The Big Fake (AKA: Il Falsario): Movie Review

A visually compelling movie with a story that isn’t all there.

The Big Fake is an Italian true story about an artist in the 1970s who becomes one of the greatest forgers of all time. How good this movie is hinges on exactly one thing: how interesting you find the main character and his crime world. Toni (Pietro Castellitto) is an artist from a small town who grew tired of painting fog, so off he moves to Rome and meets an art dealer. A match made in heaven and history.		2026 Directed by: Stefano Lodovichi Screenplay by: Lorenzo Bagnatori, Sandro Petraglia Starring: Pietro Castellitto

Mercy: Movie Review

A flawed premise with a fun plot.

Set just three years in the future in 2029, Mercy is a mix between Minority Report and Searching where the court of law has been replaced by an AI judge and one man has to use all the technology at his fingertips to prove his innocence. The premise is fun, there are some fundamental flaws to it, but that premise works great in Minority Report and when it leads to a Searching-esque mystery plot, the movie is at its best.		2026 Directed by: Timur Bekmambetov Screenplay by: Marco van Belle Starring: Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson

Bulls: Movie Review

One big random, illogical joke.

When the entire movie is one big joke, it’s hard to find any of the actual jokes all that amusing. Bulls is set in the overlapping world of small, struggling bars in small town Indiana and the World Darts Championship. You might be wondering how two bad darts players who own a small bar become professional darts players, but the film didn’t put much thought into it, a guy walks into their bar and then they’re in the championship.		2026 Directed by: Daniel Meyer Screenplay by: Daniel Meyer Starring: Matt Trudeau, Meir Steinberg

How to Lose a Popularity Contest: Movie Review

A very average teen romance.

Sara Waisglass, of Ginny & Georgia fame, does her best to elevate How to Lose a Popularity Contest above a typical teen romance. It’s cute, sweet, predictable, and very run-of-the-mill. A good girl falls for a bad boy, and other than a decent message about seeing the best in people and not judging others before you get to know them, it’s a hastily written, well-produced average teen romance.		2026 Directed by: Stephen S. Campanelli Screenplay by: Dorian Keyes, Kaitlin Reilly Starring: Sara Waisglass, Chase Hudson

Killer Whale: Movie Review

When animals attack is still a bad premise.

What’s better than a survivalist thriller? How about when animals attack and become blood-thirsty killers set on revenge? I mean, no, I think in general that doesn’t make it better, but it is a common formula, and I respect Killer Whale’s attempt to pair it with an “animals don’t belong in captivity” theme.		2026 Directed by: Jo-Anne Brechin Screenplay by: Jo-Anne Brechin, Katharine McPhee Starring: Virginia Gardner, Mel Jarnson

Is This Thing On?: Movie Review

A funny and compelling introspection on the collapse of a marriage.

Bradley Cooper’s latest, Is This Thing On?, feels more like a Noah Baumbach film due to its intimacy, Laura Dern and comedic handling of emotional (im)maturity: the end of a marriage. While this is meant as a compliment, perhaps it’s too early or just not possible to define what does or doesn’t feel like a Bradley Cooper film. Either way he delivers a small film with limited focus but universal impact, a profoundly moving and enjoyable piece about relationships and the people in them.		2025 Directed by: Bradley Cooper Screenplay by: Will Arnett & Mark Chappell, and Bradley Cooper Starring: Will Arnett, Laura Dern

The Housemaid: Movie Review

A stylish, twisty thriller with a satisfying conclusion.

I think it’s impossible not to compare The Housemaid to A Simple Favor. Two stylish, twisty thrillers based on popular novels, directed by Paul Feig, starring two popular actresses, and an innocent-looking husband caught in the middle, both premiering to positive critical reaction. And yet The Housemaid has done seriously good box office numbers despite being released in a post-covid theatrical environment, already beating the 2018 flick by over $30M, and possibly doubling it when all is said and done.		2025 Directed by: Paul Feig Screenplay by: Rebecca Sonnenshine Based on the novel by Freida McFadden Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Sydney Sweeney, Brendan Sklenar