Greetings again from the darkness. For fourteen-year-olds, there’s often very little difference in passion for something and obsession with that same thing. Writer-director Nicholas Colia (reimagining his 2017 short film, ALEX AND THE HANDYMAN) brings us the coming-of-age story of Griffin (a fantastic newcomer in Everett Blunck), whose passion for art is undeniable and plays a role in his newfound obsession (this time we can tell the difference).
A cold opening finds us on stage at the school’s end of year Student Talent Show. Griffin announces he will be performing an excerpt from his ‘latest’ play, “Regrets of Autumn”, which he describes as “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” and “American Beauty”. The scene, and his performance, are intense and funny, and far beyond the audience of teens since it’s a harsh view of the relationship between an alcoholic housewife and her disinterested and philandering husband.
With summer arriving, Griffin convenes his friends to begin rehearsal on his play. The basement takes some rearranging, and his patient and understanding friend Kara (the talented Abby Ryder Fortson, ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET, 2023) has agreed to be the director … despite her knowing that things must go according to Griffin’s plan. Of course, not every 14-year-old wishes to adhere to his 60 hour per week rehearsal schedule (don’t be late!), so there is a bit of pushback as kids like to be kids. Griffin is struck by another annoyance – his mother (expert at playing beat down characters, Melanie Lynskey, “Yellowjackets”) has hired a twenty-something handyman named Brad (the always interesting Owen Teague, IT, 2017), and the noise is disturbing Griffin’s creativity.
It’s the dynamic between Griffin and Brad that sets this one apart from so many movies. Stars align when Brad discloses that he’s a performance artist in New York City … the city of Griffin’s hopes and dreams. Soon the two are working together, and the fallout causes other issues that Griffin’s blinders initially prevent him from noticing. Additionally, his attraction to Brad is interrupted by Brad’s girlfriend Chloe (an energetic and funny Kathryn Newton, “Big Little Lies”), generating more unfortunate actions.
Coming-of-age is a term that gets easily tossed around, but the actual process can be quite challenging and often involves the first heartbreak. There’s another interesting aspect to Colia’s screenplay and that’s the similarities between Griffin’s parents’ relationship and that of the couple in his play. It’s never directly mentioned, yet was clearly an influence. This is Everett Blunck’s first lead role, and he’s a unique talent that we will surely see more often in the coming years. The same can be said for filmmaker Nicholas Colia who has delivered a dramatic coming-of-age with plenty of laughs, while also commenting on how one’s passion for art may be easily mocked, making it difficult to sustain.
Available in theaters beginning August 29, 2025
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. The reality of today’s world is that some folks aspire to ‘go viral’ on social media, while others struggle to imagine anything worse. There are those who dream of being famous – even if it’s for only a moment in time. Others value anonymity to the point where they can’t imagine giving that up. This first feature film from writer-director Gustavo Martin and co-writers Matt Anthony and Vishy Ayyar touches on this very topic. By drawing from Ayyar’s real life (he also stars), we see how one of the reluctant types can use unsolicited fame as an advantage … a means to an end.
Greetings again from the darkness. This is the type of movie that almost begs to be criticized, while at the same time, deserves to be enjoyed for being exactly what it tries to be. Author Richard Osman now has five books in this series, and the first has been adapted by co-writers Katy Brand (GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE, 2022) and Suzanne Heathcote (“Fear the Walking Dead”). It’s directed by Chris Columbus, known for HOME ALONE (1990), MRS DOUBTFIRE (1993) and a couple of the Harry Potter movies. These are professionals who know how to entertain … and just as importantly, they know how to cast.
Greetings again from the darkness. Put me down as one of those saps who struggles mightily watching kids in peril … even if ‘it’s only a movie.’ Writer-director Dan Kay taps right into my weakness in the opening scene. Two sisters find their mother on the floor of the rural house – dead from an overdose. It’s a situation where initially we have hope. Perhaps the girls will be better off without a druggie mom. But life is rarely that simple.
Greetings again from the darkness. Kate Beecroft’s first feature film as writer-director can be accurately described as a biographical-drama, yet we can’t help but wonder if a straight documentary could have been equally interesting. In no way is that meant as a criticism of the film, it’s just that most of the cast (with only a couple of exceptions) is made up of non-actors playing versions of their real-life selves … and each one of them holds our attention, leaving us wanting to know even more.
Greetings again from the darkness. What a downer this one is! That may seem a harsh thing to say about a movie, but it’s actually a compliment to writer-director Sasha Nathwani on his first feature film, co-written by Helen Simmons. Few films take on the reality of life that can sometimes be cruel or even savage. This film, and the young(ish) performers never shy away from the tough stuff, and the result is a film that’s not a pleasure to watch in the traditional sense, but quite so from a human perspective.
Greetings again from the darkness. One of the benefits of watching so many movies each year is the exposure to various generations negotiating their way through a variety of genres. That ‘benefit’ can sometimes be painful, as in this latest from writer-director Sophie Brooks (THE BOY DOWNSTAIRS, 2017). Despite cringing at the trailer, I agreed to watch this because I’m a fan of the two lead actors.
Greetings again from the darkness. It’s frightening to see how societal norms and individual behavior have shifted over the past five years. It seems clear that the COVID Pandemic was a turning point … or at a minimum, an accelerant. Writer-director Ari Aster (MIDSOMMER, 2019; HEREDITARY, 2018) uses this as a theme in this Neo-noir Western that takes place in a small fictional town in 2020 New Mexico as the pandemic was kicking into gear.
Greetings again from the darkness. Once it became a bumper sticker, it also became a cliché. “Stuff” happens. It happens to each of us. Of course, the degree to which something bad affects us is a personal matter, and how we deal with it determines the impact on our life. A traumatic event will stick with us forever in what’s best described as the aftermath. Although we get some backstory, first time writer-director Eva Victor focuses on the aftermath, and the result is a realistic, grounded, and emotional perspective of one woman’s journey to trudging forward.
Greetings again from the darkness. It might seem dangerous or even cruel to look at war through the eyes of a child. However, this time, it’s a brilliant approach because most of the story is personal … following the villagers on the edges of the Rhodesian Bush War – a Civil War meant to overthrow White colonialism and restore power to the local Black populace. Long admired for her acting career, Embeth Davidtz takes on the director’s chair for the first time, and also adapted the screenplay from Alexandra Fuller’s best-selling 2001 memoir.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 