Greetings again from the darkness. Perhaps we can all agree that hiking is not best served as a spectator sport. Sure, there have been other hiking movies, including WILD (2014) as Cheryl Strayed (portrayed by Reese Witherspoon) takes on a solo hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. Yet almost by definition, a hike is meant, at a minimum, to help clear one’s head and, at its best, allow a connection with nature as one tries to center themselves from the stress of life. Writer-director Bart Schrivjer w-d (not his first hiking movie) has seemingly captured these elements of hiking better than others.
We hear a phone call between close buddies Chris and Lluis, and then flash forward ten years as Chris (Bart Harder) and Lluis (Carles Pulido) meet up to hike the 600 km (370+ miles) of the West Highland Way and Cape Wrath Trail. The plan is for 28 days on the journey and a hope that the friendship can be reignited. See, as it does, life has happened in much different ways for these two gents. Chris is attached to his phone in order to keep up with a business that depends on him. Lluis quit working as a wedding videographer and now seems a bit lost (though committed to the journey). Chris and his significant other are preparing to have a kid, while Lluis has no interest in starting a family – despite not really knowing what he wants.
One thing beyond debate is the spectacular beauty of the Scottish Highlands. Schrivjer often chooses to film Chris and Lluis from afar to give a sense of how small they are in comparison to this majestic environment. As you might imagine, there are no shortage of challenges for the two friends. Rain, midges, rocks, hills, injury, secrets spilled, and even crossing paths with other hikers are some of what they face. Periodic games of Uno in the small, shared tent help pass the time as their bodies rest. They even choose to scrap GPS and go “old school” with a paper map … although it appears they cheat a bit on this one.
Chris and Lluis periodically have minor tiffs as you would expect, and it becomes clear that both are in need of nature’s healing power … right along with their friendship which has drifted over the years. Each viewer will likely have their own perspective of what to take from the film. Some will probably find it slow and a bit dull, while others will attach to the self-reflective atmosphere provided by the breathtaking views and minimal dialogue.
Opening in UK cinemas on April 24, 2026
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. As we are unfortunately learning yet again … there are no upsides to war. There are the deaths and injuries that occur to soldiers and citizens. There is destruction of property and cityscapes. And there is the cost to those who are neither soldiers or government officials – the ‘quiet cost’ of war. Writer-director Silvio Soldini (BREAD AND TULIPS, 2000) and co-writer Doriana Leondeff have adapted the 2018 award-winning novel, “At the Wolf’s Table”, by Rosella Postorino, which itself was based on the remarkable story WWII survivor Margot Wolk told a German journalist about her time spent as a food taster for Hitler.
Greetings again from the darkness. We don’t see a lot of films from Iraq, but if this one from writer-director Hasan Hadi is any indication, the industry there is in fine form with storytelling. While not preachy or heavily politicized, the movie does offer some insight into authoritarianism in the 1990’s under dictator Saddam Hussein. Some would argue that the situation from thirty years ago acts as a modern-day cautionary tale.
Greetings again from the darkness. William Shakespeare has inspired so many writers and stories over the years that he often goes unacknowledged rather than credited. Such is the case with this latest from writer/director/animator Mamoru Hosoda with character names such as Amulet, Claudius, and Gertrude. Of course, since this is Japanese anime, the story’s path varies and features unusual and colorful characters.
Greetings again from the darkness. The concept is interesting and relatable. A woman undertakes the solving of a mystery, and in the process, learns a great deal about herself. Writer-director Rebecca Zlotowski w-d (OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN, 2022) and co-writers Anne Berest and Gaelle Mace have delivered a film that works on a couple of levels: as a whodunit and self-discovery.
Greetings again from the darkness. If not for a few bizarre (and interesting) visual metaphors tossed in, one might mistake this film from Icelandic filmmaker Hlynur Palmason (GODLAND, 2022) as a documentary. After all, we are mostly watching one family’s life over the course of a year. There are no car chases or criminal masterminds – just a few people living their lives.
Greetings again from the darkness. ‘Arco, phone home’. OK, that’s not actually a line of dialogue in this Oscar nominated animated feature film from w-d Ugo Bienvenu, co-director Gilles Cazaux, and co-writer and Felix de Givry … but the line sure fits. Taking place in the future, the film’s strong themes are family, friends, and coming-of-age.
Greetings again from the darkness. The Sundance Film Festival does a terrific job each year of selecting captivating short films. One of the films in the lineup of this year’s shorts program on January 24, 2026 is from Swedish filmmaker Lovisa Siren, and it’s a gem.
Greetings again from the darkness. We can pick our friends, but not our family or neighbors. However, we can (and do) speculate on and judge our neighbors – and that’s what occurs in this smart little film from writer-director Leon Prudovsky and co-writer Dmitri Malinsky. The premise of the film may initially seem absurd to some, but the final version is touching and quite entertaining.
Greetings again from the darkness. Chinese filmmaker Bi Gan’s third feature continues his string of visually stunning films and dramatic visual effects. However, this one runs 160 minutes, and seems to be inaccessible to most moviegoers, while the film will surely mesmerize a few. Bi Gan is a cinematic artist who is at ease toying with time and our sense of normalcy.
Movie Reviews from the Dark 