Materialists

MATERIALISTS is a 2025 romantic comedy film written and directed by Academy Award nominee Celine Song (Past Lives).

A matchmaker's lucrative business is complicated when she falls into a toxic love triangle that threatens her clients.

The cast includes Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal, Marin Ireland, Sawyer Spielberg, Lindsey Broad, Eddie Cahill, and Louisa Jacobson.

MATERIALISTS made its debut in theaters June 13th, courtesy of A24.

When it comes to movies I have always had a fairly broad appreciation for genres, which is why I can bathe in the beautiful violence of a film like BALLERINA (our full review here), and without missing a beat go check out Celine Song’s romantic comedy drama film MATERIALISTS. Now in terms of grabbing my interest it certainly helps that the main cast includes Dakota Johnson, Captain America himself Chris Evans, and Pedro Pascal.

I’m embarrassed to admit that I have yet to see Song’s debut film PAST LIVES (preview and trailer here) but knowing that it is now readily available on Netflix I will be watching it very, very soon. Unfortunately the film had a limited theatrical run so I missed it in theaters, but I know a ton about it and I am excited to finally see it. Because of PAST LIVES I am familiar with Song and what seems to be the magic touch when it comes to romantic comedy drama films, so I was excited to see what she was able to do with MATERIALISTS.

I know I keep referring to MATERIALISTS as a romantic comedy drama film, but after seeing it for myself although it definitely has funny moments it is for sure more of a romantic drama. First and foremost I really enjoyed this film and felt like the signature touch of writer/director Celine Song was prevalent throughout. In my opinion when it comes to filmmaking and you don’t have the benefit of special effects and just all that extra stuff to keep audiences entertained, the core of the film which to me is the writing stands out that much more.

I can say without a fraction of a doubt that Celine Song is an incredibly talented filmmaker, and I feel like where her talents really shine through is the writing. MATERIALISTS is a spot on modern day romantic drama film that focuses on the reality of dating which can honestly be very depressing. If you ever experienced the world of online dating you know that it is very sad and incredibly hilarious all at the same time. I never once questioned the authenticity of the film which is a huge plus in my book.

Dakota Johnson plays Lucy, a successful single woman in New York who has built a career finding love for others working for a matchmaking service. On the surface Lucy is confident and believes in the power of true love which is a big reason why she is so good at her her job, but eventually it becomes clear that navigating love may require more than just a checklist and an algorithm. Viewers get to know Lucy on a very intimate level and I felt completely immersed as we watched her attempt to make sense of it all as far as life and love as she navigated her past relationship with John (Chris Evans), and Harry (Pedro Pascal), the rich and handsome bachelor considered a “unicorn” in the matchmaking business.

Celine Song is incredible at creating these characters that feel real because you get to see their great qualities as well as their flaws, and audiences will find themselves torn between what they feel are the right decisions Lucy should be making. At its core MATERIALISTS is a film that hammers home the age old message, you simply cannot fake true love. The entire cast is fantastic from top to bottom allowing viewers to just appreciate the nuances of the film as the story is told.

I just loved the overall feel of MATERIALISTS, and I felt like Celine Song did such a great job creating an authentic portrayal of the messiness of finding love. People always have their list of “non-negotiables”, I actually just found my wife’s a few weeks ago which she wrote out before we met and I thought it was hilarious, but the reality is that the person you think you should be with and the person you fall in love with may have nothing in common.

Sure you would prefer someone who has it together because that just makes life that much easier, but at the end of the day you can’t fake a connection, and you either have it or you don’t. I mean sure, in a perfect world I will someday find a sugar momma on the side who will happily finance a lavish lifestyle for my family, but until then I will take my imperfect but genuine relationship I have built for the last 10+ years that has led to a beautiful family, and many more good days than bad. What more can you ask for?

THE VERDICT

A funny and genuinely moving story of the messiness of modern-day dating and the pursuit of true love, MATERIALISTS is a fantastic film and further proof that Celine Song is an incredibly talented filmmaker. I love a good romantic comedy but they often tend to be a dime a dozen, and I feel like a film like this is up there with some of the top-tier films in the genre like Crazy, Stupid, Love. for example which is one of my absolute favorites. MATERIALISTS has its own identity and just feels like an effortlessly entertaining experience for viewers without all of the bells and whistles, and to me that is a testament to the film at its core.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.6/10

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

Ballerina

BALLERINA is a 2025 neo-noir action thriller film directed by Len Wiseman and written by Shay Hatten. It is a spin-off and the fifth film in the John Wick franchise, set between the events of Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) and Chapter 4 (2023). The film is also actor Lance Reddick's final screen role, which will be released posthumously in 2025.

Young female assassin Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma organization sets out to seek revenge after her father's death.

The cast includes Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Keanu Reeves, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, and Ian McShane.

BALLERINA made its debut in theaters June 6th, courtesy of Lionsgate Movies.

It is rare but every once in a great while a new film franchise is born that creates a seismic shift in the cinema landscape and that is exactly what happened back in 2014 when the John Wick franchise was born. Keanu Reeves is a legendary icon in the film industry, easily one of the most recognizable stars thanks to a massively successful career, but he is also known to be just a really good guy. Reeves took on this new role and to say that he literally became John Wick would be an understatement.

This larger-than-life almost mythical character became a cultural icon and one thing was for certain, you do NOT mess with John Wick. I fell in love with everything about this franchise and the incredible universe it created, but after Chapter 4 it seemed that a run of nearly a decade was finally coming to an end. A few spin-offs for the franchise were announced including a film called BALLERINA, a new action thriller directly linked to the John Wick franchise and starring Ana de Armas. Naturally I was intrigued although I tried to keep my expectations in check because naturally it would be nearly impossible to create something worthy of such a polarizing franchise, right?

As a diehard John Wick fan, I honestly thought BALLERINA was fantastic and even better than I expected. I tried to go in with moderate expectations because I do think so much of this franchise, but man did they pull out all of the stops here as they expanded on the universe and did justice to in my opinion the best action thriller franchise in the last decade, and it’s not even close. Ana de Armas is an absolute beast in this role and she deserves a ton of credit for what she was able to accomplish here. If you want to dip your toe in the John Wick universe you better be a real badass and she plays the part for sure.

A big test for BALLERINA was finding way to make the movie feel like it belongs in the John Wick universe, and without giving anything away it honestly felt like I was re-watching the original John Wick in the sense that the events of this film line up with where it all started. In many ways it felt like how the Breaking Bad series Better Call Saul found a way to stay true to the hit series by picking up from the beginning with an entirely different perspective. Similar to John Wick, Eve is fueled by revenge to the point where she is basically seeing red. She understands all of the rules and the simple fact that there are some lines you cannot come back from if they are crossed, but when revenge is the only thing that matters nothing will get in the way.

Eve’s journey to becoming a badass killing machine feels very authentic and I really liked how realistic the action felt even though it does get very over-the-top at times. In a good way, of course. I won’t spoil it but one specific standoff during the final act of the film is absolutely glorious. The action, the fight sequences, the cinematography, the soundtrack, it is all very much true to the John Wick franchise and for that reason it is just on another level. I thought the cast was amazing with the return of several franchise regulars including Ian McShane, and an emotional final on-screen appearance by the legendary Lance Reddick. I also loved the addition of The Walking Dead’s Norman Reedus. If you consider yourself to be a fan of this franchise you need to see this movie as soon as possible, simple as that.

THE VERDICT

A stylish and gritty action thriller that carves out its own identity while effectively expanding the polarizing John Wick universe, BALLERINA was so much fun and absolutely exceeded my expectations. Hardcore fans of this franchise will leave the theater with an urge to re-watch all of the John Wick films, and to me that is the ultimate compliment. Ana de Armas is a legit badass and I can’t wait to see where they take things with her character.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.3/10

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