Spider-man Brand New Day is the first 4th spidey film we have ever gotten from a franchise. The battle of Peter Parker dealing with his new development of powers and him being on his own, makes him fight a battle not only with a unique villain but with his identity.

Four years after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home ( 2021 ), Peter Parker ( Tom Holland ) has come back into the New York limelight as the friendly neighbourhood hero but with some changes. The fight of having to see his close friends move without him hurts but knowing that they cannot remember pains him even more. With his powers increasing, Peter has to find a way to make sure it not only doesn’t harm him but it doesn’t harm others. Without using any spoilers, the new and mysterious villain is not only using mind control and possession through other villains to terrorise the city of New York but also to personally attack Peter. He is forced to make the tough decisions to protect those who cannot remember because this villain will do anything to make sure he breaks.

The reintroduction of Frank Castle ( Jon Bernthal ) and Bruce Banner ( Golden Globe Winner Mark Ruffalo ) was truly done well and tied in to Peter’s journey. In many superhero movies, characters who have minor roles in each film are usually there for comic relief but in this case both Frank and Bruce played a pivotal role in Brand New Day. The last time many audiences saw Bruce transform into the Hulk live was in Avengers: Age Of Ultron ( 2015 ). The fight scene between Spider-Man Vs. The Hulk was definitely one of my favourite scenes in the film, with Peter’s adjusted powers, he was able to keep up with Hulk, which is very rare compared to other heroes. As the movie goes on, Peter and Frank’s relationship continues to flourish from people who did missions together to friends willing to protect each other, the understanding of losing everyone they have ever loved to only having each other, it was very cool to see Frank become soft to Peter like almost a fatherly figure.

MJ ( 2x Emmy Award Winner Zendaya ) and Ned ( Jacob Batalon ) still find ways to remember Spider-Man even with forgetting Peter. It shows that some memories can be forgotten but connections cannot. There was a particular scene in the film where Zendaya was so strong in you could feel the energy in the room. Compared to all the other Spider-Man films, Peter and MJ’s connection was definitely stronger in this and the chemistry was so much that the audience could practically feel Peter’s yearning for her love once again. Ned going as far to track Spider-Man everywhere he is in New York connects to the sub-plot of rebuilding a forgotten connection.

Destin Daniel Cretton was the perfect person to direct Brand New Day, I really enjoyed the colour grading and visuals of the film although some of the VFX elements looked unfinished. The battle of intersectionality of Spider-Man Vs. Peter Parker was really interesting because Peter had to discover that he could not separate his identities because without Spider-Man, there is no Peter Parker. Some of the performances were really good and I unfortunately did not like Sadie Sink’s performance as this character which despite the material she had, it lacked a lot of emotions.

It is safe to say that my Spider-Man rankings have officially changed since watching Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Although I was old enough for Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man, Tom Holland’s version is more personal because those who are Gen Z feel that we grew up with Peter Parker. Brand New Day is definitely the best film in Holland’s Spider-Man franchise and this film definitely is a build up for the next heroes to come.

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️5

The Odyssey directed by Christopher Nolan is my first Nolan film watched in the theatre and I’m so happy that I got to experience this form of art. As someone that has not read The Odyssey by Homer and has little to no knowledge about Greek Mythology, Christopher Nolan and Matt Damon as a lead is a duo we truly needed sooner.

Ithaca stands without a king, years after the win of the war in Troy. Telemachus, son of King Odysseus ( Tom Holland ) is forced to watch suitors for his mother’s hand or rather suitor for the throne become horrifying gluttonous men in the 20 year wake of Odysseus’ absence from the Kingdom of Ithaca. The road to home becomes a trip of survival for these men as they are tasked with so many tests by the gods through the law of Zeus. Meanwhile in Ithaca, Queen Penelope of Ithaca ( Academy Award Winner Anne Hathaway ) still mourns her husband but deeply awaits for his return to their kingdom because she sees how the suitors lust for power would ruin Ithaca once and for all. As the land of Ithaca is warned about dangerous people of the sea, Telemachus sets sail to find information about his father and whether he lives.

Odysseus ( Academy Award Winner Matt Damon ) is forced to make the decision of conquering the land of Troy because if he does not, Agamemnon ( portrayed by Benny Safdie ) will sacrifice the toddler Telemachus just like how he did with his daughter. In this key moment, Penelope offers him to the mini idol figure of the Goddess Athena ( who is played by Emmy Winner Zendaya ) , who shadows Odysseus in his most important moments. When Odysseus is stranded on an island with Calypso ( Academy Award Winner Charlize Theron ) , she continues to feed him the lotus plant, barring him from his own memory and from going back to Ithaca.

There a lot of conversation of who had the best performances but people are really overshadowing the performances of Robert Pattinson as Antinous , Himesh Patel as Eurylocus and especially John Leguizamo as Eumaeus. Himesh’s role was as important as Tom’s in this film and we are constantly seeing how Eurylocus and the other soldiers are forced to do things that lead the characters to understand how disturbing their brutal win over Troy truly was. Meanwhile Eumaeus, the blind servant of Odysseus, fights to protect not only Ithaca’s kingdom but he does his best to train and prepare Telemachus for the war against the suitors, especially of Antinous. Antinous is hungry for the throne of Ithaca but he is also willing to do anything it takes to get rid of Telemachus.

Anne Hathaway’s performance in this film reminded me so much of her performance as Fantine in Les Misérables 2013, the only difference is that we get to see Penelope live and take charge of her kingdom for the last few minutes before the third act approaches. Matt Damon as Odysseus is one of the most powerful and raw performance of his career, he shows how Odysseus was determined and resilient to get make to his family but also to honour the soldiers that he lost because of his reckless decisions. Odysseus comes to terms with that his group was the dangerous sea people all along and this is more of a testament of Odysseus being self aware than actually taking accountability for what they did to Troy and the consequences of it. These soldiers were only facing these dangerous situations because they disobeyed Zeus’ law but they also are experiencing half of the pain that they had caused to the people of Troy.

The entire film was done on an IMAX 70mm camera, which is the first for any film to be done in this format. Christopher Nolan was very determined to show the film in all its glory for film enjoyers. Another thing I really appreciated was the fact of how much practical effects was used in this film. From the entire Cyclops sequence and Samantha Morton’s Circe taking almost revenge of on the soldiers with the use of animatronics, is something that we do not get often as viewers but we should truly be grateful. Ludwig Göransson’s soundtrack for this film is truly one of his best and he did his very best to use very ancient sounding instruments to represent the times of Ithaca. This is his second collaboration with Nolan since Oppenheimer and he truly knew what he was doing especially during The Trail of The Bow scene, which is probably the best scene for me.

The symbolism of Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra ( played by Oscar Winner Lupita Nyong’o ) is a subplot that truly links to how women will always be blamed for a man’s war and is forced to take accountability for the fall of Troy rather than the men that destroyed it, just as in the scene where she apologises not to Ithaca but rather to Penelope instead, for taking her husband away for a war done in her name. Whilst Clytemnestra takes revenge for her child by destroying Agamemnon, symbolises the revenge of not only her family but of Troy.

The Odyssey is the Emily Wilson adaptation of Homer’s piece and is seen as the most accurate to the Homer translation. Despite not have read the book, I genuinely Christopher Nolan did a great job with this version compared to others that exist around us. My only complaint of this film was that there were a lot of scenes where the dialect sounded not clear and it made me struggle to comprehend the Cyclops’ talking scene. Overall I believe The Odyssey is definitely the movie of the year, Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway are strong contenders for the next award season and we will definitely be seeing this film being a potential Best Picture Winner. I wish I had watched this in IMAX in its true format but I saw it in Dolby format and I do not regret it one bit as this film is now in My Top 4 favourite films.

MY RATING : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

Minions & Monsters is the third instalment to the Minion franchise that continues to serve justice to the Despicable Me universe. Illuminatiion Studios is back with their magnum opus of animation movies. This film is truly a testament of loving animated cinema and storytelling in a kids context with a beautiful subplot.

It starts with tour guide in Los Angeles ( voiced by Allison Janney ) telling her group about two minions who not only changed the landscape of hollywood but the entire world’s film industry, these two minions are known as James and Henry. For as long as Earth has existed, the minions have always sought out an evil leader to serve on the journey, but James and Henry always messed things up for the rest of the group. Later they encounter another minion named Ed, a hard of hearing minion who is eager to become friends with both of them, this sparks a new journey for the partial trio. As the minions seek another leader, they get stopped in a Hollywood production and practically dragged into the Hollywood industry of silent acting in the 1920s.

When films are introduced with sound, the minions struggle with English, which later leads to them losing their jobs as actors. James becomes eager to become a film director but without monsters, he decides to summon monsters like Goomi ( voiced by Trey Parker ) who takes advantage of James’ dreams and creates havoc in the city. The other minions follow a robot named Dort ( voiced by Jesse Eisenberg ) who wants to take care over the planet but later falls in love with Debbie ( voiced by Zoey Deutch ) a lady promoting the rights for women’s voting, the minions join the fight whilst Goomi and his goons ruin the entire city.

What I love most about this film is the unique friendship between James and Henry. During the immense battle between Goomi and James, Henry runs and saves James and pushes everything to make sure his friend is okay throughout their whole journey. There is also so much old movie references in this film which I really enjoyed, especially the reference to the 2022 Damien Chazelle’s Babylon, another part is the inclusion of sign language for a character like Ed. As an adult now, I’ve seen so many adult jokes in this film and I was so glad to pick that up and it made the film ten times funnier compared to other animated films.

Minions & Monsters is a perfect example of the youth becoming cinephiles and this is truly what it’s about. People often sleep on animated films as critics and now I suggest people to go and watch this movie. Whilst this includes important moments like deaf characters, sign language and the liberation for women’s rights, this movie is also about the journey about friends who support each other to follow their dreams but also makes sure they survive in a fight or flight world. The voice acting from this A-List cast and the cinematography was truly a masterpiece. Despite my rating, I really did love this movie and it is a definite must watch!

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🧡

The second addition of James Gunn’s DCU gives us the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow film adaptation Supergirl. Another superhero film added to the list of doomed by critics, Supergirl has definitely developed mixed opinions about the plot. Although critics have given a lot of negative reviews about this film, it’s safe to admit that some films are not always made for guys.

The film obviously centres Kara Zor-El ( portrayed by Milly Alcock ) who is celebrating her birthday weekend with her dog Krypto on multiple planets. Her typical party teenage behaviour is heavily linked to her trauma of not only losing her home but also losing her family and her people. When meeting her cousin Clark Kent ( David Corenswet ), Kara is forced to a planet where she has adapt to so much change and feels that she does not belong, the only thing that she knows is that home is wherever Krypto is.

Kara then meets a young girl by the name of Ruthye Marye Knoll ( Eve Ridley ), who seeks to avenge her family’s death after they were brutally assassinated by the evil Krem ( portrayed by Matthias Schoenaerts ). Kara at first ignores Ruthye’s pleas as she simply tries to celebrate her birthday but that all changes when Krem decides to not steal her spaceship but also tranquillise Krypto with a poisonous liquid, with the antidote being carried on Krem’s person. Without this antidote, Krypto could die within 3 days, this forces Kara to go and seek Krem and reluctantly accept Ruthye’s offer.

Without any spoilers, the film takes an unexpected turn with their subplot of trafficking and how families would do anything to get their daughters back. Other than that, Supergirl often feels like a replica of the Guardians of The Galaxy franchise and many scenes in the film drags longer than the supposed focus on Kara’s journey. The writing felt very off compared to the actually comic and The CGI reminded a lot of Thor Love and Thunder, where you could practically see the Green Screen was visually during the entirety of the third act. The introduction of Lobo ( portrayed by Aquaman actor Jason Momoa ) who felt basically like added comedic relief and also extremely lacklustre, it just felt that the writers were adding in characters for no reason.

Supergirl directed by Craig Gillespie is a good debut film for Kara Zol-El and I am truly glad that this is not another typical superhero introduction film. The film does a fantastic job for showing us that Kara is more than her superhero persona and how her relationship with Krypto is the closest thing she will ever have to home. Although some criticisms towards this movie is justified, I do believe a lot of the anger towards Supergirl is heavily rooted in misogyny and the fact the film does not cater to men. Supergirl is another film about a woman where many feel threatened but right now for women and young girls, it’s definitely needed for women to have superhero’s that are just like them on screen. Despite all my criticisms of this film, I definitely enjoyed this film but I hope we go more into Kara and less into unnecessary space chaos

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/ 5

Disclosure Day by Steven Spielberg is officially the first film I see from Spielberg in cinema. As someone who really enjoyed his touch on the Jurassic World franchise and Jaws, I really loved Disclosure Day and how this film was more than just your typical alien film.

Disclosure Day starts with our first main protagonist Daniel Keller ( Golden Globe Award Winner Josh O’Connor) who is a specialist in cybersecurity, has stolen a huge amount of data from his workplace that proves the existence of aliens and how the company Wardex Corporation has been hiding this information from the public. Daniel and many others join a resistance group to reveal this information to the public and this event would be called Disclosure Day.

During this chase for the stolen alien evidence, a Kansas City news meteorologist named Margaret Fairchild ( Academy Award Nominee Emily Blunt ) begins experiencing odd abilities like telepathy and other strange starts happening when she goes on air and starts communicating in the alien language. Both Margaret and Daniel go on the run from the Wardex CEO Noah Scanlon ( Academy Award Winner Colin Firth ) as they are forced to uncover their connected truth about the universe.

What made this film so unique was not only the way people of this group went out to reveal the truth in a time of war but also how religious faith can be perceived. There is one particular moment where the reveal of the alien race might affect people’s relationships with religions and I thought it was interesting it is question if God loves these creatures. Jane Blankenship, girlfriend of Daniel ( portrayed by Eve Hewson ) is forced to make a huge decision by questioning their existence as a former nun and calls her fellow Sister Maura who reassures that even God would love those creatures because he created all life in every universe.

The background plot being a world on the cusp of another world war and these individuals fighting to reveal the truth, really shows how relevant this would be compared to our current state of the world. I think this was a way to show that alien films do not always have to be inherently horrifying or evil but it also be about connection, survival and most importantly how people can come together to show one thing only, that we are truly not alone in this universe or this lifetime.

The cast and their performances of this film was so well done and well written, with every single character having some sort of history with one another. Besides the connection between Margaret and Daniel, I personally loved the connection of Noah and Hugo Wakefield ( 2x Academy Award Nominee Colman Domingo ), showing how two coworkers that have different views share the same sort of passion, protecting the human race but the other deems to conceal the information from the public. Emily Blunt gave one of the best performances of her life and she truly made this film so emotional and raw. The cinematography and soundtrack paired perfectly together making this film not only a bit whimsical but also suspenseful, despite some moments of the film where the lighting made it a bit difficult to see.

Disclosure Day by Steven Spielberg is probably one of his most polarising films yet. I have seen some people dislike it and others love it, I am happy to say I am part of the group who truly enjoyed this film. This film was definitely for the arts and even drew older people to come watch and that shows the power of Spielberg Movies. The third act of this film had me gripping my arm chair and this is another film to add to the list of great car chase sequences. This film covered more about knowing about aliens than anything else. It shows about how we can cope with the existence with others and where we can go from there. Disclosure Day is definitely a must see!

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Backrooms directed by Kane Parsons has made its theatrical debut on May 29th and I was there to see it on opening day. A film that was made from one strange image that went viral in the 2010s and Parsons’ own short film series about the image created so much hype for people but did it land well with the plot of the film?

The opening scene of this film starts the film off incredibly strong. It has the same feel as the web series with the found footage filmmaking, the man in the hazmat suit and the monster chasing him. This opening had such a unique feel and held so much suspense that I was literally gripping my arm chair. Set in the 1990s, the film then continues to Captain Clark’s furniture store where we meet our partial protagonist Clark ( portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor ) who is a alcoholic store owner who discovers the backrooms below his store, which takes a wild turn from there.

When Clark’s therapist Dr Mary Kline (Academy Award nominee Renate Reinsve ) does not believe him and his discovery, he drags his two young employees Bobby (Finn Bennett ) and Kat ( Lukita Maxwell ) down to the backrooms. Using his camera, Bobby documents their journey through the backrooms and that’s when the camera work switches to a found footage camera work. This perspective shows how thrilling the unknown is until an accident strikes. Leaving Clark alone with not only the camera but also himself. Turning out that Clark knew more about the backrooms than he let on. Eventually when Mary sets out to find Clark and ends up in the backrooms, she is left with the terrifying fact that she never truly knew Clark and how his brain really operated. Mary is forced to find her own way out of the backrooms with something following her there and fighting her personal trauma of her childhood.

The development of the characters in Backrooms felt extremely lacklustre and held no substance to truly connect with them and understand them. Clark and Mary’s interactions felt very much robotic and not like the typical relationship between a therapist and their patient. The plot of the film fell short after the second fount footage scenes where Mary seeks to find Clark. Unfortunately the movie started off incredible but the idea of the rest of the film was executed poorly and lacked a lot of substance.

Despite my opinion, I have to give credit to the cast of this film, especially Renate and Chiwetel who played their roles exceptionally and made me feel their anxiety and panic whilst in the backrooms. The cinematography was one of the few things that I enjoyed in this film, including the found footage scenes being the best parts of the movie. Kane Parsons’ directorial debut of Backrooms ( including the Backrooms YouTube series ) unfortunately did not land well with me but I will say that this is an amazing film debut for the young director.

MY RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recently I had gone to the cinema to watch Hamnet ( 2025 ) on my 20th birthday. The weather on the day I watched it was gloomy and windy, which in my opinion can describe the emotions I felt whilst watching the movie. I never planned on watching it at first but now I am truly glad I did.

Directed by Academy Award winning director Chloé Zhao and starring Academy Award Winner Jessie Buckley, Academy Award Nominee Paul Mescal, Joe Alwyn And Jacobi Jupe. The film is a beautiful exploration of how grief can be transcended into art. Agnes who married Will whilst carrying their first child is challenged with motherhood and dealing with a husband who is experiencing anxiety and stress. By the time he leaves for London, she is carrying the twins, one in particular named Hamnet.

As years go by and the family seems to be in a happy state, The youngest daughter of the family Judith, grows ill. Overwhelmed by the thoughts of losing her like she nearly did at birth, Agnes tries every remedy to keep her alive. Though at nightfall, her twin Hamnet is scared she will not make it and holds her, saying that if death comes tonight he hopes it takes both of them. By the next morning, Agnes finds Hamnet ill overnight and barely breathing. She tries everything she can to keep him awake, reassuring that she is there and that he has to stay, but by even saying that does not save Hamnet from the pain of death. As Hamnet takes his last breath, Agnes feels like she has taken her last too, this loss is too unbearable for the family.

When Will comes back home, Agnes feels an immense amount of anger towards him for not being present for the son and the family in this moment of pain. Moving to London felt sore for Agnes because in that moment it felt like she was abandoning him where he was buried but all changes when she finds out about the play that Will wrote called Hamlet the tragedy. Seeing the play brings out so much emotion from Agnes, from anger because she feels that Will did this without her knowledge but also later feels a sense of healing. Healing from the fact this play represents what Hamnet wanted to be, a boy with a sword in one of his father’s plays and healing that her boy is at peace, letting him go in her way because Hamlet represents the forever version of her son, the one people will constantly remember and that heals her.

What makes this film so unique is how two lines are simply foreshadowing the events. One where Agnes constantly said that two children will be by her death bed one day and Will asking Hamnet if he will be brave. Both lines have a similar idea, that when Agnes dies with her daughters by her side, that a brave Hamnet will be waiting for her on other side.

Hamnet is truly a remarkable film about grief and healing through art. It shows that even when a person is gone, their memory will never truly leave us but it will simply manifest through art or our own lives. Chloé Zhao did a phenomenal job with this adaptation and Jessie Buckley’s performance has rightfully deserved an Academy Award win, though I do believe Paul Mescal was snubbed from his fantastic performance with Jacobi Jupe phenomenal performance. Hamnet is definitely a movie that will not leave the heart of cinephiles.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In a world of streaming services and a post pandemic society, many can ask themselves, “Where did our love for cinema go?”. I think it is important for us to keep the tradition alive of going to the cinema, regardless of whether we can watch it on streaming or not.

Growing up in South Africa, I’ve been going to the cinema for as long as I can remember. Every once a month, I would go to watch the latest Marvel movie or some sci-fi PG 13 movies with family. Going to the cinema became a big part of my routine and still is now at being 19 years old. I think the amazing thing about going to the cinema, although movies will bring out different emotions out of us as viewers, we are all connected through the love of cinema and also the unity post movie because we as the audience were joined together for 2/3 hours by a motion picture. The best part of going to the cinema and going to see a popular movie, is that when the weekend ends, you can talk about the movie with other people and it creates a community of movie goers and also builds new bonds.

I think there is beauty in watching blockbuster movies with people who are extremely passionate about these types of movies or even franchises. Despite the rivalry between Marvel and DC, I was able to experience my favourite cinema moments with an audience by watching these films with superhero nerds ( myself included ). When I watched Avengers Endgame on Opening Weekend in 2019 and I had one of the best cinema experiences of my life and I can remember it clear as day. For Endgame, the cinema queue for snacks was extremely full, I wore a lot of Marvel memorabilia that day and missed 5 minutes of the movie because of how long the line was, but I still made it and witnessed people literally screaming, crying and cheering and an actual applause from the audience, which I never thought happened in South African cinemas.

With Spiderman: No Way Home in 2021, the cinema had actually delayed the movie by 5-10 minutes because of how full the queue was for Spiderman and this was for Pre-Opening Day of the movie, similar reactions with this movie but with added gasps and excitement from the cameos in the movie. I remember literally screaming and laughing with people who grew up watching Spiderman, whether it had been Tobey, Andrew or Tom, we as the audience had all experienced the same nostalgia of seeing our Peter Parker onscreen.

When the pandemic partially ended, it had me appreciate going to the cinema even more. I had missed it so much and I use every opportunity to go watch a movie and I know it sounds weird of me to use Marvel movies as an example but those films was the reason behind me going to the cinema. Things have changed and sometimes a franchise can go bad but without it, I don’t think I would have appreciated cinema and theatrical releases like I do now.

From this year alone, I have gone to see Sinners, The Phoenician Scheme, Thunderbolts*, Jurassic World: Rebirth, Superman, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, One Battle After Another and The Smashing Machine. This definitely my busiest year in movie going to date. I think that going to the cinema gives us peace and comfort, what ever is bothering you can simply disappear for about 2 hours and make your mind focus on the movie, eventually letting your mind be free. People, go to the movies, spend time with your family by going with them and most importantly, keep cinema alive.

Growing up and watching wrestling made me familiar with The Rock, whilst disney made me familiar with Dwayne Johnson. The Smashing Machine directed by Benny Safdie puts Dwayne Johnson in a different light and position as Mark Kerr, a UFC fighter on the verge of redemption as he embarks sobriety.

The Smashing Machine follows UFC fighter Mark Kerr ( former WWE champion Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson ) and his battle with his addiction to opioids. The film takes place from 1997 and 2000, it gives a look into the early career of Kerr’s journey. Whilst being an addict and dealing with an unhealthy relationship with his girlfriend Dawn ( played by Academy Award Nominee Emily Blunt ), Kerr’s addiction starts to affect his fighting in the octagon.

After dealing with his first ever in-ring loss, Kerr begins to spiral and abuses even more. Kerr’s friends UFC champion Mark Coleman ( Ryan Bader ) and his coach Bas Rutten ( played by himself ) helps Mark towards the road of sobriety to see if they can help Mark restore himself to his former in-ring and out of ring glory. Kerr is forced to make tough decisions that can and will impact the rest of his life.

Dwayne Johnson used this film as a way to show people that he has more to prove and even more range compared to his usually typecast of the stoic, masculine, tough guy who saves the day but in this case, Johnson is acting in ways we as the audience haven’t seen before. He is able to showcase vulnerability and struggle beautifully in the context of this film. Emily Blunt as Dawn is personally the best performance of this film. Dawn is not your usual WAG. She is struggling with her own battles whilst trying to figure out where she stands in her relationship with Mark. Both Blunt and Johnson played there roles with so much vulnerability, struggle and affection, you can almost feel their relationship whenever they interact.

Shot on an IMAX 65mm, VHS camera set up for the fight scene, and 16mm for the majority of the films set up, The Smashing Machine is oddly paced and in some moments, the film feels like long montages as oppose to scenes. For a film that is considered to be a sports biopic, Benny Safdie makes this film look like a mockumentry and that makes the film a bit confusing. The soundtrack helped create an atmosphere of nostalgia and sensitivity which helped give the film its feel. The script however seemed to drag the film longer than what was put into it.

Besides all the main issues, I do believe The Smashing Machine was a fairly alright film, the cinematography was well established but I believe that the only thing that gave this film its momentum was both Emily and Dwayne’s performances. Emily’s performance as Dawn could guarantee her a possible Oscar nomination. I don’t think Dwayne’s performance is a guaranteed Oscar worthy act but I won’t be surprised if he gets a Golden Globe nomination which would be deserved.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

One Battle After Another is officially my first PTA cinematic experience and also my first Leonardo Dicaprio cinema experience too. This film is the first Paul Thomas Anderson release since Licorice Pizza (2021). I was extremely excited for this film since the trailer released and coming out of the cinema, I can truthfully say this film does not disappoint and deserves all the hype it gets.

Based on the novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon and adapted and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, this dystopian revolutionary action type film with some comedy on the side, One Battle After Another sets Academy Award Winner Leonardo DiCaprio as “Ghetto” Pat Calhoun who is a member of the French 75, a revolutionary group alongside his lover Perfidia Beverly Hills ( played by the lovely Teyana Taylor). The group is currently being tormented by the the terrifying military leader, Colonel. Steven J. Lockjaw ( portrayed by the 2 time Academy Award Winner Sean Penn ). Perfidia and Pat are forced to separate, with Pat taking their baby daughter Charlene and changing their identities to Bob and Willa Ferguson.

16 years later Young Willa ( played by Chase Infiniti in her film debut ) being a student whilst training with Sensei Sergio St. Carlos ( Academy Award Winner Benicio Del Toro ) is forced to use her skills in martial arts and the skills later helped with by another mentor, former French 75 member Deandra ( portrayed by Regina Hall ) to fight against the comeback of Steven Lockjaw who is seeking out her and her father.

What makes One Battle After Another so unique and sophisticated is not only the camera work in IMAX 70mm, it is also the use of camera work in VistaVision ( 35mm motion picture format), which is currently the second film post 64 years since this work was used on film formats. The soundtrack pairing with the spectacular cinematography, that gave the stressful car chase scene that made me grip my armchair out of anxiety for the characters involved and other moments in the film that makes your stomach drop out of dread and anticipation. The editing is put extremely well together that creates a solid visual appeal to the audience and listing the editing, cinematography, soundtrack and writing included, the film that was almost 2 hours and 50 minutes felt so quick that you wanted it to be longer.

One Battle After Another is extremely relevant in today’s political climate and how to survive through the current economic state of the world. It can be seen in a perspective of revolution and fighting back against the system to save those you care about. The chemistry between Teyana and Leonardo was felt through the screen and does infact give a great deal of depth to their characters and their development. Leonardo DiCaprio and Chase Infiniti gave their all in this film and I definitely see nominations coming Sean Penn’s way alongside the phenomenal performances of the cast. One Battle After Another may not be the magnum opus of Paul Thomas Anderson’s work but it is definitely a great contender for a Best Picture and Best Cinematography Award, and also one of the top releases of 2025. It is a must see movie, especially if you have never watched a Paul Thomas Anderson film.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Long Walk is in fact my first time watching a Stephen King adaptation in cinema and my first Francis Lawrence cinematic experience. Growing up around The Hunger Games Franchise and the It Saga, I knew for a fact that the duo of Stephen and Francis would make it into the best novel turned film yet. The Long Walk has a delivered such a great story and performances from their stunner cast

Set in a post war America, The Long Walk is established to gather young men to walk in order to win $1 million, losing however would in fact cost these men their lives. Met with young Raymond ‘Ray’ Garraty ( played by Golden Globe nominee Cooper Hoffman ) who has entered the lottery to participate in the walk where he makes friends with Peter McVries ( BAFTA Award Winner David Jonsson ). Observed by the ruthless Major ( portrayed by Mark Hamill ) these men are forced to maintain their sanity and lives to survive the harsh conditions, walking at a mere 3 miles per hour, failing to follow suit would eventually lead to their deaths. As Peter and Ray walk further, they are met with more acquaintances from other men, Arthur Baker ( Tut Nyuot ) and Hank Olsen ( Ben Wang ) , continuing to battle the lives around them being killed and trying to save themselves from suffering.

These men come with their own bags of trauma, especially with the main focus being on Ray, we see how his mother ( played by Judy Greer, though having little screen time has a major impact on Hoffman’s character ) affects the many decisions he makes during this long walk whilst David keeps Ray afloat during this turbulent period. Watching men around them fall shows the dystopian way of thinking from the military and also how the society in this film is played out to be. The setting in the movie is harsh, cruel and heartless, giving no time for mourning, only time for walking.

The characters death scenes were shown so brutally and graphic that you as the viewer could feel the emotions of the characters that were being surrounded by death. In many points of the story, it feels like a make or break situation for these men, Ray and David are leaning on each other to help themselves through this walk, even though this is not a race and it is in fact a last man standing marathon, the survival of the sanity and plans counts the most during this movie. There were many moments in this movie, where your heart is breaking for this men, that despite knowing the outcome of the walk, you hope and pray that they all make it through this journey together, but these films are not always going to deliver a happy ending

The Long Walk is a phenomenal novel turned film adaptation which provides amazing cinematic experiences, soundtrack and a wonderful performance from the main cast. I was pretty shaken and distraught during the scenes because of the plot and that was an excellent move because films are suppose to make you feel these emotions. Although there were many scenes where the dialogue was not understandable, it still does not take away how fantastic The Long Walk was. I hope that Francis Lawrence and Stephen King do another collaborative film just as good as this one

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

The film that has gone not only beyond word of mouth but also through the film industry is Ryan Coogler’s ( director of Creed and the Black Panther franchise ) new film, Sinners. Starring Michael B. Jordan, playing twin brothers who open up a juke joint in their hometown to start anew. Only to be met with a bloodbath of vampires, with their leader having a thirst for blood and music.

Set in a Southern Gothic theme in the Mississippi Delta during the 1930s Jim Crow era, where things begin to change for the worst. The screenplay is so beautifully written that the you are able to feel the film but also recognise how fantastically paced Sinners is with the timeframe of the film, considering the entire story took place within 24 hours. Making Ryan Coogler’s work not go unnoticed with the cinematic framework.

Michael B. Jordan who has previously worked with Ryan Coogler in multiple films (Creed, Black Panther and Fruitvale Station ) gives what I would say one of his best performances yet. His portrayal of twins Smoke and Stack shows us his acting abilities at its truest form but how well he was able to beautifully convey the twins from the perspective of Ryan Coogler’s vision. Leaving you with a heartfelt feeling onto the screen and the audience. The amazingly written female characters provides empowerment and excellence within the storyline. Mary who is played by Hailee Steinfeld ( The Edge of Seventeen ) is white passing woman who is Stack’s lover and Annie portrayed by Wunmi Mosaku ( His House ) is Smoke’s partner. Mary and Stack’s love story leaves the audience with laughter and familiarity whilst Annie and Smoke’s love story transcends lifetimes and through the screen, feeling a sense of longing, grief and protection.

As the film continues, the audience is met with Sammie, cousin of the twins, son of the towns preacher and a young musician. Portrayed by Miles Caton, in his first ever acting role, left me and other members of the audience in awe. Carton’s performance as Sammie is embodied emotionally and spiritually. Miles Caton uses so much raw talent and expression in the film that makes you wish he goes in for at least a nomination for the role as Sammie. Later in the film, the audience is met the antagonist named Remmick, an Irish Vampire potrayed by Jack O’Connell ( known for his role as James Cook in the UK series Skins and the film Little Fish alongside Olivia Cooke ). Remmick creates the shift of a friendly musical function to an insane bloodbath. Thirsty for Sammie’s music, as the music reminds Remmick of pre-colonial times in Ireland before the British arrived. Jack O’Connell’s contribution to the musical soundtrack makes you connect with the feeling of wanting to belong but also wish to join Remmick on his journey as a vampire.

The film’s soundtrack made by Swedish Grammy and Academy Award Winning Composer Ludwig Göransson delves into the themes of Sinners. From the history of African American music and how it was created through the African slaves brought to America, to going into a feeling of soul and love between the characters. The sound creates a bridge between ancestors and those who carry the legacy of the music made by them. The soundtrack envisioned and created a sense of fear and suspense in relation to the horror sub genre of the film, making the audience almost feel like they are part of the film themselves.

What I loved most about Sinners besides the storyline and soundtrack, was actually the cinematography. The film was able to capture the raw lighting and linked it to not only the emotions the characters were experiencing but also the major shift of when danger was lurking to the jukejoint to the climax of the film. The film used a combination of 65mm film, IMAX 15-perf 70mm and Ultra Panavision 70mm scenes and cameras to alternately capture the different elements of 1.43:1 and 2.76:1 aspect ratios. The coolest part about the cinematography is that this a huge moment for the film industry as Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw has become the first woman to ever shoot a film in IMAX format in history, stemming from 58 years ago. The film has also gone onto being the best reviewed original film post pandemic and of the decade.

Sinners does fantastic job of addressing racism from the Jim Crow era in America, grief, music and also colonialism from the perspective of the Irish people. Ryan Coogler not only used the mythical creature of vampires but also the realism of racism, colonialism, and religious practices. Sinners used superstitions and history to balance the discrimination during the Jim Crow era. From Michael B. Jordan, Jack O’Connell, and Wunmi Mosaku, the cast gave it their all, and that was in fact a stellar performance. Making Sinners not only just an extremely memorable and emotional film but possibly one of the best original film this decade has seen.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Fantastic Four: First Steps made the avengers look like coworkers compared to the family dynamic F4 has. From The Thunderbolts release to The Fantastic Four, it might be official that the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) is making its very comeback with this superhero group or otherwise known as Marvel’s first family.

Similar to previous reviews, I loved that this movie had needed no introduction when it came to The Fantastic Four family. For many years, fans had speculated the wildest fancasts for this movie. However when Pedro Pascal ( Reed Richards ), Vanessa Kirby ( Sue Storm ), Joseph Quinn ( Johnny Storm ) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach ( Ben Grimm ) were cast, many people were unsure of what to expect but this cast has given more feeling of being a family than ever before.

To finally see Sue and Reed’s relationship on screen was completely worth watching. Considering the marvel movies, this would make them the MCU’s first married couple. From being a happily married couple to being parents to their powerful baby Franklin, they learn the hard way of having to either sacrifice their child for the world to Galactus or the world for their child against him. Vanessa Kirby has now taken the spot as the best Sue Storm to date and to be fair, this was and is, Sue Storm’s movie. Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards made you feel the stress he was experiencing, not only as the superhero scientist known as Mr Fantastic but also the anxiety and fear of Reed, the husband and the father who simply wants to protect his family and his planet. Pedro was definitely a good cast for Reed because he was able to be emotionally portray the moments Reed was close to breaking down and that is what Reed Richards is, a smart but yet vulnerable loving character.

Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm is actually the most accurate casting for Ben Grimm in the franchise. The practical and visual effects for The Thing was incredible and don’t even get me started on Ebon’s voice acting for Ben. Ben was not only a rock but he is also the heart of the F4 family, constantly being a caretaker of his nephew Franklin but also being the confidant of the family, being there for them is his main priority besides saving the world.

The introduction of Galactus and Silver Surfer ( Shalla-Bal played by Julia Garner ) was simple and yet so impactful towards the direction Marvel is taking in terms of their movies. For once, Johnny Storm wasn’t just seen as a playboy but rather as a smart man, which can be seen as he tries to mediate with Shalla-Bal. One of my favourite moments were the scenes between Shalla-Bal and Johnny, despite both being opposites, they connected through the grounds of being or wanting to be the sacrifice, to not only save their families but to save their homes too.

What made this film beautiful was the retro futuristic aesthetic used by directed director Matt Shakman, which is also noticeable by his previous directing work in Wandavision 2021. Although some scenes were cut out of the movie which I would have loved to have seen, The Fantastic Four: First Steps may have not been for everyone but that was not the case for me, This movie was for the arts but also for the fans who finally got the family dynamic other superhero groups wished they had

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As a huge supporter of comic book adaptation, especially in movies. James Gunn ( Guardians of The Galaxy trilogy ) knew exactly what he was doing with this version of Superman and Clark Kent. In my opinion, James was able to capture what Zack Snyder’s version failed to do ( 2013 Man of Steel ) and that was showing that Superman represents hope and humanity. Personally I really liked that this movie was not another origin story but rather a version where Clark Kent ( portrayed by David Corenswet ) is already established as Superman, much similar to what Matt Reeves did with The Batman.

There was a lot of discourse circulating about this version of Superman supposedly being “too woke” for the audience but what people fail to understand is that the entirety of Superman’s origin story is very much based on being ‘woke’. Clark Kent is meta human from the planet Krypton, sent by his biological parents on a ship as the planet collapsed, seeking a better future for Kal-El. Many people could view this as an immigrant story of a little boy raised on Earth for a more opportunities or in Superman’s case, for a chance to live and help humanity. Superman’s humanity shows through the people that raised him and it also helps us understand that many of us are not born with hatred but are taught it.

What makes this movie even more interesting is that it has started with a one sided rivalry between Lex Luthor ( Nicholas Hoult ) and Superman. Lex’s severe hatred for Superman is so deep, that he is willing to see the destruction of Metropolis in order for Superman to fall off the planet and that gives Lex Luthor enough material to be the perfect villain for not only Superman but also the city of Metropolis.

Everyone has a love language and so does Superman, his being trust. By showing his love through trusting the people he cares about the most, that being Lois Lane ( Rachel Brosnahan ) Superman / Clark Kent’s significant other. Despite Superman being so powerful, it does not change the fact that even he needs to be protected and saved every now and then. For once, Lois Lane is not seen as a damsel in distress but rather as a powerful female journalist who is determined and unique.

Inspired by the comics and also the current political state of the world. The movie Superman highlights hope, humanity, kindness and determination but also the comeback of the DCU. David Corenswet gives the best performance as Superman since Christopher Reeves and Tom Welling ( Smallville Series ). Every character gave a unique perspective of the different lives in Metropolis and their connection to good vs evil. Currently the number 1 movie in the world and the highest grossing film of James Gunn’s career, Superman has become one of my favourite comic based films this year.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️