Mady Song (Annelise Heywood) and Margy El Sharif (Mercedes Assad) are walking at night, talking about the perks of being single. As they argue about whether listening to an audiobook counts as reading, they spot Ted sitting alone, eating a hot dog. They agree it’s sad, then take a photo and send it to the team chat. Mady says that she doesn’t want to die alone, and Margy suggests that they get back together, and they walk away, hand in hand, as we watch Ted finish his hot dog.

After the opening credits, we see a very serious ad for the Lady Greyhounds, with each of the team members saying, “It’s my time.” When it wraps up, Higgins and Rebecca react, and Keeley tells them that it’s so important. It’s the first time a women’s team has played at Nelson Road, and she hopes this will drive awareness and ticket sales. Leslie tries to share something, but is interrupted by Keeley and Rebecca several times with information about the upcoming game. By the time they finally get to him, he’s forgotten what he was saying.

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In the office, the coaches are setting the team for their game against Chelsea. Alice explains that they can’t beat Chelsea. Ted asks what she would do, and she says that they should take Shannon off the team because she’s not ready, and Beard agrees.

They go into the locker room, and the women immediately ask Ted a slew of personal questions about his love life. He asks what’s going on, and they show him the photo of him eating the hot dog alone. He avoids answering their questions, instead focusing on the upcoming match against Chelsea. Alice is aghast at the questions in the locker room, saying that it was inappropriate for the team to ask him about his dating life. They say she’s probably had to field those questions a lot, and she says she hasn’t. She then says that if they’re going to ask themselves about anything, it needs to be about being ready for the upcoming game.

Keeley sees Roy in the hall. He apologizes that he can’t be at the women’s game, but tells her that she’ll be in his thoughts. She asks what date he’s on, and he tells her, nine, to which she responds, “Interesting,” as she walks away. Roy turns several times to respond, but eventually just walks away as well.

Rebecca hears a knock on her door and sees Matthijs and Jelka standing there. After they greet one another, Matthijs tells Rebecca that he got a new job and will be moving to London full-time. Rebecca asks about Jelka, and he says that when he told her mom about the job, she found a job in London as well, so he can be with Jelka and Rebecca. They embrace, and Rebecca seems both excited and hesitant.

At The Crown & Anchor, Ted asks Beard if Alice seems a bit more tightly wound this week. Beard says that playing at Nelson Road will do that. Ted says that must explain why the team was grilling him, and Beard says no, they just want to know more about him. Baz, Paul, and Jeremy come up and tell Beard that they saw Jane’s one-woman show. Beard says that he has not seen it, and after they leave, he tells Ted that he needs to see it and asks Ted to join him.

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At the risk of offending everyone right out of the gate, I was never a big Looney Tunes fan. I understand why it’s funny and have absolutely laughed at it, but slapstick and silliness aren’t my favorite style of comedy, so Coyote vs. Acme by director Dave Green wasn’t really on my radar. But after Ketchup Entertainment rescued the film from being permanently deleted, I knew I had to give it a watch. Somehow, the story that the movie tells, which is already both entertaining and inspiring, is bolstered by the journey that the film itself took to be made.

Kevin Avery (Will Forte) is a lawyer who handles the claims of cartoons. If a product malfunctions and the client is injured, he could get a small settlement from Acme. When Wile E. Coyote brings him an enormous pile of problems that he has encountered over the years in his quest to catch Road Runner (Eric Bauza), he demands that Kevin try something harder than he ever has by making him go against Buddy Crane (John Cena) and the mega-corporation of Acme. This case will not only find justice for Coyote, but perhaps for all of the cartoons who have suffered endlessly under Acme’s thumb.

Coyote vs. Acme is as crammed full of jokes as the box of evidence that Coyote brings to Kevin, and honestly, most of them land. I found myself laughing throughout the showing, both at the verbal and visual gags. There is a scene between Tweety Bird and John Cena that still makes me giggle to think about. As funny as it was, there was still a really fantastic message about the importance of perseverance, even in seemingly impossible situations. The humor is the hook, but the message is what makes this something special.

The performances in the movie are all incredibly well done. There is a saying that human performers acting with The Muppets need to decide if they are Muppets or if the Muppets are serious actors, and I think the same can be said for Looney Tunes characters. And in this movie, people seem to lean into playing their roles as cartoons, and it works. Forte and Cena are both fantastic, but the supporting cast is also great, with a special note to Luis Guzmán as the judge in the case, and P.J. Byrne as Cena’s assistant.

Because it’s a combination live-action/animated movie, there’s always the question of how the two elements will play together. I am happy to report that it looks remarkably natural. Coyote vs. Acme also draws on Looney Tunes’ long history of classical music, with plenty of it in the film, including a fantastic Road Runner version of the 1812 Overture.

This movie was very clearly made with a deep love of the cartoons and the characters. But even as someone who doesn’t have the affection for the source that others do, Coyote vs. Acme is an absolutely delightful time at the movies. With any luck, we won’t have to say, “That’s all, folks!” to these characters any time soon.

Rating: 4/5

This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on August 29, 2026.

I’m not entirely sure when I first saw Colin Higgins’ 9 to 5, but I was definitely too young to appreciate what I was seeing. I definitely laughed at Mr. Hart being roasted on a spit, but I’m quite certain that I didn’t understand all of the nuances that led to Dolly Parton pulling out a lasso to rope him into that situation. In light of Ms. Parton’s passing, I thought I would revisit this classic movie, available on VOD and Hulu, as a film critic’s love letter to Dolly and the values that she dedicated her career to.

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The film finds Judy Bernly (Jane Fonda) on her first day at Consolidated. She is greeted by Violet Newstead (Lily Tomlin), the floor manager, hoping to be promoted to an executive position. This will be decided by Franklin Hart Jr. (Dabney Coleman), the boorish boss who leapfrogged over Violet to get his job and now spends his days stealing her ideas and chasing after his secretary, Doralee Rhodes (Dolly Parton). When Violet believes that she has accidentally poisoned Mr. Hart, the women have to figure out how to save themselves and save the company along the way.

It is so fitting that 9 to 5 was Dolly’s first role in Hollywood. Obviously, she had already established herself as an iconic musical performer, but this film showed the world that she could take those same talents to the silver screen and be just as iconic. And Doralee feels like a role written specifically for Dolly. A beautiful woman who is accused of being a silly mistress just because she has blonde hair and sex appeal, but who shows herself to be able to stand up for herself and for other women, just like she did in her real life.

Despite this movie being just a few years shy of its fiftieth birthday, the themes that it addresses remain as relevant as ever. From the opening lyrics of the song with the same title, 9 to 5 champions solidarity and collective action in a manner that is easily accessible and deeply resonant. But at its heart, it’s a movie about friendship and the ways that women can show up for one another, even if they are in different stages of their lives.

For all of the very serious subjects, this is still a wildly entertaining movie. The pot-fueled fantasies are hilarious, the relentless parade of one-liners from the trio is all perfectly delivered, and the mix-up between the sugar substitute and rat poison is iconic. Sure, it gets a little bit rambly in the second act with the Hart mix-up, but even then, the humor keeps the story from losing too much steam.

There are plenty of reasons why 9 to 5 has stood the test of time. The commitment to lifting up women. The push for more workplace equality and fair wages. The quippy one-liners that help make the medicine go down. The demand for respect, regardless of how one looks. These are all the same things that have made Dolly Parton more than just an exceptional performer, but also an exceptional human. And they are the qualities that we should all strive to emulate.

Rating: 4/5

The Barney & Friends heyday was past by the time I had kids, but it was impossible not to be aware of the purple dinosaur. By the time I did have kids, Teletubbies were going strong. Of course, growing up, I loved Sesame Street. It feels like kids’ television has always featured big, huggable characters. Enter Carter Kelly and his new film, Buddy. This time, the character still wants hugs, but if you question him in any way, that hug could turn deadly. The film gets lost in the weeds a bit in the back half, but an exceptional first act and a phenomenal voice performance by Keegan-Michael Key make this a fun and unsettling movie.

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“It’s Buddy!” is your typical 1990’s kids show. Buddy (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key) has several kids on the show, and each episode, they learn a new lesson. When Freddy (Delaney Quinn) and Wade (Caleb Williams) realize that their friend Josh (Luke Speakman) isn’t around anymore, they start to suspect that perhaps Buddy isn’t the cuddly friend they’ve always thought. As more of her friends, including other characters on the show, start disappearing, Freddy goes searching for the Diamond City, hoping to find a way to safety.

Genuinely, if Buddy had been a short film, not unlike Kelly’s viral Too Many Cooks, this would be an easy 5 stars. The opening section really is flawless in its execution, with things starting to go off the rails once the kids set off for Diamond City. At that point, the film takes a jump as we follow Cristin Milioti, a mom who feels like she’s missing one of her children and ends up getting sucked into the television show. It almost feels like a separate movie, and the two halves never quite sync up in a way that fully works.

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Still, Buddy will keep you engaged, largely due to the performances and the way that the dread continues to build throughout. The kids have a surprisingly difficult task of both performing as players on a children’s television show, with exaggerated reactions, and as real people who are afraid, with more honest responses to the horrors they are experiencing. They all do an admirable job, but Quinn is the standout in that regard.

There are also a number of really delightful voice performances. Patton Oswalt plays Strappy, a talking backpack, and he is present through much of the film, helping the kids try to escape Buddy. And Buddy manages to be terrifying through the voice work of Keegan-Michael Key and the physical performance of Sergey Zhuravsky. Together, they create something chilling as we wait for Buddy to strike again.

Topher Grace and Cristin Milioti are both good in their roles as the parents on the outside, unfortunately, that aspect of the film is just less successful. I appreciate what they bring to these characters, particularly Milioti, but it just never quite comes together in a narratively satisfying way. Every time we’re not in the brightly lit world of “It’s Buddy!” the film feels like it loses its footing. I think it’s trying to communicate holding onto our kids when the screens feel like they’re stealing them away, but it’s so tonally jarring that it just doesn’t quite click.

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Even so, Buddy is a deeply unsettling movie. The bright, neon colors clash brilliantly with the dark story, and the performances hit the precise amount of creepy that you want from a children’s show gone awry. Buddy might make you want to dig out those old VHS tapes from back in the day, but honestly, maybe we should just leave them in that box in the basement where they belong.

Rating: 3.5/5

The episode opens with Trent Crimm (James Lance) and Dr. Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles) together on Trent’s podcast, Through the Laces. Dr. Sharon is now a professor of sports psychology and is on Trent’s podcast to promote her new book, “Unlocking the I in Team.” He asks about the phrase “Lose the dressing room, lose the team,” which he uses in “The Richmond Way,” as well. She explains that successful teams are happy teams, and that comes about when coaches establish a culture of communication and trust.

We then cut to Ted trying to listen in on what’s happening in the locker room. He expresses his frustration with not being automatically allowed in the locker room in a series of unfortunately worded phrases. Once Alice clears them to go in, Ted congratulates the team on their win. He calls attention to various players who had standout moments, and as he goes around, we see the different positions cheering only when someone from their section is mentioned.

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The coaches return to their office, and Alice explains that the groups are forming cliques. Beard and Ted say that men had factions or posses, and Alice says that those are the same thing. Alice says the cliques seem to form among attackers, defenders, and midfielders, but warns that it can change at any moment. They then try to figure out where they fit in the groups, in a fairly entertaining moment.

We then see Keeley and Rebecca at a dinner that cost £2000/head to see and hopefully meet Zelda Southport (Tracey Ullman), the founder of a woman-owned company that invests exclusively in women’s sports. She tells the crowd that their money keeps women’s football afloat, but then wonders aloud what would happen if they cared about the sport beyond the good press. Keeley is clearly moved by Zelda’s passion and rushes to meet her at the bar.

They introduce themselves to Zelda, who tells Rebecca about her ex and her path to inventing the claw clip. Keeley asks to set up a meeting to discuss the Lady Greyhounds as soon as possible, and Rebecca holds her back, saying that her office will be in touch with Zelda.

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As we watch the women’s team training, we hear Trent and Dr. Sharon talking about cliques and how they are a way to find a community in a stressful environment. Ted says they are playing well and that it looks like it’s all sorted itself out, and then we turn and see the women divided along the side of the field.

We then cut to Keeley and Roy walking down a hallway, with Keeley excitedly talking about meeting Zelda and all of the various women’s teams that she owns. Roy keeps looking at her, and she asks why. He explains that he loves seeing her excited. He then asks, “Has it been long enough yet? Am I allowed to ask?”

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Anthony Bourdain’s West Virginia episode of Parts Unknown is a great piece of media for truly understanding our state. What Bourdain did for our state, Matt Johnson does for him in his new biopic, Tony. The film opens with this quote from “Kitchen Confidential”: “I was – to be frank – a spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self-destructive and thoughtless young lout, badly in need of a good ass-kicking.” The movie expands on these words by looking at the summer of 1975, when Tony spent a summer chasing a girl, working in a restaurant, and learning to become the man he would become.

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When Tony (Dominic Sessa) gets turned down for a writing fellowship, he follows his crush, Nancy (Emilia Jones, of Charlie Harper), to Provincetown, Massachusetts. With no plans and having lied to his parents about what he is doing for the summer, he rambles around P-Town, trying to meet up with Nancy at parties he isn’t invited to. After one late night, he winds up on the hammock of a local chef (Antonio Banderas, of Babygirl), who invites him to wash dishes at his restaurant to pay for his space on his deck. While there, Tony is torn between a genuine love of food and a growing love of cocaine, as introduced by his co-worker, Sal (Leo Woodall, of Tuner).

So many biopics are unwilling to grapple with the complexities of their subjects, but Tony takes Bourdain’s own words to heart as its thesis statement and is unafraid of showing him in a less-than-flattering light for most of the movie. Even as it bends the story into something a bit more cinematic, the underlying idea that young Anthony, who just wants to be called Tony, is someone who needs this summer to discover who he is and how he can become that person.

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The film balances the chaos of Tony and Sal with the calm and commanding presence of Chef, and the three men play these roles with so much passion. Watching them on screen can be incredibly tense, but there are moments of respite that keep the movie from feeling overwhelming. These performers make these characters feel real and lived-in.

Tony is also a beautiful movie to watch. Cinematographer Michael Bauman, a recent Oscar nominee for his work on One Battle After Another, does an amazing job capturing both the claustrophobic feeling in the kitchen and the peace and expanse of the ocean. As a result, we are able to feel some of the tension that existed in Bourdain as he navigated that specific summer and the rest of his life.

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Anthony Bourdain’s story is a difficult one. Through his work, he introduced people to different cuisines and cultures from all over the world, sitting down to speak with anyone over a drink and food, but he also struggled with private demons that plagued him. Even though we know the end as we watch Tony, it’s hard not to feel hopeful that this young man will have an amazing life ahead of him. The truth is, regardless of the end, he absolutely did, and we are lucky to have been able to watch.

Rating: 4/5

This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on August 22, 2026.

Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie is one that I spent almost a year missing. I skipped it when I was at TIFF last year, I missed its brief run when it was in cinemas this year, and I missed a screener that was sent to me. But now that Matt Johnson’s comedy-adventure-time-travel-prankster-musical-buddy movie is streaming on Hulu, I have seen it, and it is genuinely one of the funniest and most clever movies of the year.

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Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol play heightened versions of themselves: best friends who have been trying for years to play at the famed Toronto nightclub, The Rivoli, but always with a scheme that Matt cooks up, rather than simply calling the venue and trying to book it. When Matt’s most recent scheme of skydiving off of the CN Tower into Rogers Center comes up short, he decides that they need to invent a time machine to go back and try it again. But when his Orbitz-powered RV time machine somehow works, it creates a rift not only in time, but in their friendship.

There is so much going on in Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie that it should never work. And yet it somehow absolutely does. Granted, some of that is based on my deep love of Back to the Future, which plays prominently in the second half of the film, but that alone wouldn’t be enough to rocket this to the top of my favorite movies of the year. Instead, what really makes this film work is its willingness to tell a really lovely story about how friendship can grow and change over time.

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In addition to this being a genuinely funny movie, Johnson also does some really impressive filmmaking in NTBTSTM. When Matt and Jay go back to 2008, he uses archival footage from their YouTube episodes to recreate them in the past. So rather than including questionable de-aging CGI, he simply cuts old footage of them into this movie, so we’re actually seeing Matt and Jay in 2008. It’s a really cool way to pull this off.

I think it’s also important to mention the music. Because there is a lot of Back to the Future imagery in it, it is begging for that epic Alan Silvestri score. McCarrol writes a fantastic parody of that score that gives the final act an absolutely brilliant burst of energy and whimsy, especially during a section of the movie where things get a little dark. For a band that doesn’t have any actual songs, McCarrol’s riffs are remarkably catchy.

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For all of the absurdity that exists in Nirvanna The Band The Show The Musical, it resonates because it has a kind heart at its center. For all of the absurdity that occurs, this film is ultimately about the compromises we make to maintain long-term friendships, even as we grow and change. It is also about the past tense of skydiving, but mostly the friendship thing.

Rating: 5/5

This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on August 21, 2026.

Episode 3 starts right off with a woman screaming “Fuuuuuuuck!” We learn that she is pregnant. The coaches all tell her how happy they are, but as soon as we cut to them in their office, we learn that this was their only remaining striker, and now they have none, with their first match just days away. Ted asks Alice if she knows anyone. She answers that she does and she doesn’t, and then brings up Gemma, a player she knows who quit to study law.

Ted suggests that Alice talk to Gemma and she agrees, but adds that they’d have better luck getting players off the street. Both Ted and Beard perk up at that. Alice says that she was joking, but they continue to come up with reasons why they should hold the open tryouts.

Ted goes to tell Rebecca about the tryouts, but finds the door locked when he gets to her office. When she opens it, we see her top on backward, and Matthijs in the background pulling up his pants. Rebecca says that it’s a bit silly to have open tryouts, but when Ted says that it was Alice’s idea, she is immediately on board. She begins ushering Ted out of her office when Keeley also shows up. She asks Rebecca for £4000 for rally towels for Saturday’s match. Rebecca says no, and Keeley explains that she already bought them, at which point Higgins shows up to talk about the shareholders’ meeting. Rebecca stops it all and sends everyone out of her office.

After the opening credits, we see the shareholders’ meeting. Higgins introduces Roy to talk about the men’s team. Roy says, “Two wins, one loss, played like shit in all of them. We’ll see what fucking happens,” and then exits the podium. Higgins asks for questions, and one man asks Roy if he’s given any thought to what he’ll do when his contract expires at the end of the season. Roy says that it’s none of his business, ending all questions from the crowd.

Higgins then goes on to say that they will now be discussing the Richmond women’s team, and half of the audience gets up to leave. Rebecca stands up and demands that everyone sit down, and then Higgins introduces Keeley as the team’s chief marketing officer. Keeley says that the team has been three years in the making, and they are kicking things off with a friendly against Hayes and Yeading, to which someone calls out, “Who fucking cares?”

There are laughs, and then Keeley says that she cares, and she’s sure that others do as well. She explains that one of the sponsors for the men’s team, Pinter & Sons, will also be sponsoring the women’s team. Someone calls out that they won’t be around past a year, and when Keeley expresses confusion, they explain that the Higgins report going around online shows that it won’t last. This causes the crowd to get riled up, blaming the women’s team for Jamie Tartt leaving and taking resources away from the men. Keeley looks to Rebecca, who withheld the report from her.

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In 2015, a HuffPost essay titled “Thank You, Cancer” went viral. Shalin Shah was a 22-year-old man who was diagnosed with terminal cancer and wrote about how that diagnosis made him appreciate every moment that he had. This week, the film Paper Flowers from director Mahesh Pailoor will be released in select theaters on August 21, telling Shalin’s story on the big screen. This earnest film is a beautiful testimony to the power of gratitude, particularly in the midst of deep pain.

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Shalin Shah (Kapil Talwalkar) is about to set out on a new adventure with the Peace Corps. His girlfriend, Fiona (Olivia Liang), has some reservations about this movie, as do his parents, Jay (Faran Tahir) and Reema (Meera Simhan). Even so, he heads off to Peru, hoping to make a difference in the lives of those he’s working with. While there, he develops a persistent cough, only to be rushed back to America because of the severity of the cancer that has spread in his body. Despite treatments, he receives a terminal diagnosis, forcing him and those he loves to find moments of joy and beauty in the middle of unimaginable tragedy.

Paper Flowers doesn’t break any new ground, but it does feel increasingly rare to get a top-to-bottom feel-good movie. Which isn’t to say that everything is perfect for Shalin in his story. The film addresses his parents’ concerns about him dating a woman who wasn’t Indian, and their disappointment that he chose to pursue volunteer work in the Peace Corps rather than following the professional track they expected for him. Despite some areas of tension, this is a story that is driven by optimism, and that level of positivity makes this something special to enjoy.

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The performances in Paper Flowers are quite lovely. I loved how Tahir and Simhan walk the line between parents with very specific plans for their child and parents who love him more than those expectations. Liang has a surprisingly difficult job of being a woman with her own life who chooses to put some aspects on hold to spend time with the man that she loves, as making the decision to marry someone who will die in just a few months could be seen as a foolhardy one. There are also notable supporting performances from Karan Soni as Shalin’s long-time friend, Milan, and Jeremy Culhane as his Peace Corps co-worker, Dave.

Of course, the bulk of the weight falls on Kapil Talwalkar’s performance of Shalin. We must believe that this young man would be able to maintain a sense of joy in the midst of unimaginable sadness, without seeming like he’s ignoring the difficulties in his life. His hopeful attitude could easily slide into something that feels inauthentic, but Talwalkar keeps his performance grounded so it never feels cheap or flippant. There is one moment in the movie where there is no dialogue or score, leaving everything to Talwalkar’s face, and he delivers in that moment.

No one wants to think about how they would react if they found out they only had a few months to live. And I don’t know that everyone has to make the exact same choices that Shalin Shah made in his final days. But Paper Flowers is a beautiful reminder that, regardless of the specific decisions that we make, we can be thankful for every sunset we get to experience. And we can start doing that right now.

Rating: 4/5

Check out my interview with director Mahesh Pailoor and star Kapil Talwalkar!

David Robert Mitchell has put in his time watching Steven Spielberg movies, and it shows in his latest movie, The End of Oak Street. This movie captures many of the beats one might expect from a 1980’s Spielberg blockbuster, but it falls short by giving us well-performed yet ultimately flat characters.

Greg (Ewan McGregor) and Denise Platt (Anne Hathaway) live in a nice suburban neighborhood with their two kids, Audrey (Maisy Stella) and Brian (Christian Convery). On the surface, everything seems fine, but digging a little bit reveals a widening gap between Greg and Denise. Just as they appear to be nearing the end of their marriage, a portal opens up, transporting their entire neighborhood into the middle of a prehistoric jungle. Now the Platts need to not only survive their emotional difficulties, but also literal dinosaurs.

You’re not going to want to think too hard about the plot devices used in The End of Oak Street. This movie demands that you suspend disbelief and then maybe suspend it just a little bit more. And honestly, if you’re able to do that, this is a relatively fun dinosaur movie, certainly better than every “Jurassic” movie that has come out since the original Jurassic Park film in 1993. Nevertheless, I felt like I barely knew any of the characters. Why does Brian carry a bow and arrow? Why does Audrey risk her life to listen to Steve Winwood’s “Valerie”? Where does the discontent between Greg and Denise come from? We don’t know, and that makes it hard to care when they are facing peril.

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Even though the characters are very thinly drawn, the performances are solid, particularly from McGregor and Hathaway. There is nothing quite like watching Anne Hathaway shoot a T-Rex in the face with a shotgun, and then seeing Ewan McGregor smash it in the face with a sledgehammer. They play everything quite seriously, but it is clear that they are having a good time with both the 1982 aesthetic and the absurdity of the situation they’re in.

But we are here for the dinosaurs, and that aspect of The End of Oak Street does not disappoint. The film is rated PG-13, and it leans into the 13 side in both the violence and another scene that will amuse some and horrify others. Mitchell creates great tension in some of the early scenes, which helps the 99-minute runtime maintain a pretty decent pace until things start to get a little repetitive by the third act. Nevertheless, the dinos are varied, brutal, and fast. Also, if you enjoy split diopter shots, get ready for a feast, because DP Mike Gioulakis delivers plenty of them.

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Spielberg has a style that people try to capture over and over again. Mitchell definitely has the stylistic pastiche down in The End of Oak Street. But there is always more to Spielberg’s work than just the look. He is also able to write characters who we care about, so when they are in danger, it matters. Half of the equation still makes for an entertaining experience, but it will keep this film from having any lasting impact.

Rating: 3/5

This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on August 15, 2026.

After reacquainting ourselves with everyone in the context of Kansas City, we are headed back to London to meet the Lady Greyhounds! The episode opens with a shot of Ted waking up in a new apartment, where he turns on his television to the UK morning show, “This Morning,” firmly setting us back in this world, followed by one of my favorite jokes of the episode, when Ted pours a bowl of shredded wheat, only to find that it is no longer a single brick of cereal. He then walks downstairs into the Crown & Anchor, where he is greeted by Mae (Annette Badland).

Ted thanks Mae for the apartment, and Mae tells him that she’s glad he’s renting from her. She then sets him up with a pint to start the day, saying that a Guinness is a full meal. He passes, and Mae gives my second favorite joke of the episode, saying that it’s a bit early for her second of the day. Ted then walks down the street, seeing work being done in one area of the town and saying, “Nothing stays the same,” only to be greeted by Mr. Mann (Tom Cotcher), berating him for coaching the women’s team and calling him a wanker.

Back at the Greyhounds’ training facility, we see Higgins enter Rebecca’s office carrying two huge binders assessing the viability of the Lady Greyhounds. Higgins admits that he has not yet read the contents, but will give Rebecca a summary when he has. Rebecca asks about the second binder, and he explains that it’s for Keeley. Rebecca takes it, saying that they don’t need to bother Keeley until they know what it says. Before he leaves, Higgins tells Rebecca that Coach Alice Chilton (Tanya Reynolds) is waiting to speak with her.

Alice walks in, and it is clear that there is tension between her and Rebecca. Alice starts by thanking Rebecca for the opportunity to be a part of Richmond’s first women’s team, but then says that she is resigning. She explains that she hoped that her role would lead to something bigger, but now that she’s been passed over for the head coach position, she wants to pursue something else. Alice asks Rebecca for a letter of recommendation, and Rebecca agrees to provide it. Alice gets up to leave, but turns around and asks if she was ever considered for the head coach position. Rebecca says no, and then Alice asks if she considered any woman. Rebecca says no again. Alice looks at her and then walks away.

When we return, Rebecca is explaining the situation to Keeley and Higgins, telling them that Alice called her a woman-hating monster and not a feminist. Higgins pushes back, saying Alice didn’t say any of that, and Rebecca says that it was implied. Keeley says that, of course Rebecca is a feminist, since she just started a women’s team and will spend whatever it takes to make it successful. And that she didn’t hire just anyone, but she hired Ted “fucking” Lasso.

Ted walks in and says that his middle name is actually frickin’ and then gives Rebecca a one-time “brisket with the boss” box. He then shows them the dossier that Alice put together on the team, saying he’s looking forward to working with Coach Chilton. Higgins explains that she resigned. Rebecca says he could always get Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt), but Higgins interrupts, saying he’s under contract with the men. Ted adds that he thinks it would be a good idea to have a woman on the coaching staff anyway.

Keeley comments that it might be for the best that Coach Chilton is leaving. Ted asks why, and Keeley and Higgins struggle to answer, until Rebecca interrupts and says that she’s an absolute…

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There are concepts that feel dodgy right out of the gate, and the premise for Will Gluck’s One Night Only falls into that category. The idea that it’s illegal to have sex if you’re single is already one that exists in reality for queer people in plenty of places right now. So if you’re going to make that the cornerstone of your entire film, you had better be willing to engage with the seriousness of what that means for real. Instead, this movie uses this fascistic setup for a cutesy rom-com that is itself a disappointment.

Owen (Callum Turner) has been looking forward to the one night when The Mandate is lifted for 12 hours and he and his girlfriend, Malika (Maya Hawke), can finally have sex. Meanwhile, Allie (Monica Barbaro) is looking for someone that she has a real connection with, unlike most singles who just want to get some during the one window a year. However, the night goes awry for both of them, leading to one missed opportunity after another, with a bevy of potential lovers, as well as with each other.

I’ll start with the less problematic, but still uninteresting, romantic story between Owen and Allie in One Night Only. Their meet-cute is decidedly not cute, but ultimately still works for the purpose of them meeting. But for the bulk of the movie, they are not together because they are trying to fulfill their goals of getting laid for the night. And because their goals do not include getting together, it hinders the growth of their chemistry beyond mere good looks. Turner and Barbaro are both talented actors, but they are given crumbs to work with in Travis Braun’s script.

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All of that aside, it is impossible to ignore the premise, and it takes what is already a mediocre rom-com and makes it nearly unwatchable. There are places right now where it is already illegal for gay people to have sex, and some where it is punishable by death. There is a passing acknowledgment of this reality, but it is minimal, and it is treated exclusively as a hindrance to our couple getting together, rather than as the absolute nightmare that it is. I think there are ways to still have something sweet and funny in the midst of the horrors, but ignoring the many violations of human and privacy rights feels intentionally tone deaf.

That’s disappointing, because there are elements in One Night Only that can work. There are a lot of gags that are truly funny. The film is filled with fantastic cameos (Glen Powell and Mike Birbiglia were two of my favorites). The leads have potential. There are ways this could be done that could flip this from one of my least favorite movies of the year to one of my favorites.

People have had to overcome horrific circumstances to be together, and they have done it while finding humor. It’s not an impossible situation. But in order for a high-concept movie like One Night Only to work, it has to be willing to be bold and actually engage with the scenario it’s setting up. This one doesn’t, making it a bust on all fronts.

Rating: 1.5/5

This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on August 8, 2026.

Adoption is tricky business, and transcontinental adoption, even more so. Director Nicola Rinciari, along with writers Darren Dean and Emily Dillard, explores that idea in the film A Mosquito in the Ear, now available on VOD. This movie examines the ways that adoption is a process both for the parents bringing a new child into their family, but also what that means for the child who is leaving the only life they ever knew.

Andrew (Jake Lacy) and Daniela (Nazanin Boniadi) have been pursuing adoption for six years, and are finally in India to pick up their daughter Sarvari (Ruhi Pal). The head of the orphanage where Sarvari lives is Sister Aruna (Micky Singh), who is trying to make the transition as smooth as possible. But as soon as Andrew, Daniela, and Sarvari are alone, the reality of the difficulties surrounding the adoption becomes apparent. Sarvari is yanked from her friends and caretakers and placed with a couple who don’t speak her language and whom she has just met. As the three begin to become a family, we see that this process can be more difficult than expected.

A Mosquito in the Ear is a somewhat unique film about adoption because it doesn’t wrap things up in a neat and tidy bow. While it isn’t complete chaos at the end of the movie, it is clear that this isn’t an easy transition for anyone in the family. The story does focus a bit too heavily on the parents’ perspective, rather than giving us more time with Sarvari and offering a better glimpse into how this could be traumatic for her. Even so, there are enough moments throughout the movie for us to have some understanding of all involved. When Sarvari says English sounds like a mosquito in her ear, it evokes a visceral response.

This movie boasts a number of really lovely performances. Boniadi and Lacy show the whole range of emotions, and do so convincingly. The exhaustion of being a parent and not knowing how to care for a child you struggle to communicate with is relatively universal, even if the situation is different and they pull it off. Singh has a difficult task of being both kind and firm, but balances that remarkably well. And little Ruhi Pal is absolutely phenomenal in her role as Sarvari, with a nuanced performance that feels perfectly authentic.

One thing that I appreciated about A Mosquito in the Ear is that it is more understated than you might expect, given the premise. This is the kind of movie that feels like it will have big, melodramatic moments, but instead they are far more subdued, placing us in the midst of the tension without amplifying it into something that feels manufactured.

We often assume that adoption always results in a happy ending. But that is never a guarantee, no matter how a family is formed. A Mosquito in the Ear shares this uncomfortable reality in a gentle manner that should reach your ear just fine, if you’re willing to listen.

Rating: 3.5/5

Check out my interview with director Nico Rinciari!

This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on August 7, 2026.

The episode opens with a woman in the Atacama Desert in Chile at what looks like an excavation site. She digs up a small disc when a man drives up and tells her in Spanish that something is happening with Number 22. They head to Site 22, where we see a small garden patch. The man expresses excitement about publishing, and she cuts him off, saying they can’t tell anyone about what’s happened. She tells him that they have to wait until they test it in other climates.

Suddenly, we see a couple of SUVs driving up. As they arrive, the woman calls John. He tells her about Peg, and the woman replies that even the best of them can get lost. He asks what’s wrong, and she says nothing, telling him that she loves him. We then realize that this is Djen (Mireille Enos) and this is the conversation they have while he is at the diner with Peg. They hang up just as a man shoots her colleague. We then see Henry congratulate Djen on their achievement.

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Following the opening credits, we flash back to Sugar strangling Vega, and then we see him at a cemetery, where various faith leaders are offering up words for the remains of the 2719 unknown people who died as a result of drug overdose. John speaks with Assemblywoman Spiro (Lisa Gay Hamilton), explaining that they arrested many of the people involved. She asks about Vega, and John says that they still haven’t found him.

Spiro says that sometimes the worst ones get away, and John asks if Vega was the worst one, citing how big Fire Sale was. He says that she was once called the next great defender of the defenseless. She says that sometimes things are one long compromise. He cuts her off as we see officers arrive to arrest her as well.

We then see Sugar and Flyberg together in a waiting room. Tom asks John how he’s doing after everything with Vega, and John says he’s okay. Tom tells him about a podcast that said women live longer because men don’t talk about their feelings. John is non-committal, then says he lied about Stallings being self-defense, and says that neither was Vega. He says that he can’t reconcile what he did with who he thought he was. Flyberg says that two fewer miscreants is fine by him, but John can’t help but think about the people left behind. Flyberg says, “But sometimes, all we can be is just a little bit better than the alternative.” Flyberg gets called into the doctor’s office, and John goes with him.

Later, John returns to the hotel, where he spots Charlotte. They kiss, and she asks if he’s alright. He says that he is, but she says that he is not, instead, he’s feeling restless now that the case is over. They talk about seeing a movie, but she is busy with a presentation. She tells him to go relax.

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In the next scene, we see John in some kind of fight club, getting knocked down and asking if this is what it means to be human. He gets back up and begins pummeling his opponent. The picture then fades, and we see John taking an infusion of alien blood, as he reads through an old notebook with short entries that he has written. In a box, we see him pull out a small wooden viewfinder, followed by a small, round disc. He places the disc in the viewfinder and looks through. When he removes it from his face, his eyes briefly glow blue. With a pair of binoculars, he looks down on Senator Pavich’s home.

Sugar calls and leaves a message for Stanley, and then Charlotte enters in a summer dress. They embrace and then head to the beach. They talk about how they are so close to the ocean, but often forget that it’s there. He confesses to her that he feels like he’s losing parts of himself and is having a hard time. She asks if he wants to go back to the hotel, and he asks if they can just stay at the beach. She responds, “If we wait until we stop hurting to be happy, the beach will be gone.”

As they walk up to the ocean, Charlotte explains that her job in California is done and she’s heading to Milan for a debrief and reassignment. She says that this has been nice, and he agrees, and then she invites him to join her in Milan to see what it’s like. He says that he’s been, and then she amends her statement, saying to see what they’re like there. She tells him that he needs a break, that his job is over and all of his friends are gone. She continues, but he fixates on her statement about his friends being gone. After a montage of the two of them, she tells him to think over Milan.

We then see Charlotte alone in her bedroom, crying on the edge of her bed as Purcell’s “Dido’s Lament.” She wipes her eyes and calls someone and says, “I slipped up. He knows. I’m sorry. What do I do?” She then heads to the lobby and to her car. We then see Sugar tailing her as they drive through the streets of LA, eventually arriving at an event that she’s attending. John walks past a host until he sees Charlotte, who tells him that someone wants to see him.

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John walks past a sign that says, “Welcome to the Acalica Gala Launch Party,” where he lingers for a moment before Charlotte urges him into the room. Senator Pavich comes and greets him. Sugar starts to follow him, but Charlotte tells him, “That’s not who you’re looking for.” She tells him, “This is going to be hard, but I’m happy for you.”

Sugar begins walking down a long hallway, and we see Djen walking toward him. They embrace and weep. He asks her where she’s been, and she says she knows it’s been hard for him. Sugar asks if Henry hurt her, and Djen assures him that Henry would never hurt her. John says that Henry led him to believe Djen was dead, and she explains that’s what she asked him to do. She tells him that she had work to do, and John wasn’t ready because he had just arrived. He hadn’t seen all of what it means for people to be human, including the negative side of things. Djen tells him that she couldn’t pull him into her work.

John asks her what work, that they are just there to observe and report. Djen laughs, saying that John knows that isn’t enough. She said she couldn’t watch the planet die, so she created the circles, with Henry’s support, though the others were against it. And then she reveals that she is the one who sent the others home and exposed them. Sugar begins to grow angry, knowing that people were killed because of that exposure. They are interrupted, and Djen asks him to come to her presentation with an open mind. As she walks away, John tells her that she’s changed. She comes back and says, “But you’ve changed too.”

Charlotte finds him and takes him outside. Djen is talking about the threat of global climate change, explaining that is why she started the Acalica project. She ends by saying that tonight, the Earth is about to fight back. She steps away, and we see four small flying saucers rise around the property, creating a localized rainstorm. With a small change, it begins to snow, and then, finally, a bright beam above them.

As everyone marvels at what is happening, Djen gives Charlotte a small nod. Charlotte draws John’s attention and blows dust into his face that seems to paralyze him. We then see Djen above him, saying that she has to go away again and asking him to find her again when he’s ready. She says that the humans think this is for them, but she says, “This is for us.”

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We then see Charlotte explaining that she was told to meet him and to write down her impressions of him. But she assures him that the rest was her, as John loses consciousness.

John comes to in the same spot, but now alone. He gains his composure and talks about the end of The Third Man. But where there are usually clips from classic Hollywood films, the space is filled with black-and-white memories of his time with Charlotte. He says that he wasn’t completely surprised, and that perhaps he knew all along. As we see him driving along the desert, he says that he has an appointment he can’t miss.

We then see Ji and Danny preparing for Danny’s big fight. Sugar tells Val that as soon as the fight is over, she has to get Ji right back to rehab. John tells her that the brothers wouldn’t be together if not for her, and that is also part of the job. He leaves, and Danny follows him out. Danny asks if Sugar is staying for the fight, and he says yes, he just wanted to give him space, at which point Danny hugs him.

In the next scene, we see Sugar having a conversation with Jonathan Siegel (James Cromwell), talking about old Hollywood. He asks how Sugar is doing, and Jonathan explains that he spoke with Melanie recently. Sugar asks if she told him about where he’s from. Jonathan takes a beat and then says that Sugar is from Ohio, like everyone knows. He then says that John has always been discreet when dealing with the Siegel business, and he can return the favor.

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Siegel looks at his phone and indicates that it’s almost time for something, asking John if he’s excited. John says that he’s nervous as well. He also asks Siegel if he seems different now. He says that some of his “friends from Ohio” warned him about assimilation. Siegel asks if his friends are right, and Sugar says that he has done things he wouldn’t have believed he could do.

Jonathan tells him that bad things are all around, and it’s impossible for it not to infect you in some ways. But he reminds Sugar that there are good things, too. He also tells him that Sugar will never be like someone from California or even someone from Ohio. He tells him, “You seem like Sugar.”

At that point, a vehicle pulls up, and Wiley jumps out and runs to Sugar. We then see Sugar driving down the road with his dog in his car. In voiceover, he talks about Djen’s request for him to find her when he’s ready, and he says he doesn’t even know what that means. But for now, he’s going to be with his friend, watch some movies, maybe find a new case. He ends by saying that it’s good to be home, as the camera settles on the communications box and the frame narrows to the closing credits.

While the sci-fi lover in me always wishes there was a bit more of the alien aspect in Sugar, I do appreciate the light touch the writers use for that aspect. The mystery reveal with Djen felt great for the finale, especially with so much wrapped up. And people who have been suspicious of Charlotte, good call! Not fully evil, but definitely hiding things from John. It’s hard for me not to continue to want him to get together with Melanie, and Jonathan Siegel’s return with Wiley makes me wonder if that could still be in the cards.

Overall, another solid season. I think this one works a little better, simply because they weren’t trying to hold back more than the mysteries that John is trying to uncover. I also think season 2 works well against the first season, simply by contrasting the ultra-wealthy with those who are often under the feet of the ultra-wealthy. I appreciate that juxtaposition, and I think it makes the pair stronger.

What are your thoughts about the finale and about the season as a whole? I don’t believe we have an official green light from Apple TV for a third season, but there is plenty here to sustain another season if they decide to go for it. Let me know your thoughts below! Let me know what you’re planning to watch next, now that Sugar is finished, and then be sure to subscribe for more television and film reviews and recaps!

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We’re back, baby! I will have a proper full-season review when I have had the chance to see a bit more, but I have seen five episodes of this season, and the whole thing feels like coming home. I have written a lot about Ted Lasso on this Substack, and really thought that this story was closed. When I saw that they were bringing it back, I was skeptical, but having seen the first half of the season, my fears have been allayed. So let’s get to it!

Before we see anything on the screen, we hear a beeping that almost sounds like a heart monitor until the screen pops up and we see a name tag boasting “Ted Assistant Manager,” and we realize that Ted (Jason Sudeikis) is scanning groceries at a supermarket. As he’s checking out a customer, he happens to see a young coworker who is bagging the groceries, pocketing some of the cigarettes. Tyler (Sam Moore) asks to go on break. Ted dismisses him and then follows him into the break room, where they have their work lockers (the man cannot get away from a locker room).

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Ted starts pulling items out of his apron and pockets. He explains that he saw Oliver! and Aladdin growing up, and they made stealing look cool, and now he’s addicted. Ted explains that he’s not afraid due to his white male privilege, when we hear a voice over the loudspeaker calling Ted to the manager’s office. Ted says that he suspects they saw him stealing on the security cameras and asks Tyler to return all of the stuff he took, as well as the cigarettes that Tyler pocketed. Ted says he’ll smooth things over with the boss and says, “Because I can’t go back to prison,” leaving Tyler flummoxed.

Ted is walking toward the office when he is stopped by a young man wearing a baby in a carrier who calls him coach. Ted recognizes Joe (James Earl) and spouts off his football stats. Ted catches him up on his life, saying that he was in London coaching soccer, but came back to be with Henry (Grant Feely), trying to help him be the best version of himself, to which Joe says, “Just like you did with all of us.” Joe’s wife comes up, and Joe says that Ted was one of his greatest role models. Ted is called again to the manager’s office, so he heads out.

His manager, Ronnie (Ira Amyx), tells Ted that Michelle (Andrea Anders) called, and they need to go to the school after Henry got in trouble. Ted asks if he can duck out early, and Ronnie says sure. He then stops Ted to ask him about what he was stealing, and Ted apologizes, saying that Tyler set him straight. (Also, little Ronnie Fowch eating a Butterfinger at the end of that scene? Brilliant.)

Ted meets Michelle in the principal’s office. The principal (Alex Weisman) comes in and explains that a teacher found disturbing poetry in Henry’s notebook, and then quotes lyrics from Public Enemy’s “Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos.” We see Michelle and Ted try not to laugh, then leave the school, wondering how someone can be a principal without knowing Public Enemy. They agree that they’ll be glad to see him out of that school, remarking that a change of scenery would be good for him. Michelle starts to tell Ted about her job, but catches him looking wistfully at a group of kids playing soccer, and tells him that she’ll see him at Henry’s game that night, and asks him to charge his iPad.

Ted pulls into his driveway, and we see a black SUV waiting for him. A door opens, and we see the soles of a pair of Louboutins step out, followed by a red pair of chunky heels, with a pair of sneakers and socks rounding out the party, finally revealing Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham), Keeley (Juno Temple), and Higgins (Jeremy Swift) on Ted’s suburban lawn. Ted comes out of his home, greeting them with a hug, and the group decides to get some Kansas City barbecue.

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One of the most popular superheroes is back in theaters. Director Destin Daniel Cretton brings us the fourth story of the Tom Holland Spidey with Spider-Man: Brand New Day. While the Spider-Man villain in this film feels somewhat lacking, the movie shines when it focuses on Peter’s closest enemy: loneliness.

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) has been Spider-Man all on his own since he caused everyone, including his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) and his girlfriend MJ (Zendaya), to forget him. The only people that he speaks with regularly are Detective DeWolff (Liza Colón-Zayas) and Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), and neither knows who he is. The stress from his prolonged isolation is triggering further mutations to his DNA, making it harder for him to control his powers. When a new force arrives looking for V-Max at Damage Control, Peter has to figure out if he’s Peter or Spider-Man.

There is a major aspect of Spider-Man: Brand New Day that I won’t talk about to avoid spoilers, but the main villain (or rather, who we believe is the villain) in this film feels similar to Sentry in last year’s Thunderbolts* but with a less focused story. Meanwhile, the real villain ends the film with no consequences at all, and not even an end credits nod, leaving the ending a bit unsatisfying. That said, the way that writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers write Peter burying himself in work to distract from his loneliness is fantastic, even if it’s not as outwardly vulnerable as I would have liked to see.

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This movie once again pulls a fantastic performance from Holland. It is more restrained than we saw in No Way Home, but it is still emotionally powerful. Sadie Sink also offers a great showing, and the final scene between her character and Spider-Man is genuinely wonderful. I also found myself enjoying the repartee between Bernthal and Holland, creating a relationship I would not have expected to enjoy. And it is delightful to see Tramell Tillman as the director of Damage Control. That man can do whatever he wants, and I will be there to watch.

The web-slinging aspect of Spider-Man: Brand New Day is also visually rewarding. We usually only get to see this from a distance, and in this film, we have a much more first-person view of the action, which is a lot of fun. There is, of course, liberal use of CGI in this movie, and in one early scene, it feels wildly obvious and out of place, but for the most part, it looks good.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is at its most successful when we can really feel what Peter has lost by being Spider-Man. When we see Peter, Ned, and MJ hanging out and just being friends, the weight of his loss is brought into a much sharper focus. Those are the moments that will stick with me. Because you can be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, but that’s not the same as having friends. Sometimes tending our friendships is the greatest responsibility any of us has.

Rating: 3.5/5

This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on August 1, 2026.

Siobhan McCarthy’s film She’s the He! skewers the pervasive, yet unfounded idea that men are pretending to be trans women to get into girls’ locker rooms by creating a scenario in which two men pretend to be trans to get into a girls’ locker room. Although the premise is a little bit convoluted, by taking these talking points at face value, it is able to show their absurdity, while also presenting a truly beautiful coming out story. She’s the He! is available to rent or own on VOD.

Alex (Nico Carney) and Ethan (Misha Osherovich) have been best friends for ages, so close that their classmates and even teachers think that they’re gay. Because of this, Alex is having a hard time getting with the girl of his dreams, Sasha (Malia Pyles). Ethan says that if they were girls, maybe no one would think they were gay, and Alex jumps on it, immediately deciding that they should pretend to be trans girls so he can get close to Sasha. While this plan is doomed from the start, it does make Ethan realize that this identity feels more accurate.

Gender-swap stories have been around since Shakespeare, but recent attacks against the trans community have given many of those stories a painful edge. She’s the He! is performed largely by trans and gender-nonconforming actors, allowing for a certain level of ownership of the narrative and using that to point out some of the silliness of the trans-panic. It also allows them to shape this into a coming out story that is deeply authentic and heartwarming.

Like a lot of 90’s teen romp movies, the cast in this are much older than high school students, but given that a lot of LGBTQ teens suffer from bullying, there’s no doubt that this is an opportunity to create a story that allows them to relive that season with a bit more joy. All of the performers are solid, but Tatiana Ringsby, who plays Forest, one of the theater kids who Ethan falls in love with, deserves a shout-out. Ethan’s mom, Mary (Suzanne Cryer), also deserves a nod for portraying a parent learning that her child is trans, with skepticism, fear, and eventually compassion.

The heart of She’s the He! definitely lies with Osherovich. Watching her blossom as she discovers her identity is absolutely beautiful. It is also impressive because she has to show that experience with her best friend, with a potential partner, with her mom, and with herself. Portraying all of that is challenging, but she accomplishes it so gracefully.

This movie won’t be for everyone. Some of the gross-out humor didn’t work, and it leans pretty heavily into the high school stereotypes, sometimes beyond what feels satirical. But She’s the He! also offers a glimpse into the difficulties and joys of coming out as a trans person. Because sometimes we need to be able to laugh at the caricatures in order to be able to truly let ourselves be known.

Rating: 4/5

This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on July 31, 2026.

The penultimate episode of season 2 of Sugar opens with a long pan across a desolate landscape. We see golf clubs and other debris scattered along the road until we see an overturned Bronco. Sugar’s voiceover says that he tried, but some people live by violence, and that’s the only language they understand. Right before the opening credits roll, we see a hand open the door.

When we come back, it’s two days earlier. Sugar is doodling four circles on paper, and Tom is telling him to put what he has about Vega into the system. But now, Sugar is hesitant, concerned about Danny’s safety. Sugar says that he wants Sergey involved and that he is going to check on Danny to make sure he’s okay.

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Ray is in his office when he takes a call from John. John says that he wants to see Danny, and Ray says that he wants to see Ji. We see Sugar in his car driving to the jail, while Vega looks thoughtful for a moment and then calls out for Rabineau.

Sugar arrives at the jail and waits to speak to Danny. Danny tells him that he didn’t sleep much, but he’s okay, and then says that he must be one of Sugar’s worst clients. Sugar says that he’s not, but tells Danny that they’re in trouble. He says that his arrest is about Ji and Vega. Danny asks what Vega wants, and John tells him that Vega wants a trade. Danny begins to protest, and one of the guards pulls him away, despite Sugar yelling for them to stop.

Sugar is in his car when Dr. Stanley calls him, and we learn that his parrot has died. After Stanley shares more about his life, Sugar admits that he’s not a tax attorney and asks him about Senator Pavich and his project. Stanley resists at first, frustrated by Sugar’s lies, but when Sugar presses him, asking about the four circles and about Henry Thorpe’s betrayal, he explains that they’re not circles, but rather tropospheric nodes.

Sugar asks whether they will be used as a weapon, and Stanley explains that they’re meant to help the climate. John asks how, and Stanley explains it could be used however they want, and it could change the world. John asks if Stanley invented it, and he says no, he was just an engineer. Stanley again says that it’s not a weapon, but John interrupts, saying that he can see that Stanley is scared. Stanley admits that while he thinks it is necessary, he is concerned about playing God. Sugar gets a call from Tom saying that he’s on with Sergey, and Stanley runs off.

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While Sugar heads to see Sergey, he calls Val, who is with Ji. She says that Ji is frustrated, and Sugar says that he’s detoxing. He also tells her that it’s important for her to be there to keep an eye on him. After he hangs up with her, he meets up with Diego (Diego Rodriguez), Sergey’s son. We learn that Sergey Ojeda (Daniel Zacapa) is the head of a cartel called Los Universales and that he knows Sergey from a job he did for him years ago, though Sergey would say he only did half of the job.

Sergey tries to exchange pleasantries, but Sugar says that their relationship is transactional and that they experienced trouble in the past when they forgot that. Sergey says that Sugar has always been honest and that is a rare quality. Sugar pushes for information about Ray Vega, saying that he works for Sergey. Sergey asks what Sugar wants him to do about Vega, and Sugar says that he just wants Vega to let Danny out and back off some. Sergey asks what he gets, and Sugar tells him he’ll finish the job.

Back at his room, Sugar calls Ray and tells him to release Danny. Sugar says that Ray can do whatever he needs to cover his tracks, but that it’s over, and then hangs up on him.

He then gets a call from Charlotte, who comments that she doesn’t have his phone number. She suggests that they eat supper, and Sugar notes that the restaurant wasn’t open yet. She suggests takeout, and then we see an intimate moment between the two. We later see Charlotte reading to Sugar from a magazine. He asks her where she is from and about her family. She explains that she doesn’t get along well with her family.

Charlotte then asks Sugar where he’s from, and he asks if they can skip that one. He tells her about Djen, saying that she was smart, loved solving puzzles, and was opinionated. He says that his first memory is not wanting to let her down. Charlotte asks what happened to her, and he says that he doesn’t really know more than that she died.

Later, in bed, Sugar gets a call from Tom, telling him that Sergey is dead. Sugar meets Tom in the lobby. Tom says that there was some bad weather, but they don’t know if that’s what caused Sergey’s plane to go down. All they know is that there were no survivors. Sugar asks whether Diego was on the plane, and Tom says he was not, at which point Sugar realizes Diego was the mastermind behind Fire Sale. He says this means Danny isn’t getting out and that he has to meet Vega in 8 hours. Tom asks what he can do, and Sugar says that it’s time for Plan B, cut with old movie clips depicting violence.

Ji and Val are playing video games together. Ji says that he was the first one to be a fighter, but he broke his hand and got drugs for that. He was dealing with a lot of personal issues, then broke his hand again, and the drugs kept coming. Ji then says that seeing Danny succeed was the only good thing he had left, and now that is being ruined as well. Val says that he’s like her sister, always making excuses without taking responsibility. She tells him that Sugar puts other people before himself, and Ji should try it. He calls her a fuckin’ bitch, and she comes back that he’s a fuckin’ loser. As the scene ends, the camera zooms in on Ji.

Sugar meets Vega at a diner. Sugar hands Vega an envelope that has passports for him, his daughter, and his ex-wife, along with the deed to a villa in Playa Coronado. He also includes a bank account and says that it’s a real offer. Vega says that it’s a bribe, and Sugar says that wasn’t his intention. He says he was taught that everyone is good and pure at the start, but that life might lead us to choices that turn us away from ourselves. He tells Ray that this is a chance to turn it around. Vega says that it’s true, remembering his father’s reaction to his graduation from the police academy.

Sugar says it’s not too late, but Vega says that LA is home for him. Sugar begs him to take it, but instead, Vega asks where Ji is. Sugar says that he’s not doing that, and Vega says that he will put Danny at risk. Sugar says he’ll take that chance, given what Ji knows. We see Val come in, and Vega says that he’s going to let him talk to her. He gets up to leave. Sugar grabs his arm and tells him, “Last chance.” Vega says, “You keep saying that, but I don’t think so.”

Ray leaves, and the camera follows him outside until he is standing in front of the window where Val and Sugar are talking. We can’t hear anything until the camera swings outside and we hear that Ray left some kind of bug with them and is listening to discover where Ji is. We see Vega listening to the tape and realize that they lost track of Ji. Another officer comes in, telling Ray he has a call.

He goes to his office, and it’s Ji on the phone. Ji asks for his number so he can video call him. Ji says that he’s tired of being a loser and wants to trade himself for Danny. No tricks, no double crosses. Vega says that seems fair and asks where Ji is. In the next scene, we see Vega driving with Danny in the back seat. Vega says that he’s sorry about Danny’s brother, but that Ji is trying to do right by him as a kind of dying wish. Danny starts to react violently, and Vega stops to put a bag over his head.

They arrive at the trailer. Vega leaves Danny in the truck and goes into the house with his gun drawn, looking for Ji. He searches all over, but there are no signs other than Ji’s car. He gets back in his truck and says that there’s been a change of plans and begins to drive off. We see the figure in the back remove the bag, and it’s Sugar, who immediately begins attacking Vega. The truck overturns, and the two men continue to fight. They crawl out of the car, and Sugar wraps a seatbelt around Vega’s neck, choking him while he repeats, “I told you.” Vega dies, and Sugar emerges, beaten and bloodied. He looks up at the sky, and in the background we see Val drive up with Ji, and then Ji and Danny embrace.

In his hotel room, Sugar is watching the movie Here Comes Mr. Jordan, while he disassembles his keychain, realizing that it was bugged when he left it at the prison to visit Danny. While this is happening, we see how Sugar was able to pull off the switch with Danny. In the background, Charlotte finds a paper with the four circles on it, but returns it to John’s suit pocket.

As John sits, sipping a drink, we hear Peg ask him how he’s feeling, and we see her sitting on the couch beside him, this time with her face brutally scarred from the burns. She says, “You know what this means, right?” and he responds that he did what he had to do. Charlotte comes up behind him and says that she’s going to bed. She leaves, and the film continues to play as the characters have a conversation about what it feels like to be with someone who cares about others’ happiness.

This episode really feels like it wraps up a lot from this season, so I’m very anxious to see what they have left for us in the final episode. The primary loose end seems to be Diego. I admit, I was surprised to see Vega get got in this episode.

Obviously, Sugar isn’t doing great right now, fully letting go of all of the rules that Peg told us last episode, now tricking someone before he murders them. The final shot of him sitting on the couch is a rough one. That said, I assume we’ll really dig into what’s going on with Stanley and Pavich in the finale. I’m also interested to see if Charlotte has any connection there. I can’t decide if I think she’s just a love interest or if there is something more nefarious going on with her.

One more to go! Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the finale. Also, the biggest Apple TV show, Ted Lasso, starts next week and I’ll be doing weekly deep dives for that, so you’ll want to be a paid subscriber for that! In the meantime, let me know what you think about this episode and what will happen in the finale!

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There are stories that can help us understand situations that we might not have the opportunity to experience directly. Rapper and businessman Berner, along with co-director Alex Ferrufino, has dropped us into the smash-and-grab world in the Bay Area, where we see how one bad decision can lead to another. While it’s true that there isn’t much that is unique about Splash City, the film boasts gripping performances that allow this crime thriller to rise above its sometimes lacking script.

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Brothers Slim (Zach Sowers) and Juju (Reed Shannon) are two men leading different lives. Slim, who has been involved with gangs, has found a way out through basketball. Slim is in love with Destiny (Destiny Hernandez) and has plans to propose to her, but the ring that he buys her is stolen by Dolo (Quincy Brooks), who Juju still works with as part of his “bipping” crew. Tensions between Slim and Dolo escalate, and Juju has to choose between the brother he loves and a job that is stressful but profitable.

When Splash City is focused on Slim and Juju, it absolutely soars. There is a tenderness between them that is played out beautifully by Sowers and Shannon, and I found myself wishing we could spend more time with the pair. Their relationship is the beating heart of this movie, and every moment we’re with them is really lovely.

One of the other positive aspects of Splash City is that it creates some genuine tension during the smash-and-grab sections of the film. It’s shown that it can be lucrative, but also risky, and that suspense runs in every one of the scenes. We are never sure if this will be the one where something bad happens, and that keeps us invested in the story.

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Where the movie falls down a bit is with the women in the film. Slim and Juju’s mother feels like a non-character, so when there is a dramatic scene between her and Juju, it carries little weight because her character barely matters. It is a similar story with Destiny. Slim’s planned engagement to her is the inciting incident for what happens in Splash City, but once the proposal is interrupted by the robbery, she drops out of the film almost entirely. Which is a shame, because these characters could have enhanced the story.

There is also a sense that we have seen some of the aspects of this movie before. There are some things I don’t want to spoil, but when they happen, they feel very trope-y in ways that aren’t entirely satisfying. I’m sure they are true to how events can happen, but they also start to feel a bit stale without a bit more emotional heft behind them. Still, the end surprised me, and that helps the film feel like more than a warmed-over version of something we’ve seen before.

More than anything, Splash City is about how every choice has a consequence, and how those consequences can pile up and start making choices for you. We can sometimes ask ourselves how someone can get tangled up in a world of crime and violence, but we forget that there are forces outside of those aspects that make it hard for people to leave. And sometimes, the splash is big enough that you just don’t want to.

Rating: 3/5

Splash City is currently playing in select theaters.

I was genuinely unsure how I was going to feel about Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey when I got to my screening. None of the marketing had really wowed me, the online discourse about the casting exhausted me, and I am more ambivalent about Nolan’s work than a lot of others. But the film exceeded all of my expectations. The Odyssey is both an exceptional feat of filmmaking and storytelling, taking an ancient tale and making it a warning to modern audiences about the arrogance of assuming that danger only exists outside what you already know.

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Nolan based his version of The Odyssey in part on Emily Wilson’s 2017 translation of the Homeric epic, so the language used is less formal and more modern than one might expect, but the decision works remarkably well. Large works like this can sometimes feel intimidating, and by allowing the spoken word to feel like what one is accustomed to, it makes the story more accessible to a wide audience, while still maintaining the integrity of the poem.

We meet Odysseus (Matt Damon) on an island with Calypso (Charlize Theron). He has forgotten why he is there, and much of the film retells the battle of Troy and his desire to get home. He left his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway), and his son, Telemachus (Tom Holland), in Ithaca. After 20 years at sea, his home is overrun by suitors, hoping to become the new king, led by Antinous (Robert Pattinson). The goal is to protect Ithaca from the sea peoples, but without knowing who they are, any access to power will do.

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The Odyssey includes plenty of the monsters that you remember from your high school reading of the poem. We have the Cyclops Polyphemus (Bill Irwin), the beguiling Sirens, and the giant Laestrygonians. The men also visit Circe (Samantha Morton) in one of the most disturbing moments of the film. But in each of these encounters, there is a deeper question being asked, leading to a third act that is absolutely mind-blowing.

The performances in The Odyssey are all fantastic. I wish that Lupita Nyong’o and Mia Goth had been used a bit more, but neither was a disappointment. Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, and Robert Pattinson were among my favorites, and Elliot Page as Sinon serves as the film’s moral compass with a beautiful performance. But I was utterly blown away by the tender, thoughtful John Leguizamo as Eumaeus, Odysseus’s blind servant.

In addition to an amazing cast and a genuinely powerful adaptation, Nolan has also created a tactile world that must be experienced in a theater. The use of practical effects makes The Odyssey feel like the events actually are a historical retelling rather than a piece of fiction from 3000 years ago.

Throughout The Odyssey, there is talk about xenia, or Zeus’ Law, a code of hospitality that reminds people that guests could be gods and should therefore be treated with the kindness you would show a deity. There is a similar idea in Christianity that people should show hospitality to strangers because they could be entertaining angels unawares. But regardless of whether other people are gods or angels, they’re people, and maybe that’s enough reason to treat others with kindness so we can make anywhere feel like home.

Rating: 5/5

This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on July 25, 2026.