the hooks in you early and never lets go, DROP embraces a wild premise delivering an incredibly entertaining experience for viewers. I really enjoyed this movie and can easily recommend it to anyone who is looking for something fresh and exciting. Do yourself a favor and see DROP in theaters.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.3/10

DROP is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Warfare

WARFARE is a 2025 war drama film written and directed by Iraq War Veteran Ray Mendoza and Civil War’s Alex Garland. Garland is a very talented director who recently blew audiences away with the war drama CIVIL WAR (our full review here), and this collaboration with Mendoza looks to have audiences in for quite a treat.

A platoon of Navy SEALs embark on a dangerous mission in Ramadi, Iraq, with the chaos and brotherhood of war retold through their memories of the event.

The cast includes D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, Finn Bennett, Taylor John Smith, Michael Gandolfini, Adain Bradley, Noah Centineo, Evan Holtzman, Henrique Zaga, Joseph Quinn, and Charles Melton.

WARFARE made its debut in theaters April 11th, courtesy of A24.

I absolutely love a good war drama, whether we are talking PLATOON, BLACK HAWK DOWN, or one of my more recent favorites THE HURT LOCKER, they just suck me right in and the experience sticks with me. The films I mentioned are very intense, and although a big focus is on the gunfire and explosions in the battlefield, they do a fantastic job touching on the emotional toll it has on the men and women fighting to protect our freedom. When the first trailer dropped for WARFARE I simply could not wait for this movie to come out. I will watch anything A24 touches, but this movie just had a unique feel of a special cinematic experience. I had to see this on the biggest screen possible so I made my way to the IMAX for the early release screening, and boy was it worth it.

WARFARE opens with the speakers blaring as this platoon of Navy SEALs bond as they watch the music video for the 2004 hit song Call on Me, by Eric Prydz. It was such a cool way for the film to open as viewers had an opportunity to see these men as human beings; sons, brothers, husbands, fathers, before they embark on a mission that will change their lives forever. Soon after we find ourselves in the streets of Iraq on an eerily quiet night with nothing but sporadic gunshots erupting in the distance.

It is hard to explain how it feels to be watching a movie like this on a giant IMAX screen in complete silence, knowing that it is only a matter of time before the audio in the theater erupts. WARFARE does an incredible job setting the stage for this mission as everything happens in real-time, and by the time the film ends you will feel like you were right there with them.

I was blown away, simple as that. This is the story of a carefully planned mission that took a tragic turn, quickly shifting to a battle of survival. It really didn’t matter if it was a veteran of two tours or a guy experiencing his first action, you saw the fear on the faces of these men as they sacrificed their own well being in an effort to save their brothers. During an explosion, I damn near jumped out of my seat because it was so unexpected and I was just beyond immersed in what was happening on-screen.

WARFARE is incredibly intense and the gunfire will be ringing in your ears long after you leave the theater. I thought the entire cast was nothing short of amazing, with a big shoutout to Will Poulter and Cosmo Jarvis for their performances. Director Alex Garland is a beast behind the camera, and his collaboration with Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza is a match made in heaven, simple as that. The film ends with a tribute to the men who fought in this battle and it was pure perfection. I can’t wait to see it again.

THE VERDICT

A fast-paced and absolutely bone-chilling war drama from the perspective of the brave men who lived it, WARFARE puts viewers in the streets of Ramadi, Iraq, creating a uniquely immersive experience you won’t soon forget. You need to see this movie on the biggest screen possible in order to fully appreciate the masterpiece that Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza have created. WARFARE is on another level as a war drama film, and this is absolutely a movie I will be adding to my 4K Blu-ray collection. What are you waiting for, go see it!

TED TAKES RATING - 9.8/10

WARFARE is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Novocaine

NOVOCAINE is a 2025 action comedy film directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen who previously co-directed Villains (2019) and Significant Other (2022), from a screenplay by Lars Jacobson.

When the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, a man (Jack Quaid) incapable of feeling physical pain turns his rare condition into an unexpected advantage in the fight to rescue her.

The cast includes Jack Quaid (The Boys), Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Jacob Batalon, Betty Gabriel, and Matt Walsh.

NOVOCAINE made its debut in theaters on March 14th, courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

NOVOCAINE is like a swiss army knife when it comes to a specific genre; it is part heist thriller, part action comedy, and part thriller with a dash of romantic comedy. I went in expecting over-the-top action and an abundance of violence, and trust me it is VERY violent, but I was pleasantly impressed with such a high quality blend of genres mainly because everything worked so well. I am obsessed with heist thriller films like DEN OF THIEVES or WRATH OF MAN, I just can’t get enough of that adrenaline-infused action and NOVOCAINE brought some of that as sort of a nice almost unexpected bonus.

If you read the synopsis or watched one of the trailers you have a basic idea of what to expect, but man did writer Lars Jacobson really sink his teeth into the overall idea. The film opens with Nate (Jack Quaid) getting himself ready for work, but right away you can tell something is different about him. He has his shower setup a certain way to control how hot the water gets for example, and he has to set a timer on his phone as a reminder to use the bathroom “so his bladder doesn’t explode”.

Nate has a genetic condition that makes it so he cannot feel pain, not even a little bit, and for that reason he also can’t feel other basic things we may take for granted. I won’t go much more in-depth on it but the point I am trying to make is Jacobson really sells the audience on this condition that Nate suffers from, and before the film gets crazy we have already bought into it and that is huge.

Nate lives a very mundane life mainly due to his condition and his reluctance to put himself out there in a social setting. He works as an assistant manager of a bank and it is very clear that he is beyond bored of his life. He develops a bit of a crush on a new teller but before he can act on it the bank is robbed and she is taken as a hostage, which I mean is just his luck, right? Nate decides that he is done living on autopilot and takes matters into his own hands as he goes full vigilante in an attempt to rescue a girl that he feels could very well be the person he was waiting his entire life to meet.

Now Nate doesn’t quite become John Wick, unless we are talking about battered and beaten John Wick who looks closer to death than anything else. But thankfully for Nate although he can still die of course, due to his condition he can’t feel any of the pain that is inflicted on him, and it is a lot. Nate’s revenge tour is like an out-of-control freight train of bad decisions which provides endless entertainment. NOVOCAINE is action-packed and has some incredible special effects and fight sequences, and I loved that the comedy element is present pretty much throughout.

No matter how crazy things get, you will have a smile on your face and the film even has a nice feel-good element to it. I was so pumped that by the time the credits hit the screen I just wanted more, so needless to say the film flew by. The collaboration between directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen and writer Lars Jacobson just worked so incredibly well, and it was clear that this was a project everyone involved just had a blast working on. Plus I was impressed with all of the twists and turns as far as the overall story, and it was not quite what I was expecting and I mean that as a compliment.

Actor Jack Quaid has been on quite a run as of late, and this is easily my favorite role of his and I just want to picture him as this character forever. He was amazing in the sci-fi thriller COMPANION (our full review here), but he played a very unlikable character. Quaid has been around since 2012 making his acting debut in the 2012 film THE HUNGER GAMES with several small roles since then, but the biggest impression that he made on me was without a doubt his role in the Amazon Prime series THE BOYS, which premiered in 2019.

He has been on quite the career trajectory since then and I absolutely expect that he will continue to impress because he is a very talented actor. I have been most impressed by his versatility as an actor, proving he can handle action, comedy. and everything in between. For one reason or another he does seem to thrive in these fish-out-of-water roles as a regular guy who ends up way over his head leaving a path of destruction in his wake. He is scheduled to star in a crime thriller film titled NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH alongside The Walking Dead star Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and I am surely looking forward to that.

I really enjoyed the supporting cast as well although Quaid definitely dominated the screen-time as the star of the film. Amber Midthunder was great as Nate’s love interest Sherry. Ray Nicholson, the son of the legendary Jack Nicholson, was awesome as well as one of the films primary antagonists. He has been on a bit of a heater himself recently playing a role in the horror thriller SMILE 2, and a starring role in the under-the-radar dark comedy BORDERLINE, now available VOD. Ray may not have the historic career his father has had, but he is a talented actor and I expect we will see him in more projects going forward.

Jacob Batalon is awesome as Nate’s gaming buddy and does a great job adding to the comedic element of the film. Most people will recognize him as Tom Holland’s nerdy buddy in Spider-Man. Betty Gabriel and Matt Walsh play the detectives hot on Nate’s trail, and the two of them were great together. I especially liked Walsh as he always has this hilarious demeanor about him even when he is playing a seemingly serious role. I also really enjoyed Lou Beatty Jr. in a small but important role as one of the customers at Nate’s bank. Evan Hengst has a small role but he does have a very badass fight scene with Quaid’s character that is well worth mentioning.

THE VERDICT

A wildly entertaining and laugh-out-loud action comedy with a dash of heist thriller, NOVOCAINE was just so much fun from start to finish and a movie I highly recommend seeing in theaters. This movie delivers on so many levels, and I just applaud each and every person that had the opportunity to work on this project because it just seemed like so much fun, and the final product proved that. I just love when everything comes together, and it is clear that this was a movie that was made with a love and appreciation for the movie theater experience.

I don’t know about you, but it feels good when a movie opens with the cast or director thanking me for seeing this movie “the way it was meant to be seen”. It almost feels like I am fulfilling my civic duty as a lover of movies or something. Do yourself a favor and get out to see NOVOCAINE in theaters sooner than later to ensure studios continue to make fantastic movies like this. Also the marketing for this movie, just pure genius.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.3/10

NOVOCAINE is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Black Bag

BLACK BAG is a 2025 spy thriller film directed by Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven, Haywire) and written by David Koepp (Presence, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny).

When intelligence agent Kathryn Woodhouse (Cate Blanchett) is suspected of betraying the nation, her husband (Michael Fassbender) - also a legendary agent - faces the ultimate test of whether to be loyal to his marriage, or his country.

The cast includes Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, and Pierce Brosnan.

BLACK BAG made its debut in theaters March 14th, courtesy of Focus Features.

When it comes to a Steven Soderbergh film I don’t need much convincing to get me to the theater on opening day, I honestly don’t even need to watch a trailer. The guy rarely disappoints, and even a lesser film by his standards is still worth the price of admission. I was very much looking forward to BLACK BAG as it had the feel of vintage Soderbergh and boy was I right.

I absolutely loved this movie, it just had everything that you needed in a spy thriller, but more than anything else instead of relying on spectacle the meat and potatoes of the film was the story and the characters. A Soderbergh film is truly a work of art, and this is yet another quality collaboration with talented screenwriter David Koepp, who Soderbergh also worked with on Kimi (2022), and Presence (2024). I was immersed in the story from the opening scene, and it was like a hook was in me as I desperately needed to find out what was going to happen next. The film also has a throwback feel to some of the best spy thriller films in the last 30-years which is a massive compliment.

BLACK BAG has an incredible cast, but the story centers around stars Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, a husband and wife who also happen to be spies working for the same organization. The duo work separately and have a very specific level of secrecy that must be respected in order to protect their professional integrity, and if one or the other asks a question that cannot be answered for this reason the response is simply “BLACK BAG”, a term meaning answering the question would violate professional integrity, hence the title of the film.

George (Fassbender) and Kathryn (Blanchett), are viewed as the ultimate power couple by their peers/co-workers as they have found a way to make their marriage work while sharing an incredibly volatile career field. George is known to be the human form of truth serum and it is quite literally impossible to lie to him. When he is tasked with finding a mole within his organization that could very well be his wife or one of his close friends and co-workers, he will leave no stone unturned to find the truth.

I won’t spoil anything but I just loved how the complicated web began to unravel, and although I was worried I may miss something and not quite understand the overall premise, the screenplay impressed me at every turn as although it was complex it still came together in such a way that made perfect sense. Each character had a certain level of intrigue whether it be on a personal or a professional level, and this added intriguing layers to the story. I felt like I was on the edge-of-my-seat from start to finish and I was never bored, not even for a second. BLACK BAG clocks in at a very modest hour and 30-minutes, and the film absolutely flies by.

I wasn’t just in awe of the acting in BLACK BAG, I was also blown away by pretty much every single technical element of the film. The score was perfect which really needs to be the case for any spy thriller worth it’s salt, and Soderbergh’s camera work was next-level as the film always felt intimate and personal. Fassbender’s character is the epitome of self-control so when he starts to feel like things are spiraling out of control I felt the anxiety he was feeling, and that is thanks to incredible character development and a masterful performance by him. I also have to give a shoutout to the editing team because they did not waste a single frame.

The cast is nothing short of amazing in this film, and I thought everyone absolutely crushed it. Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett are on another level as always and have perfect chemistry. I really enjoyed Tom Burke in what I felt was a very unique and complex role. Marisa Abela was really good as well and I enjoyed the toxic but entertaining relationship she shared with Burke’s character. Regé-Jean Page was lowkey one of my favorite performances as it was really hard to get a good read on his character, and I enjoyed the intrigue of the working relationship he shared with Fassbender. Naomie Harris is always fantastic and she really left her mark here as well.

THE VERDICT

A stellar cast and a captivating screenplay anchor Steven Soderbergh’s latest gem of a film, BLACK BAG is a tantalizing spy thriller and an instant classic for genre fans. I really enjoyed this movie from start to finish, and just loved how even with high expectations it delivered on all fronts. If you enjoy a good spy thriller or just a great cinema experience in general, this is an absolute must-see.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.5/10

BLACK BAG is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Riff Raff

RIFF RAFF is a 2024 crime comedy film directed by Dito Montiel, written by John Pollono. The film premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.

The life of a former criminal is thrown into turmoil when his old family appear for a long-awaited reckoning.

The cast includes starring Ed Harris, Miles J. Harvey, Jennifer Coolidge, Gabrielle Union, Pete Davidson, and Bill Murray.

RIFF RAFF made its debut in theaters February 28th, courtesy of Roadside Attractions.

RIFF RAFF is a dark comedy drama film that offers a bit more than you’d expect from the genre. The film opens with narration from a character by the name of DJ (Miles J. Harvey) as he attempts to set the stage for this dysfunctional family drama. The film takes the “so how did I get here” Deadpool approach as you get a quick glimpse of the pivotal moment during the films final act before going back to before everything hits the fan. DJ is an extremely intelligent but clearly sheltered but good-natured teenager preparing for college.

He is spending Christmas and the New Year with his stepfather Vincent (Ed Harris) and his mother Sandy (Gabrielle Union) at their vacation home, a rural cabin located in picturesque Yarmouth, Maine. I fell in love with the relationship between DJ and his stepfather as they seemed to have a very special bond. This special family trip is quickly interrupted when Vincent’s estranged son Rocco (Lewis Pullman) arrives in the middle of the night with his his very pregnant girlfriend and his mom, Vincent’s ex-wife Ruth (Jennifer Coolidge).

I will say the film does require patience from the perspective of the screenplay because viewers are given breadcrumbs by way of flashbacks as the overall story is pieced together. I felt like it was slow-moving at times making it seem like I was just waiting on something to happen, but it was worth it in the end once everything came full-circle. I honestly loved the overall story, and I was impressed with the serious themes writer John Pollono chose to weave in this well-crafted web of his creation. Pollono, who wrote and directed the film version of his award-winning play SMALL ENGINE REPAIR in 2021, prefers to tackle complicated themes in his stories and he sticks to what he knows here. I won’t dig into it much more than that because I don’t want to spoil anything, but by the end the story hit me much harder than I thought it would. RIFF RAFF is as much about dysfunctional family dynamics as it is about loyalty, and facing the hard truth that as human beings we are far from perfect.

The cast is a big selling point for RIFF RAFF and for good reason because everyone was fantastic. I wasn’t familiar with Miles J. Harvey at all before this movie and I really liked him in this. He has this good-natured innocence about him that just makes him seem like such a fish-out-of-water amongst of all of the calamity happening around him. It was great because you can see him trying to make sense of the craziness, and more often than not he just shakes his head realizing he will never understand these crazy people he calls family. Ed Harris is awesome as always, taking on the balancing act of a family man with a dark past. Gabrielle Union has limited screen time but she was really good as well. Bill Murray is a legend and although he does have a small role, he is amazing as always. Pete Davidson is also really good as Murray’s right hand man.

I absolutely loved Jennifer Coolidge as Vincent’s no-filter alcoholic ex-wife Ruth. Ruth is the epitome of what you see is what you get, and although she is very clearly someone more than willing to push boundaries, I found myself drawn to her especially as her character gets fleshed out throughout the story. And talk about a career resurgence for Coolidge with the HBO Max series WHITE LOTUS and now several other projects, she has come a long way since she portrayed Stiffler’s mom in AMERICAN PIE.

Lewis Pullman is one of those up-and-coming actors and I thought he did a great job as Rocco, taking on a fairly complex character that required a significant amount of emotional depth. I thought Emanuela Postacchini did a really nice job as Rocco’s girlfriend Marina who is a centerpiece to the overall story, and I have to point out the fact that she is absolutely gorgeous. Actor Roger Guenveur Smith was in the movie for about 5-seconds during a flashback as Sandy’s (Gabrielle Union) father, but all I could think about was Mike Epps making fun of his hairline in the 2002 comedy ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS. Such an underrated movie.

THE VERDICT

A surprisingly moving dark comedy thanks to a fantastic cast and a powerful screenplay from writer John Pollono, RIFF RAFF is a technically sound character driven film well worth your time. Just go in knowing that this is definitely more drama than it is comedy, because if you’re looking for laugh-out-loud moments you will be disappointed.

TED TAKES RATING - 7.2/10

RIFF RAFF is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Toxic Town

Written By: Deidre, Special Guest Reviewer

TOXIC TOWN is a 2025 limited drama series written and created by Jack Thorne (Wonder, Joy), and is based on the true story of the Corby poisonings.

The tragic toxic waste case in the East Midlands and three mothers fighting for the justice for the rates of upper limb defects in babies born in Corby were subsequently found to be three times higher than the national average.

TOXIC TOWN made its debut February 27th on Netflix

Finally, a female here to bring some female perspective to these series/movies. Who doesn't love a well-rounded team? Let me start by saying, I'm entirely too emotional to watch series like these. I chose it as my first review in over a half a decade because within this cast are some of my favorite characters from other series. Dave from Bank of Dave (Rory Kinnear), Eloise from Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie), Mr. Bates from Downton Abbey (Brendan Coyle), and last but certainly not least and my personal fav, Aimee from Sex Education (Aimee Lou Wood). I mean, what a cast am I right? In all honesty, this series was absolutely heart wrenching but so worthy.

As an individual who lost their father from cancer due to environmental toxins, this really hit home. On the lighter side, one of my best friends is from the North of England and so many of the phrases said are ones I hear all the time and they always make me giggle. Like a slapped arse is always my favorite. Let's get down to the grit of this series. The first 10 minutes of the first episode was enraging to say the least. The will of women though, am I right?

Where there's a will there's a way and their tenacity were commendable. Having friends that live near where this happened, it honestly makes my heart ache. Jodie Whittaker was absolutely brilliant throughout as was Dave, I mean Rory (of course). I don't know about anyone else but when I watch a series, I take it as fact as I'm viewing it and knowing what I know in connection to the meat of this series, it is easy to believe that this happened because the reality is, it does happen. Greed drives so many bad decisions and there are so few people that will stand up and fight.

I'm so proud of each and every human who did the right thing in this story. The term better late then never comes to mind, but I'm not one to accept that, things should have been done sooner. A lot sooner. I genuinely appreciate the lighthearted humor at times or else I would have cried through the whole thing. This doesn't surprise me with the series I've seen previously from this cast though and who doesn't love some good banter.

THE VERDICT

I've watched a lot of series in my day, including a lot of English series as they tend to be my favorite. This was a beautifully written story. Brilliantly acted. Incredibly shot. Not going to lie, I bawled through most of the final episode. I realize again that it might be because it's a little close to home in different ways but gosh, this was a great series. My only complaint was a very few misses in the fine details. Only things that those of us with a critics' eye would likely notice. I call it my OCD eye, as I'm far from a professional critic.

Additionally, without giving it away, there was the start of a "what's going on here" moment in episode 4 between Susan (Jodie) and Peter (Michael Socha) that got me to thinking. They could have built on that, or it could have even been a continuation of the story but in the end, I loved it. Everyone should watch this series. Everyone should know about this story, because unfortunately this type of thing happens. The more you know and all that. Knowledge is power and the fact that certain people in this story profited while others suffered and didn't care, is well, outrageous but not surprising. THE BALLS. We move forward with knowing that there is good and light in the world. Go find the good people within it and hold onto them. I highly recommend.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.8/10

TOXIC TOWN is now streaming on Netflix. Check out the latest trailer below.

Last Breath

LAST BREATH is a 2025 survival thriller film directed by Alex Parkinson and written by Mitchell LaFortune, Parkinson, and David Brooks. It is a feature film remake of the 2019 documentary of the same name that Parkinson co-directed with Richard da Costa.

A true story that follows seasoned deep-sea divers as they battle the raging elements to rescue their crew mate trapped hundreds of feet below the ocean's surface.

The cast includes Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, Finn Cole, Cliff Curtis, Bobby Rainsbury, and Mark Bonnar.

LAST BREATH made its debut in theaters February 28th, courtesy of Focus Features.

If I’m being honest, when the first trailer released for LAST BREATH, I really thought that it was going to be just one of those bottom of the barrel movies cashing in on the acting cred of someone like Woody Harrelson. But boy was I wrong. I went in pretty much blind, not knowing anything about the true story the film is based on, and I’m glad I did.

This was one heck of an experience and a movie that I won’t soon forget. The entire story in itself is just absolutely crazy, and it is just one of those stories that needed to be told. The cast is spectacular, the screenplay was essentially flawless, and the production design was just perfect from top to bottom. Every moment of action felt raw and very real, and all of the underwater shots were incredible making for a very immersive experience. Every single person that worked on this film deserves a ton of credit for carefully crafting an experience well worth the price of admission.

The cast was just on another level with some of the best on-screen chemistry I have experienced in quite some time. The casting department deserves a ton of credit for putting together a talented group of actors that do not miss a beat. Finn Cole plays Chris Lemons who is the diver the story is based on. Cole is an up-and-coming actor who is incredible in the drama series Animal Kingdom, and it was great to see him deliver like he did in a feature-film. He was just perfect in this role as he came across as someone that is very easy to root for.

Starring alongside Cole is one of my all-time favorite actors in Woody Harrelson, and no surprise that he is amazing as always. Harrelson plays Duncan Allock, the 20-year veteran who took Lemons under his wing. It was just pure joy to witness the connection between Cole and Harrelson as the two truly immersed themselves in their characters. Simu Liu was fantastic as well as he played Dave Yuasa, a veteran diver who was a bit more mysterious. The entire cast was stellar from top to bottom, with notable performances from Bobby Rainsbury, Cliff Curtis, Mark Bonnar, MyAnna Buring, and Josef Altin.

The screenplay is an absolute homerun, and I’m not talking about just barely clearing the fence, this is a 500ft bomb into the nosebleeds. LAST BREATH somehow finds a way to get viewers to emotionally connect with the characters in a very short amount of time considering the film clocks in at just over an hour and a half. I found myself genuinely caring for these characters, particularly Chris Lemons, the primary focus of the film played by Finn Cole.

The film opens by giving us a glimpse into the life Lemons is building with his fiancée Morag, played by Bobby Rainsbury, and I just felt this overwhelming sense of compassion for this beautiful young romance blossoming right before my eyes. I also felt a connection to Lemons, someone who was determined and passionate about his admittedly dangerous choice of career, but he also had a strong understanding of his obligation to those who cared for him. I don’t think LAST BREATH hits as hard as it does without the emotional connection to these characters, and boy does it make for a very special cinematic experience. The sheer intensity of some of the moments in the film are honestly hard to explain, and you just really need to experience them for yourself.

THE VERDICT

An exhilarating and gut-wrenching story of incredible perseverance, LAST BREATH is an equally compelling and intense thriller based on true events that will have you on the edge of your seat right until the final seconds. This movie honestly blew me away and is easily my favorite theater experience of the year so far. From the amazing performances to the hard-hitting story, everything just came together to make for must-see cinema. LAST BREATH needs to be experienced on the big-screen so be sure to make it over to the theater sooner than later. I honestly can’t wait to see it again, just be sure to have a few tissues handy.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.2/10

LAST BREATH is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

The Monkey

THE MONKEY is a 2025 supernatural horror film written and directed by Osgood Perkins and produced by horror legend James Wan. The film is based on the 1980 short story by Stephen King. The film is the second collaboration between Osgood Perkins and Neon after the incredibly successful horror film LONGLEGS (our full review here).

After stumbling upon their father's vintage toy monkey in the attic, twin brothers Hal and Bill witness a string of horrifying deaths unfolding around them. In an attempt to leave the haunting behind, the brothers opt to discard the monkey and pursue separate paths over time. However, when the inexplicable deaths resurface, the brothers are compelled to reconcile and embark on a mission to permanently eliminate the cursed toy.

The cast includes Theo James, Tatiana Maslany, Elijah Wood, Christian Convery, Colin O'Brien, Rohan Campbell, and Sarah Levy.

THE MONKEY made its debut in theaters on February 21st, courtesy of Neon.

Osgood Perkins’ THE MONKEY is the kind of horror-comedy that swings wildly between absurdity and tension—sometimes nailing both, sometimes slipping on its own banana peel. Based on Stephen King’s short story, the film embraces its ridiculous premise with a self-awareness that’s both refreshing and, at times, a little too in on the joke.

Theo James pulls double duty as twin brothers who inherit the worst possible family heirloom: a toy monkey that plays its little drum and, in return, serves up death like a demented short-order cook. Perkins takes liberties with King’s story, leaning hard into over-the-top carnage and jet-black humor, turning what could’ve been a straightforward supernatural thriller into something that feels like FINAL DESTINATION and EVIL DEAD 2 got stuck in a blender.

The kills are gloriously unhinged, executed with a gory slapstick quality that makes you wince and laugh in equal measure. Perkins’ script relishes in the sheer absurdity of death, making it a running joke that’s as unsettling as it is entertaining. The film’s strongest moments come when it fully commits to its own madness—one particular set piece involving a bowling alley is destined for cult status.

However, the humor doesn’t always land as sharply as the hatchets, and the film occasionally stumbles in balancing its tone. There are stretches where the emotional beats feel undercooked, especially when the movie asks us to invest in the brothers’ strained relationship amidst the chaos. Some characters feel more like cannon fodder than actual people, and while that’s part of the joke, it does leave certain scenes feeling hollow.

That said, Perkins’ direction is confident, and the film looks great. The cinematography and practical effects bring a stylish griminess to the carnage, and the drumming monkey itself is surprisingly effective as a horror icon—equal parts goofy and unsettling, like if Chucky got his hands on a percussion set.

THE VERDICT

Ultimately, THE MONKEY is an entertainingly deranged ride that doesn’t reinvent the horror wheel but spins it fast enough to keep things interesting. It’s not flawless—some of its gags overstay their welcome, and it occasionally fumbles its emotional core—but when it works, it really works. If you can get on board with its gleefully nihilistic sense of humor, there’s a lot of fun to be had.

It’s messy, it’s loud, it’s occasionally brilliant—and even when it’s offbeat, at least it’s keeping time.

TED TAKES RATING - 6.7/10

THE MONKEY is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Captain America: Brave New World

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD is a 2025 superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Sam Wilson / Captain America, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is intended to be the fourth installment in the Captain America film series, a continuation of the television miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021), and the 35th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Julius Onah directs the film from a script written by the writing team of Malcolm Spellman, Dalan Musson, and Matthew Orton. The film is part of Phase 5 of the MCU.

After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.

The cast includes Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson / Captain America alongside Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, and Harrison Ford.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD made its debut in theaters on February 14th, courtesy of Marvel Studios.

Marvel Studios’ CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD is a film with a lot on its shoulders. Not only does it aim to solidify Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) as the rightful heir to the shield, but it also weaves political intrigue, global conflict, and classic superhero action into its runtime. The result? A film that soars in moments but struggles under the weight of its own ambitions.

Let’s start with the positives. Anthony Mackie fully owns his role as Captain America. While Steve Rogers’ legacy looms large, BRAVE NEW WORLD wisely leans into Sam’s unique leadership style—one built on compassion and strategy rather than super-soldier strength. Mackie brings charm and gravitas to the character, making his journey feel personal and distinct. His dynamic with Danny Ramirez’s Joaquin Torres (the new Falcon) is a highlight, offering a fresh mentor-student relationship that feels organic rather than forced.

The action sequences are another win. Julius Onah’s direction delivers crisp, well-choreographed fight scenes that emphasize Sam’s agility and tactical mind. The set pieces—ranging from aerial dogfights to street-level brawls—keep the energy high, even when the pacing lags elsewhere. The film also benefits from some impressive practical effects and grounded combat, reminiscent of CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER.

However, BRAVE NEW WORLD also carries some glaring flaws. The story, while intriguing on paper, often feels overstuffed. With political conspiracies, government cover-ups, and a race for a newly discovered metal, the film juggles too many plotlines at once. This leads to a second act that meanders before finding its footing again in the climax. Some character arcs, particularly those of key villains, lack depth, making their motivations feel more obligatory than compelling.

Another issue is the film’s tonal inconsistency. It flirts with being a tense political thriller, then pivots to standard superhero spectacle, occasionally dipping into comedic banter that doesn’t always land. While Marvel’s signature humor has worked well in the past, some of the quips here undercut moments that should carry more dramatic weight.

As for Harrison Ford’s take on Thaddeus Ross, he’s predictably great—gruff, commanding, and effortlessly charismatic. But his role in the story might leave some fans wanting more, given the amount of buildup surrounding his character’s inclusion. Giancarlo Esposito’s presence adds an air of menace, though his screen time is surprisingly limited.

Visually, the film is a mixed bag. The cinematography shines in practical stunt work and grounded fights, but some of the CGI-heavy moments—especially in the third act—suffer from that all-too-familiar Marvel inconsistency. It’s never outright bad, but there are scenes where the seams show.

THE VERDICT

Ultimately, CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD is a solid but uneven entry in the MCU. It gives Sam Wilson a well-deserved spotlight and delivers thrilling action, yet it struggles with its narrative focus. Fans of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will likely appreciate its themes and character work, but those expecting a return to WINTER SOLDIER-level storytelling might leave a bit underwhelmed.

Not quite a home run, but Sam’s shield still flies high.

TED TAKES RATING - 5.7/10

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Heart Eyes

HEART EYES is a 2025 horror comedy thriller directed by Josh Ruben, from a screenplay by Phillip Murphy, Christopher Landon, and Michael Kennedy. Ruben directed the 2021 horror comedy Werewolves Within (our full review here), now streaming on AMC+ and Shudder. Producers include Christopher Landon, Greg Gilreath, and Adam Hendricks.

For the past several years, the “Heart Eyes Killer” has wreaked havoc on Valentine’s Day by stalking and murdering romantic couples. This Valentine’s Day, no couple is safe…

The cast includes Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Gigi Zumbado, Michaela Watkins, with Devon Sawa, and Jordana Brewster.

HEART EYES arrived in theaters February 7th, courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing.

As a horror slasher fanatic, HEART EYES hurt my soul. This movie was just not very good for several reasons, but most frustrating is the fact that it could have easily been so much better. I went in expecting an over-the-top horror slasher that was heavy on the comedic element, but this movie was just all over the place. One minute it seemed like it was trying to be serious, and the next it felt like it belonged in the Naked Gun franchise. I have no problem with the horror slasher genre dipping both feet in the comedy pool, but I do feel like you need to have a solid balance or at the very least a clear identity. HEART EYES just feels more like a roll your eyes brand of goofy thanks to poor writing and slow pacing making it hard to stay engaged.

I heard comparisons to the horror slasher Thanksgiving (our full review here) which had me pretty excited to be honest, but these movies could not have been more different. Thanksgiving was creative as it served up enough gore and brutal violence to appease horror slasher fans, but it also had the perfect blend of humor to keep things just light enough to get a laugh when it needed to. HEART EYES spent far too much time focusing on the two main characters making it feel like the killer was an afterthought.

Not only was the HEART EYES killer not scary or even intimidating at all, he was downright goofy in his attempts to claim his victims. In my opinion with a movie like this you need to find ways to build up the killer by having more of a group of main characters, that way he can slowly take them out one at a time adding to the threat of his character. Instead the majority of the film is the killer failing to kill two seemingly easy targets over and over again while taking out a few random people along the way.

I really felt like HEART EYES was in the middle of an identity crisis, because on one hand it seemed to be inspired by the Scream movies, but then it seemed to be trying to go more the route of an original horror slasher with the sights set on the potential for a franchise. It just felt like a mess as far as the overall tone, and by the end of the movie I was ready for it to be over, also I did have to pee really, really bad. Plus it is never a good sign when a 97-minute movie feels like it is dragging. Also the “big reveal” at the end was a big time letdown.

I didn’t hate the cast, but I did feel like it was a victim of poor writing. I did like Mason Gooding in one of the lead roles, although it did throw me a bit considering he was in Scream VI (our full review here) which I loved, and I struggled with the fact that HEART EYES seemed desperate to build on inspiration from that franchise but failed miserably. Olivia Holt was fine as she certainly looks the part, she just feels more like someone better utilized in a supporting role. I love Jordana Brewster from the Fast and Furious franchise and I thought she was fine in her role. It was cool to see my guy Devin Sawa of the OG Final Destination movie, but man is he looking old. Michaela Watkins (You Hurt My Feelings) is lowkey one of the best supporting actresses working today, but her role here was super strange and just felt out of place.

HEART EYES is not unwatchable. It does have some redeemable qualities like a cool mask that made for some great shots of the killer, and I did like how they attempted to pay homage to the horror slasher genre. The film also included top-tier production value. In many instances the characters made fun of themselves which is a common theme for this genre, and it did get a few laughs out of me. I also thought that for the most part the special effects looked great, keeping HEART EYES from feeling like a B-movie horror. I also enjoyed the soundtrack and felt like it fit well with the film.

THE VERDICT

A slow-paced horror comedy suffering from a glaring identity crisis, HEART EYES is a jumbled mess of slapstick humor and poorly executed slasher tropes. Don’t shoot the messenger because I wanted so badly to love this movie, and who knows maybe you will enjoy it more than I did, but in my humble opinion this is really just a slap in the face to the genre. To be honest I regret not just seeing Companion (our full review here) again. I’m genuinely upset this wasn’t better, just feels like a waste of great marketing. Feel free to still see HEART EYES in theaters, just do yourself a favor and keep your expectations in check.

TED TAKES RATING - 4.3/10

HEART EYES is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Sugarcane

Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie’s SUGARCANE is an unflinching examination of the Canadian Indian residential school system and its multigenerational impact on Indigenous families. By intertwining survivor accounts, archival material, and investigative journalism, the film aims to uncover a dark chapter of systemic oppression and explore the lingering scars it has left on descendants. The result is a film that is deeply important, often powerful, but occasionally constrained by its own methodical approach.

The premise of SUGARCANE is deceptively straightforward: an investigation into the residential school system where Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and subjected to cultural erasure, abuse, and neglect. However, as the narrative unfolds, it becomes clear that the story is anything but simple. The film dives headfirst into survivor testimonies, which form the emotional backbone of the documentary. Their recollections—unflinching, raw, and deeply personal—serve as both an indictment of the system and a testament to their resilience.

The filmmakers deserve credit for giving space to the voices of survivors. Each testimony is presented with care and reverence, avoiding sensationalism while allowing the gravity of their experiences to resonate. Particularly moving is the story of a woman whose family line was nearly severed by her time in the schools, and yet who finds small acts of joy and resistance in the traditions she fought to reclaim. These moments are where SUGARCANE shines brightest, capturing the tension between pain and perseverance that defines the legacy of these institutions.

Visually, SUGARCANE opts for a restrained, almost meditative style. Archival footage and photographs are interspersed with sweeping shots of the Canadian wilderness, a stark juxtaposition that underscores the unnaturalness of the schools’ existence against the land’s timeless beauty. Mali Obomsawin’s score weaves through the narrative, subtle but evocative, enhancing the film’s emotional heft without overshadowing the voices at its core.

The documentary’s investigative elements add a compelling layer to its storytelling. Kassie and NoiseCat meticulously trace the system’s roots, revealing the governmental and religious complicity that allowed it to thrive. However, this methodical approach occasionally slows the film’s emotional momentum. The transitions between the personal and the procedural can feel jarring, and some segments lean too heavily on exposition, creating moments where the film risks losing its emotional grip.

One of SUGARCANE’s most striking achievements is its handling of intergenerational trauma. Through the lens of descendants, the documentary captures how the pain inflicted by residential schools reverberates through time. These stories add depth to the narrative, showing how systemic cruelty shapes identities and relationships across decades. Yet, they also offer glimpses of hope, as descendants work to reclaim what was stolen and rebuild fractured cultural connections.

While the film’s scope is undeniably ambitious, it occasionally struggles to balance its multiple threads. The meticulous detailing of systemic injustices is essential, but it sometimes overshadows the human stories that make the film so compelling. A tighter focus on a smaller group of individuals might have allowed for a more emotionally cohesive narrative without sacrificing the broader critique of the system.

SUGARCANE is at its most impactful when it lets the survivors’ voices guide the story. The moments where the camera lingers on their faces, capturing their pain, strength, and determination, are deeply moving. These scenes remind us of the personal cost of systemic oppression, grounding the documentary’s broader themes in lived experience.

It’s worth noting that SUGARCANE doesn’t offer easy resolutions. The film doesn’t pretend that the wounds inflicted by the residential school system can be healed with a single reckoning. Instead, it highlights the ongoing struggle for justice and recognition, refusing to let its audience look away from the long road ahead. This unflinching honesty is one of the film’s greatest strengths, even as it leaves viewers with a heavy heart.

THE VERDICT

Ultimately, SUGARCANE is a powerful, if imperfect, exploration of a painful history that demands to be remembered. It succeeds in amplifying the voices of those who lived through the horrors of the residential school system and those who continue to grapple with its aftermath. While its investigative structure sometimes dulls its emotional edge, the film’s commitment to truth and justice ensures its place as an important, necessary work.

TED TAKES RATING - 6.2/10

SUGARCANE is now streaming on Disney+. Check out the latest trailer below.

Companion

COMPANION is a 2025 dark comedy written and directed by Drew Hancock (Blue Mountain State, Suburgatory). Zach Cregger, Raphael Margules, J. D. Lifshitz, and Roy Lee serve as producers.

A weekend getaway turns bloody and violent when a subservient android that's built for human companionship goes haywire.

The cast includes Jack Quaid, Sophie Thatcher, Harvey Guillén, Rupert Friend, Lukas Gage, Marc Menchaca, and Megan Suri.

COMPANION made its debut in theaters January 31st, courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

COMPANION seemed to be right up my alley especially considering many people were calling it M3GAN (our full review here) 2.0, which I absolutely loved, so I was very excited to check this out. I’m a sucker for a good sci-fi horror with a mix of dark humor, and COMPANION was all that and then some. This movie was so much fun to watch thanks to a very well-written screenplay with witty and thought-provoking dialogue, and the cast was just fantastic. Jack Quaid has been on an upward trajectory since he found success with the Amazon Prime series The Boys, and COMPANION serves as a great opportunity for him to shine in a lead role and he crushes it.

I absolutely loved the story and how everything came together. Although you go in sort of knowing what to expect, COMPANION has a unique approach making it so viewers are engaged and excited to see what happens next. The film has sort of an ominous tone to it giving viewers the feeling that things are not going to end well. I commend Drew Hancock for putting together a screenplay that may seem simple at first glance but is actually complex and raises several questions as it relates to human behavior and AI. In many ways COMPANION is more about our faults as humans as it relates to urges and general greed than it is about why AI can be dangerous and unpredictable. Things really went off the rails quickly in the final act and I enjoyed every minute of it.

As much as I loved the story the cast was a huge reason why this movie was so good. I mentioned Jack Quaid earlier in the review but he is worth talking about again. I always seem to forget that he is the son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, but it is also good that he is forging his own path as an actor. I went down the IMDb rabbit hole a bit and realized that Randy Quaid, cousin Eddie from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, is the older brother of Dennis Quaid.

You may have known that already but I thought it was a fun fact. Getting back on track, Jack Quaid does such a great job as your typical sort of nerdy nice guy, but there is more to him than meets the eye as the story progresses. In my opinion Quaid has proven that he has the ability to play complex characters, and I can’t wait to see him in the upcoming action thriller Novocaine (preview and trailer here).

Starring alongside Quaid as his “companion robot” Iris is Sophie Thatcher, and the chemistry between the two is so good. Thatcher’s career has blown up as well as of late, making her mark with the Showtime series Yellowjackets which is fantastic if you haven’t seen it, as well as starring in recent horror films The Boogeyman (our full review here), and Heretic. Thatcher is a very talented actress, and I’m glad she is finally getting all of these opportunities to showcase her talents.

COMPANION serves as a really nice opportunity for her to show her versatility and I just loved her in this role. Harvey Guillén is absolutely hilarious as always, and I really liked Lukas Gage who is fresh from a chilling role in Smile 2. Guillén and Gage play a couple in the film and they are just so damn funny together. Gage is also involved in a really cool moment in the film that gave me Terminator vibes during the final act. Megan Suri is really good as Kat, and Rupert Friend makes his mark as Serge, a character initially perceived as the films primary antagonist.

Now I get the comparisons to M3GAN in terms of the focus on artificial intelligence, more specifically a robot that becomes very much intertwined in our personal lives, but as similar as the two films are they are also very different. In COMPANION we experience a more proven sort of AI much more engrained in everyday life compared to M3GAN who was essentially a trial run that did not go well.

In COMPSANION these “companion robots” seem to be about as commonplace as an iPhone, and what makes the story so interesting is just the fact that it is more about the characters taking advantage of AI than it is the dangers AI poses like it does in M3GAN. I honestly really liked the approach of both films, and I thought each was through provoking in its own way. I also thought M3GAN was a bit darker overall, with COMPANION finding a few more ways to really utilize the comedic element.

THE VERDICT

A violent and hilarious dark comedy horror film featuring a breakout performance from star Jack Quaid, Drew Hancock’s COMPANION is a creative and satisfying take on the future of AI. This movie is just so much fun and I honestly can’t wait to see it again. Be sure to grab a few friends and check COMPANION out in theaters sooner than later.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.4/10

COMPANION is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Flight Risk

FLIGHT RISK is a 2024 action thriller directed by Mel Gibson (Braveheart, Hacksaw Ridge), from a screenplay by Jared Rosenberg.

A pilot transports an Air Marshal accompanying a fugitive to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.

The cast includes Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery, and Topher Grace.

FLIGHT RISK made its debut in theaters January 24th, courtesy of Lionsgate Movies.

To be honest, when the first trailer dropped for FLIGHT RISK, I almost assumed it would be a direct to streaming movie. For one thing, the trailer sort of came out of nowhere, and I came across it when I was browsing trailers in general, as I often do. Once I watched the trailer, it just seemed a little bit low budget to me and limited with the overall setting. Now it’s obviously hard to ignore the fact that Mel Gibson directed the film or Mark Wahlberg‘s involvement, so either way I was intrigued. Once the official trailer dropped the marketing campaign really ramped up and you could tell that the movie was going to be a wide release. Plus at the end of the day, Mark Wahlberg is going to fill seats with his involvement regardless.

As I made my way to the theater, I was prepared to be disappointed considering my initial thoughts and the negative reviews from early screenings, but honestly, I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. FLIGHT RISK is a very linear thriller in the sense that it only has a few characters and everything takes place primarily in this small plane, but it still sucked me in and had a certain entertainment value that was unique in some way. Overall, the film had a big enough thrill factor to keep me engaged, but it also had a lot of humor that was sort of sprinkled throughout in these unexpected moments but still made you laugh, even though the tension was pretty high at the time.

The theater I was in consisted of mostly older people which wasn’t surprising to me as they are less likely to be swayed by critic review, plus like I said Mark Wahlberg‘s name alone would entice people. Throughout the film the entire audience was engaged and everyone even laughed out loud several times, and overall I felt like the experience was very positive.

Now the story itself is pretty run of the mill in the sense that we’ve all kind of seen it before, but I felt like they still handled it pretty well and focused on what mattered most in the film, which is the actors and the characters themselves. First and foremost I really liked Mark Wahlberg in what is a pretty unique role for him. He plays a very polarizing character who you despise pretty much right away, but you still can’t help but be entertained by and at times laugh at.

I also felt like his character was fairly complex because you could tell he was clearly a charismatic sociopath, but you also weren’t quite sure what his motives were or to what lengths he would go. To say he was a loose cannon would be an understatement for sure. I had mixed feelings early on from Topher Grace from That 70’s Show, but he grew on me towards the end of the movie and helped add a surprising emotional element. I thought Michelle Dockery was solid throughout the film.

From the opening scene FLIGHT RISK lacked the gritty feel I thought a film like this desperately needed which had me concerned. As things progressed this concern didn’t go away, at least not right away, but as the tone of the film became a bit more obvious I started to feel that much more immersed in what was taking place on-screen. I mean to be honest I can’t quite put a finger on the overall tone of the film, but by the end it worked. It feels a bit corny at times with some of the dialogue and the character interactions, but as ulterior motives are fleshed out things get to be a bit more grounded FLIGHT RISK really hits hard.

FLIGHT RISK is far from perfect but for me it was a very entertaining hour and 30 minutes, and I actually thought the film’s final act was thrilling and sort of ended exactly how it should have. The film also has some great visuals with some cool scenic shots of Alaska, which was a nice touch as well. If you want to pick this movie apart you certainly can, but for my money this is worth a trip to the theater.

THE VERDICT

A straight-forward thriller that packs a much bigger punch than I anticipated, Mel Gibson‘s FLIGHT RISK features Mark Wahlberg as an unhinged psychopath while carefully balancing tense action mixed with effective and timely comedic moments.

I honestly don’t have the energy for people who enjoy picking movies apart just so they can try and sound smarter than they really are, which in my opinion is about 90% of the critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Plus let’s be honest, Mel Gibson isn’t exactly universally loved in Hollywood. A movie like FLIGHT RISK is admittedly flawed and unapologetically simple, yet rewarding for viewers willing to give it a chance.

TED TAKES RATING - 6.5/10

FLIGHT RISK is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Wolf Man

WOLF MAN is a 2025 supernatural horror film directed and co-written by Leigh Whannell. A reboot of The Wolf Man (1941), Jason Blum serves as a producer through his Blumhouse Productions banner.

Family man Blake relocates from San Francisco to Oregon with his workaholic wife Charlotte and daughter Ginger after inheriting his childhood home, following the mysterious disappearance and presumed death of his estranged father. At the farmhouse, the family is attacked by a werewolf that claws Blake's arm. They barricade themselves inside the home, but soon Blake begins to transform, jeopardizing the safety of his wife and daughter.

The cast includes Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda Firth, Sam Jaeger, Benedict Hardie, Ben Prendergast, Zac Chandler, Beatriz Romilly, and Milo Cawthorne.

WOLF MAN made its debut in theaters January 17th, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

I’m honestly not quite sure what I was expecting with WOLF MAN and although it is a bit of a mixed bag, I left the theater feeling pretty good about what I just watched. I am always excited for a film with an R-rating, and they did not hold back here. WOLF MAN is never boring which I appreciated, and it also has a big focus on the body horror element so I would prepare yourself if that makes you squeamish. Now I doubt that is the case considering you likely would not be seeing a movie like WOLF MAN if you were sensitive to a little blood and gore, but you never know.

The film is absolutely gorgeous at times with some great shots of rural Oregon, but the majority of the film is very dark which is the overall feel of the film. WOLF MAN does have a powerful emotional element centered around family and the ability to protect those we love. I liked the story overall but I did have some issues with the screenplay which I will touch on later in the review.

The cast was a big draw for me and I was pleased with the performances overall. Christopher Abbott has built quite a successful career since his days on the HBO series Girls. He took on a very complex character and I thought he did a really great job. Julia Garner, better known as Ruth in Ozark, plays his wife and I thought she was really good as well. I will say that I didn’t really feel the chemistry you would like to see between the leads, but it wasn’t that big of an issue. Young actress Matilda Firth plays the couples daughter and she was fine for the most part. In general I would say the cast was one of the primary bright spots for the film.

As far as the technical elements are concerned, I thought WOLF MAN looked fantastic. Early on in the film it was more of the idea that the monster is scarier in the shadows which I love. Once you start to get a few good looks at the WOLF MAN it was pretty damn terrifying in my opinion. The special effects and make-up team deserve a ton of credit for all of the work that went into making sure everything looked as good as possible. I was also very impressed with the score which I thought really did a nice job setting the tone for the film.

I liked the story as a whole and felt like it did a nice job keeping viewers engaged while also adding a much needed emotional element to the film. I think it is safe to say that WOLF MAN is more of a drama thriller than it is a horror thriller, which is fine because it does manage to stick with that identity. The film also offers a solid backstory which makes the film feel a bit more immersive and also allows viewers the opportunity to connect with the characters.

I will say that I was a bit underwhelmed by certain aspects of the screenplay mainly because early on it felt rushed making for dialogue between characters that felt forced. It almost seemed to me like the writers felt it was necessary to dumb things down which really impacted the overall feel of the film. I will say that things did come together pretty well in the end making for what I thought was a satisfying final act. They also added a creative wrinkle as they made an effort to give viewers a glimpse of the perspective from the actual WOLF MAN which was pretty cool to see.

THE VERDICT

An intense horror thriller more than willing to take full advantage of its R-rating, WOLF MAN is held back by a weak screenplay but still offers top-tier visuals and enough blood and gore to satisfy genre fans. It could have been quite a bit better with a little fine tuning, but I was entertained and felt satisfied by the end which is always a win in my book. WOLF MAN may not win over casual viewers or those looking for a well-rounded story, but if you go in with an idea of what to expect I still think it is worth the price of admission.

TED TAKES RATING - 6.2/10

WOLF MAN is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera

DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA is a 2025 action crime drama film written and directed by Christian Gudegast. It is a direct sequel to the 2018 film Den of Thieves (our full review here), which Gudegast also wrote and directed.

Sheriff Big Nick O'Brien (Gerard Butler) continues his relentless pursuit for Donnie Wilson (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), who manages to escape to Europe and is scheming yet another heist.

The cast includes Gerard Butler, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Jordan Bridges, Swen Temmel, Elvin Ahmad, Yasen Zates Atour, and Salvatore Esposito.

DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA made its debut in theaters January 10th, courtesy of Lionsgate Films.

I have seen Den of Thieves at least 15 times, and it is easily one of my favorite all-around heist thrillers. I was in the theater on opening day back in January 2018, and I bought the Blu-ray as soon as it hit the shelves. For me this is just one of those extremely re-watchable films that I love sharing with others. For some reason Gerard Butler always seems to find himself in some of my favorite action thriller films, with this and Law Abiding Citizen at the top of my list. Making a sequel has been talked about for years now and eventually I got to the point where I did not think it would happen. Thankfully the cinema Gods came through and finally delivered the next film a long 6 years later. So, was it worth the wait?! Keep reading to find out!

I was absolutely ecstatic for DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA, and I am happy to report that I left the theater with a smile on my face and the exciting notion that a trilogy is a very real possibility. Now I want to preface by saying that this film is a departure from the original in terms of overall feel and tone. Den of Thieves is more of a gritty heist thriller that relies more on gunfire and intense violence.

DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA is a bit more methodical with a slow-burn feel even though it still fits the heist thriller mold. Its hard for me to outright say which movie I enjoyed more just because they are very different, but I can say that I loved them both and each film shines with their unique qualities. This film focuses more on the buildup to the big job so it requires a bit more patience, but I promise you the payoff is well worth it.

DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA is on another level with the cinematography thanks to the beautiful European setting, and I was blown away more often than not. The film features some great shots throughout but it really shines during the intense car chase in the final act. At times I was so mesmerized by the sheer beauty of it all that it was almost a distraction from the action unfolding on-screen. A good problem to have, I promise. Back in the heyday of 90’s action movies the quality of a film was often defined by whether or not it had a great car chase, and let me just say that DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA checks that box.

DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA continues the great character progression as we get to experience the relationship between Donnie and Big Nick really evolve in a way I personally wasn’t expecting. Big Nick is the ultimate badass with the toughest of exteriors, but the original film showed that he does have an emotional side to him. DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA builds on that and you really get to see another side of him which I thought was great.

The original film concluded with viewers questioning everything they thought they knew about Donnie, so in this film we get to see him in a completely different light. Donnie is incredibly intelligent, confident, resourceful, and in many ways a true chameleon in his chosen field. If Donnie is in the vicinity, you can bank on the fact that something worth stealing is nearby.

The film features more of a buddy comedy vibe between the two leading men which is a different overall tone compared to the original, and I really enjoyed this new direction. Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. have undeniable chemistry which is a big reason why this film works so well, and will likely be the reason why they greenlight a 3rd film. Plus Christian Gudegast has yet again proven his ability to create a certain level of complexity and likability to his characters which keeps audiences guessing, and more importantly wanting more. I personally enjoyed the entire supporting cast, and a well deserved shoutout to actress Evin Ahmad who was fantastic and absolutely gorgeous here.

DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA opens with an exciting heist that the rest of the film is connected to similar to the original, but as I said it is more of a slow-burn in comparison. But rest assured, even though the overall feel is a bit different this is still a fantastic heist thriller that kept me on the edge-of-my-seat right up until the final seconds. Also the soundtrack was fantastic as expected, and I personally loved the song that came on in the final seconds of the film which just added to my excitement and need for another Den of Thieves film.

THE VERDICT

A beautifully shot and smartly written follow-up to the gritty 2018 heist thriller, DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA succeeds with a more methodical approach and an exhilarating final act. Bottom line, this movie was a blast to see in theaters and one that I can easily recommend. Be sure to check out the original Den of Thieves if you haven’t already, now streaming on HBO Max.

The talented trio of writer/director Christian Gudegast and actors Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. are an absolute force to be reckoned with, and I can’t wait for the inevitable 3rd film.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.3/10

DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Nosferatu

NOSFERATU is a 2024 supernatural gothic horror film written and directed by Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse). Following Werner Herzog's Nosferatu the Vampyre (1979), it is the second remake of the 1922 film written by Henrik Galeen and directed by F. W. Murnau, which in turn is an "unauthorized and unofficial" adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. Filming primarily took place in and around Prague between February and May 2023.

A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.

The cast includes Bill Skarsgård, Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron-Taylor Johnson, Emma Corrin, and Willem Dafoe.

NOSFERATU made its debut in theaters December 25th, courtesy of Focus Features.

NOSFERATU was high on my must-see list for awhile for a few reasons, first I am just a horror guy so the genre always entices me, and second I have been a big fan of writer and director Robert Eggers ever since his 2016 horror film The Witch (full review here). Eggers has a unique vision and a great feel for the horror genre, and his early success allowed him the opportunity to deliver the epic revenge thriller The Northman (our full review here). Needless to say I was hopeful he would deliver with NOSFERATU, and he did not disappoint.

NOSFERATU is a powerful film and an instant classic for the genre in my personal opinion. Everyone knows the story of Dracula, or at least a version of it, but the reality is that the origin of this evil being is as dark as his intentions. I have not read Bram Stoker’s 1987 novel Dracula, which led to several films featuring the main character of his creation, but to say that his name will live on forever would be an understatement.

Now NOSFERATU is a reimagining of the 1922 film as I mentioned in the intro, but it also openly admitted to not being a direct representation of the novel. The story itself was made to be a bit more compact and in my opinion more intimate, and Robert Eggers did not hold back when he attempted to bring this classic film to the big-screen more than 100 years later. To be honest I couldn’t think of a better person to have written and directed this film, and his overall talent is absolutely showcased with this project.

NOSFERATU has everything film lovers look for; top-tier acting, incredible cinematography, an immersive feel, a fantastic score, and more than anything that lasting impression that viewers leave the theater with. I can’t stop thinking about that powerful final scene which had me on the edge of my seat gripping the armrest. Eggers knows how to wow audiences and he delivered yet again with NOSFERATU. Bill Skarsgård is easily one of the more talented actors working today, and he was equally chilling and amazing as Count Orlok. Lily-Rose Depp, the daughter of the great Johnny Depp, was a pleasant surprise in the lead role of Ellen Hutter.

Starring alongside Depp as her husband Thomas was Nicholas Hoult, and he continues to impress me as an actor. Aaron-Taylor Johnson co-stars as Friedrich Harding, a friend and confidant of Thomas. I am big Aaron-Taylor Johnson fan and I thought he was really good here as well. He recently starred in Kraven the Hunter (our full review here) as well. If you have yet to see him in Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals (our full review here), you need to get on that ASAP. NOSFERATU also stars Emma Corrin and Willem Dafoe who were both great as well. I mean what is Dafoe not in these days? That guy is killing it.

THE VERDICT

Brilliantly acted and featuring truly mesmerizing visuals, Robert Eggers’ NOSFERATU is an ambitious take on the gothic horror classic that will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on viewers. I genuinely enjoyed this film and I can confidently say that it will be even better after a second viewing thanks to such a high level of attention to detail. Be sure to see NOSFERATU in theaters to ensure you experience it the way it was meant to be seen.

TED TAKES RATING - 9.1/10

NOSFERATU is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Kraven the Hunter

KRAVEN THE HUNTER is a 2024 superhero action thriller film directed by J.C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year), from a screenplay by Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Richard Wenk, based on the Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee.

Kraven's complex relationship with his ruthless father, Nikolai Kravinoff, starts him down a path of vengeance with brutal consequences, motivating him to become not only the greatest hunter in the world, but also one of its most feared.

The cast includes Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott, and Russell Crowe.

KRAVEN THE HUNTER made its debut in theaters December 13th, courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment.

KRAVEN THE HUNTER was at a disadvantage before it even hit theaters as it was delayed several times going all the way back to January 2023. The 4th and final release date of December 13th, 2024, finally stuck and I had an opportunity to see what this film had to offer. Now I will start by saying I went in with fairly low expectations for obvious reasons and I will say that I wasn’t completely dissapointed. Overall KRAVEN THE HUNTER was what I expected, which was a flawed yet still entertaining R-rated superhero flick.

This is an origin story of course which I thought was great because I honestly went in knowing nothing about this character from the Spider-Man universe. I thought they did a nice job setting the stage for the character by utilizing flashbacks and it all came together pretty well overall. The story has a strong emotional element as it relates to the bonds of family and the dysfunction we are forced to navigate throughout our lives.

I really liked how Kraven served as the protector of animals which led to some satisfying action sequences. I thought the cast was solid, particularly Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kraven, and Russell Crowe as his crime boss father. Plus to say that Taylor-Johnson looked the part would be an understatement, that dude is a beast. The majority of the supporting cast was just okay for the most part and mostly forgettable. I will say that the ending felt a bit rushed and out of left field which was too bad because I liked the overall setup that got us there.

The screenplay was very much lacking in many ways and the less-than-great special effects certainly didn’t help, but the biggest complaint for me would be the fact that they really didn’t take full advantage of the R-rating. It just never had that moment where you were like damn, let’s go9! And I feel like a movie like this needs that. Now I know it can be a slippery slope especially when you are trying to attract the largest audience possible, but in my mind when you have the R-rating you need to have a gritty feel that sets you aside from the PG-13 superhero films. KRAVEN THE HUNTER has some intense fight sequences and some very violent kills which were great, but I just never felt like it pushed the envelope or ever felt as intense as I would have liked it to have been. In my opinion you need to go big or go home when it comes to having an R-rating.

THE VERDICT

Although it suffers from a watered-down screenplay and mediocre special effects, KRAVEN THE HUNTER is still a fun and entertaining R-rated origin story worth occupying 2-hours of your time. Although it could have been much better, the fact that I didn’t leave the theater feeling disappointed felt like a win for me, and if you can keep your expectations in check KRAVEN THE HUNTER does just enough in my opinion.

TED TAKES RATING - 5.3/10

KRAVEN THE HUNTER is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Gladiator II

GLADIATOR II is a 2024 epic historical drama film directed and co-produced by Ridley Scott. Serving as a sequel to Gladiator (2000), the film was written by David Scarpa. It was produced by Scott Free Productions in association with Red Wagon Entertainment for Paramount Pictures.

Several decades after the events of Gladiator (2000), Lucius—the grandson of Rome's former emperor Marcus Aurelius and son of Lucilla—lives with his wife and child in Numidia. Roman soldiers led by general Marcus Acacius invade, forcing Lucius into slavery. Inspired by the story of Maximus, as depicted in the original 2000 film, Lucius resolves to fight as a gladiator while opposing the rule of the young emperors Caracalla and Geta.

The cast includes Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, and Fred Hechinger.

GLADIATOR II made its debut in theaters November 22nd, courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

Even though the original GLADIATOR came out 24 years ago, somehow the movie hasn’t aged a day when it comes to top-tier cinema. I gave it a re-watch recently and the technical elements alone are just on another level. That movie is simply an all-time classic right up there with Mel Gibson’s Braveheart, and it was part of why I fell in love with movies at such a young age. When they first announced GLADIATOR II I had to do a double take, surely they weren’t attempting to follow-up such an amazing film.

Once I confirmed that was in fact the case, I was honestly nervous about watching the trailer. I just didn’t think they would be able to pull it off. Long story short the trailer intrigued me and I knew I would be planted in front of the big screen on opening day. So, was it worth it or did Hollywood fail yet again at attempting to re-create the magic of a classic film? Keep reading to find out!

GLADIATOR II was absolutely fantastic and was honestly as good as I could have hoped a sequel would be. The original took my breath away with the overall scale, beautiful cinematography, and incredible acting, and all of the above was back yet again for the sequel film. The opening scene transported me back to the formidable days of the Roman Empire, and you surely don’t have to wait long for the films first massive battle.

Everything just looked and sounded absolutely amazing, and I was on the edge-of-my-seat for the entire two and a half hours. I seriously didn’t want the movie to end, but what had me most excited was how well it connected to the original film. GLADIATOR II was created with the same heart and soul of the original, and that alone put it on another level. This is must-see cinema, simple as that.

The seamless transition for the screenplay from the first film really stood out to me, and I loved all of the little nuances that connected the two as well. You really need to re-watch the original to truly appreciate all of the amazing things they did, but even if you don’t have time going back and watching it after seeing GLADIATOR II will have a similar effect. This film is heart beating out of your chest exciting, but it also perfectly captures the emotional element that made the original film so great.

You will genuinely care for these characters right from the start, and once you start understanding the connection to the original, you will be totally invested. I really liked how they hinted at certain things but it took some time for you to really understand everything. I just thought they did a fantastic job bringing it all together. Plus who doesn’t love a story about good versus evil where literally the fate of the world hangs in the balance?! GLADIATIOR and GLADIATOR II will forever be joined as one in cinema history, and that is exactly how it should be.

A big selling point for the original GLADIATOR was the cast of course, and they did not cut corners with the sequel. Connie Nielsen returns but new cast members include Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn, and Fred Hechinger. It was a bit weird seeing Hechinger in this role after just watching him in Thelma (our full review here), which is a testament to just how good he was. The entire cast was amazing, but my two favorite performances belonged to Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal.

Both played such complex and intriguing characters which made it so much more enjoyable as you learned more about what they stood for and ultimately what their allegiances were. They didn’t share a ton of time on-screen together, but the time they did have was excellent thanks to such natural chemistry. Although some will argue they were a bit over-the-top and somewhat goofy at times, I was personally impressed with Quinn and Hechinger as the films primary antagonists. Denzel Washington was amazing as well which I’m sure surprises literally nobody.

I have to touch on the technical elements because GLADIATOR II was incredible in that department. First and foremost, if you don’t see this movie in the theater on the biggest screen possible you are doing yourself a massive disservice. The entire film is just a clinic from a technical perspective, and the escape a cinematic experience like this provides is really unlike anything else.

Whether you come for the massive scale, the intense action, the incredible sound, the jaw-dropping costume and set design, or the cinematography that is sure to leave you speechless, GLADIATOR II has something for everyone. I was constantly just in awe of what I was experiencing, and to be honest I was tempted to just stand up and clap. GLADIATOR II is why we go to the movie theater in the first place, simple as that.

THE VERDICT

A massively immersive cinematic triumph that does the original justice in every conceivable way, GLADIATOR II is incredibly entertaining and absolutely demands to be seen in the theater. Director Ridley Scott has yet again crafted another gem of a film that audiences will be enjoying for years to come. Do yourself a favor and see GLADIATOR II on the biggest screen possible as soon as you can, you can thank me later.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.7/10

GLADIATOR II is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Terrifier 3

TERRIFIER 3 is a 2024 Christmas horror slasher film written and directed by Damien Leone. It stars Lauren LaVera, Elliott Fullam, David Howard Thornton, and Samantha Scaffidi, who reprise their roles from prior films. The film is a sequel to TERRIFIER 2 (our full review here), and is the fourth feature-length film to include the Art the Clown character.

Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton) is set to unleash another round of chaos on the unsuspecting residents of Miles County as they peacefully drift off to sleep on Christmas Eve.

TERRIFIER 3 made its debut in theaters October 11th.

Let me just say I have a ton of respect for Damien Leone for everything he’s done with the TERRIFIER films. He said in an interview recently that several studios reached out to finance his latest film, but he turned them down knowing they would limit his creative freedom and decided to self-finance instead. I feel like that is commendable and just says a lot about his artistic integrity. Now I reviewed TERRIFIER 2 recently and I’ll say it right now because I didn’t pull any punches, and simply put I thought it was a complete disappointment and a slap in the face to the first film.

So naturally I was hesitant as I made my way to opening night for TERRIFIER 3, but I needed to see for myself if Leone would be able to successfully redeem himself. Well ladies and gentlemen, I bring sunshine on this cloudy day because TERRIFIER 3 is not only a huge improvement over the 2nd film, it is a creative and boundless horror thriller film that will absolutely leave a mark.

TERRIFIER 3 feels like a horror film right from the opening sequence which was huge for me. Viewers that are disturbed easily will already be in for some sleepless nights ten minutes into the film. Art the Clown is creepy as always, but for my money Victoria is the most terrifying character thanks to some incredible work from the Makeup Department. I was getting some serious Evil Dead vibes from her and just felt like her appearance was the pure embodiment of horror. As a huge slasher fan I am really liking the similarities to past slasher franchises including the initial traumatic incident in the earlier films and ensuing relentless pursuit of the original intended victim as Art the Clown hunts Sienna. 

Art the Clown is seriously deranged to the point where I could see Jason, Michael, Freddy, and Leatherface getting together to discuss the fact that he really needs to rein it in. I mean, Jason’s rampage is warranted thanks to a tragic drowning incident, plus you can just stay away from Crystal Lake and you’re good. Art the Clown is running around town ripping peoples faces off and proceeding to point and laugh like a deranged child. Fucked up doesn’t even scratch the surface with this dude. So yeah, after seeing TERRIFIER 3 I feel comfortable saying that Art the Clown has earned his place as a horror icon deserving of his own section at Spirit Halloween.

TERRIFIER 3 is a very, very, very messed up movie, so if that’s what you were hoping for it definitely delivers and then some. Leone has proved his willingness to push the envelope time and time again, and somehow he always finds a way to up the ante. I won’t spoil anything as per usual, and I know that most people are referencing the shower scene as the ultimate “shock and awe” moment in the film, but I’ll dare to be different by pointing to a scene that involves Victoria pleasuring herself with a knife while Art tortures a victim. You read that correctly, just brace yourself.

Art the Clown is known for having fun with his victims, and to say that he seems to really enjoy ruining Christmas for children everywhere would be an understatement. Also it was oddly satisfying watching him walk around wearing the goofy holiday sunglasses. So yeah, if you’re taking your children to see this movie you have serious issues and I’d probably start saving for therapy now.

After the trainwreck that was TERRIFIER 2 the bar was set pretty low but I was actually impressed by the acting this time around. David Howard Thornton is nothing short of incredible in his portrayal of Art the Clown yet again, I mean just give this dude whatever awards you can for a role like this. He’s just on another level. I touched on Victoria’s character briefly played by Samantha Scaffidi, and I just thought she was amazing. In many ways she served as the female Art the Clown balancing out the fact that he is non-verbal and she has just as many screws loose.

Bottom line, if I came across Victoria I’m Usain Bolt in the other direction. I was disappointed in Lauren LaVera’s portrayal of Sienna in TERRIFIER 2, but she was able to redeem herself here. I wasn’t very impressed with Elliott Fullam as Jonathan Shaw yet again but thankfully he had a much smaller role in this film. I thought the entire supporting cast was solid and a massive improvement over TERRIFIER 2, and shoutout to makeup and special effects legend Tom Savini in his cameo as a bystander.

I was disappointed in Lauren LaVera’s portrayal of Sienna in TERRIFIER 2, but she was able to redeem herself here. I wasn’t very impressed with Elliott Fullam as Jonathan Shaw yet again but thankfully he had a much smaller role in this film. I thought the entire supporting cast was solid and a massive improvement over TERRIFIER 2, and shoutout to makeup and special effects legend Tom Savini in his cameo as a bystander. Speaking of special effects TERRIFIER 3 is in a league of its own as expected, specifically when referring to make-up and some of the most creative and jaw-dropping horror effects you will experience on the big-screen. Damien Leone is a mastermind when it comes to the horror slasher genre, and needless to say he knows his way around blood and gore. I was skeptical of the direction of the franchise after the 2nd film, but I had a blast with TERRIFIER 3.

THE VERDICT

Absolutely deranged and brutally violent with more of a horror slasher feel, yet super creative and surprisingly funny at times, Damien Leone’s TERRIFIER 3 solidifies Art the Clown as a formidable horror icon.

As a horror fanatic with a deep appreciation for the slasher genre in particular, my faith in the TERRIFIER films has been redeemed. You need to be messed up in the head to truly appreciate this franchise, but with that being said it is undeniable that Leone knows what fans want and he will stop at nothing to deliver the goods. TERRIFIER 3 sets the stage perfectly for a 4th entry that will likely close out this hard-hitting franchise, and I can’t wait for it.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.1/10

TERRIFIER 3 is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.