HELLCAT (2025)

July 26, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. Make sure you have your popcorn ready because there’s no warmup for this one. It starts quickly. Lena awakens in the back of a trailer that’s speeding down the road. She’s battered and disoriented. I’ll admit to not being familiar with writer-director Brock Bodell or lead actor Dakota Gorman prior to watching this, yet both left excellent impressions.

Gorman plays Lena, a character who experiences a wild emotional and physical ride – most of it in the back end of that trailer. Any real spoilers for this one would be inexcusable, so I’ll tread lightly. A jolted Lena regains her bearings and ends up communicating with the driver through a device hidden in a mounted wolf’s head. The driver, Clive (Todd Terry) tells her (more than once), “I’m a good man. An honest man. A hunter.” It’s like his mantra, and we later learn the origin.

Clive informs Lena that she’s been “infected”, and he’s her only hope of getting to the hospital in time for treatment. She experiences periodic flashes of memory, but can’t quite place where she was or what she was doing prior to waking up in the trailer. She just knows she’s pregnant and being held captive in a claustrophobic moving vehicle by an unseen driver.

The twists that occur expose Clive’s beliefs and the reason their destination is ‘Golly World’ (definitely different from Wally World of FAMILY VACATION fame). It does take most of the runtime for us to comprehend the reasons for his actions, as well as the identity of the other girl Lena discovers hidden away in the trailer. An encounter with a local law enforcement officer (Jordan Mullins) does little to improve Lena’s situation, but does act as a reminder that extremists are everywhere these days.

The radio talk show host (with listeners of a particular ilk) has the film’s best line … “This ain’t exactly NPR” … a statement all too relevant given the recent de-funding by the government. The evening’s full moon plays a role as Clive, the would-be hunter, pulls off one true shot. Dakota Gorman delivers an impressive physical and emotional performance, while filmmaker Brock Bodell shows a knack for twists and tension.

World Premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival on July 25th

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Posted by David Ferguson

LAST SWIM (2025)

July 25, 2025

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.

Ziba (the stunning Deba Hekmat, HOARD, 2023) is dealing with a serious (and unspecified) medical issue that requires medication and regular blood tests. The doctor needs her to come in to learn the latest results – the kind that won’t be revealed over the phone. Instead, it’s A-level results day, where students receive their final term grades. This is followed by a group of friends gathering to hang out and chill. Ziba is Iranian-British and her grades, her friends, and her instructors all recognize her as a brilliant student … yet she alone carries this secret.

Ziba and her best friends and fellow students: Tara (Lydia Fleming), the rambunctious one; Shea (Solly McLeod), the somewhat self-conscious tough guy; and Merf (Jay Cycurgo), the mysterious one, are joined for the day by Malcolm (Denzel Baidoo), a footballer who just learned that he’s been cut by his team. This is the first meeting between Ziba and Malcolm, and everyone senses the immediate attraction.

The day proceeds as the group hangs out and chats. Ziba tosses out a big question, “Are you a good person?” Confessions and self-reflection take over as the group goes down the line. By this time, the others have noticed something is amiss with Ziba. She continues to speak of her future at UCL (University College of London), yet her goody-two-shoes reputation takes a hit or two. It’s her love of astrophysics that inspired her to fill out the night section of the day’s schedule with the rare celestial event (meteor shower) that will wow the group.

An overall pretty good day leads to a shocking turn and has Ziba questioning the last entry on the day’s schedule … one that only appeared on her copy. Above all, filmmaker Sasha Nathwani captures the power and intimacy of close friends, and how this support is so crucial to life’s decisions (even the secret ones).

Available on VOD beginning July 25, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

OH, HI (2025)

July 25, 2025

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.

Iris, played by the film’s co-writer, Molly Gordon (“Animal Kingdom”, SHIVA BABY, 2020) and Isaac, played by Logan Lerman (“Hunters”, THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, 2012), are a couple heading to a rented farmhouse for a romantic weekend getaway. On the drive, each takes the appropriate part (Dolly and Kenny) as they harmonize to “Islands in the Stream”. It’s a typical rom-com moment for a (so-far) typical rom-com couple. An odd encounter at a roadside strawberry stand puts us on notice, without making anything too obvious. The farmhouse is quaint with a beautiful view … a perfect setting for the couple to initiate intimacy on the sofa, in the pond, and even in bed.

After Isaac prepares a romantic dinner, including scallops, the two head upstairs to toy around with the actual toys hidden in the closet. Soon Isaac is cuffed to the metal frame bed and the two are arguing quite fiercely about the ground rules for their relationship. In fact, Isaac doesn’t believe it’s an actual relationship, while Iris argues that he made scallops, so things must be serious! This is where filmmaker Brooks takes a mighty swing, and some will say it’s an absurd whiff, while others might view this as maximum creativity. Either way, it’s a narrative risk that borders on preposterous.

Iris leaves Isaac cuffed to the bed and tries to bargain for time to convince him that they are the perfect couple and deserve a chance. The next development certainly makes defending the film even more difficult. Iris calls her friend Max (Geraldine Viswanathan, BLOCKERS, 2018) and her beau, Kenny (John Reynolds, “Search Party”) to join her in this crime of captivity. When her friends agree to support Iris, soon a witch’s spell is conjured in hopes of finding a way out of the crime that Kenny’s obsession with “Law & Order” has detailed.

Personally, I prefer my rom-coms with a twist and a dose of dark comedy. I’m not sure what to call this or how to support the efforts. Isaac may not be a great communicator as a partner, and Iris may have some type of mental disorder, but the arrival of friends should have taken this down a different path. Kudos for attempting to salvage the ending, but mostly I would recommend caution when serving scallops for dinner.

Releasing on July 25, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

EDDINGTON (2025)

July 17, 2025

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.

You should know upfront that Aster serves up a giant pot of cinematic vegetable soup. Topics touched on include: politics, racism, pedophilia, Antifa, gun rights, Black Lives Matter, White guilt, envy, divisiveness, murder, conspiracy theories, George Floyd, David Hogg, face masks, social distancing mandates, cults, ambition, abortion, and Native American land rights. If that’s not enough for you, the film also includes an abundance of dark comedy and the final act features a barrage of violence. Just writing that is exhausting, yet nowhere near as exhausting as watching this film.

Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix (JOKER, 2019) stars as Sheriff Joe Cross, an odd man in a white hat who dares challenge his rival, the sitting town Mayor, Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) for the office in the upcoming election. Cross is the one who eschews wearing a mask, while Garcia is the smooth-talking type who encourages commitment to the mandates. The differences between the men are obvious when we see Garcia’s heart-warming (pandering) TV ad as contrasted to Cross’ campaign car sign with “You’re” spelled “Your”. The two men don’t like each other, a situation exacerbated by rumors of a long-ago incident between Garcia and Cross’ wife, Louise (two-time Oscar winner Emma Stone).

Being ill-equipped to run an election, even with the assistance of his two deputies, Michael (Michael Ward, EMPIRE OF LIGHT, 2022) and Guy (Luke Grimes, “Yellowstone”), isn’t the extent of Cross’ problems. His marriage to Louise is rocky at best, and having her mother, Dawn (Deidre O’Connell, a talented actor in TV and movies since the 1980’s) live with them and spew her conspiracy theories only adds to the bumpy ride. Things get worse for Joe when Louise grows close to charismatic but vacuous cult leader Vernon (Austin Butler) … a guru who manages to calmly say things that rile folks up in a hollow-cause kind of way.

Cinematographer Darius Khondji works his magic with a film that bounces all over the place thematically. In traditional Westerns, it was always good versus evil; however, this contemporary version is more political and seems to lack any people who are actually good. Joaquin Phoenix goes all in for his role, and Pedro Pascal continues to prove he can play just about any character. Emma Stone and Austin Butler take on minor roles, while Deidre O’Connell gets to shine in a couple of scenes. Don’t believe for a second that filmmaker Aster is attempting to explain how we’ve reached this moment. It’s more a snapshot in time of how people react under extreme pressure and how everyone has a snapping point. Is the film provocative or is Aster just having fun stirring the pot? Talk amongst yourselves (after watching).

Opens in theaters on July 18, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

SORRY, BABY (2025)

July 17, 2025

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.

Much of the brilliance of the film is derived from the performance of the filmmaker, Eva Victor, as Agnes. Victor built an online following thanks to some comedy shorts, yet it’s on screen where this unique and ground-breaking talent truly arrives. Presented in five chapters, the story is told in mostly chronological order, except for the first segment which establishes the utter closeness of friends, Agnes and Lydie (Naomie Ackie, BLINK TWICE, 2024). The two were graduate school classmates, with Lydie moving on to New York City while Agnes remained to become a professor at the small New England school they attended.

We learn that the two besties shared a thesis advisor in Preston Decker (Louis Cancelmi, KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, 2023), and he viewed Agnes as a brilliant student, and Lydie as a bit less. In a genius bit of filmmaking, we see the evening when Agnes is sexually assaulted, and that’s followed by a visceral scene in which Agnes describes the event in excruciating detail to Lydie. It’s an event that Agnes carries with her, ultimately driving an incredible scene with Lydie’s newborn baby. Other memorable players here include fellow graduate student Natasha (Kelly McCormack, “A League of Their Own”), whose no-filter rudeness and jealousy contribute to her scene-stealing; Gavin (Lucas Hedges, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, 2016) as Anges’ neighbor with benefits; Fran (E.R. Frightmaster, “Grey’s Anatomy”) as Lydie’s spouse; attorney Eleanor Winston (Hettiene Park, DON’T LOOK UP, 2021), who conducts Agnes’ jury pool interview in a powerful scene; and Pete (John Carroll Lynch, FARGO, 2996) as a good listener and proficient sandwich maker in another of the film’s best scenes.

That should seem like a lot for one movie. It is. Key elements here include a cat, a sandwich, a mouse, lighter fluid, and boots. The film is filled with direct talk – Agnes says things out loud that many of us think to ourselves. She is a bit of all of us … with a deadpan delivery that sometimes finds the humor in the worst moments. Eva Victor will likely remind many of Phoebe Waller-Bridge of “Fleabag” due to her look and height, and there is no denying the talent on display. The scene with Agnes speaking directly to the baby hits home, and the words are those we would all appreciate at any stage in life, but certainly in the aftermath of one of those bad times as we attempt to move on.

Opening in theaters on July 18, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

DON’T LET’S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT (2025)

July 17, 2025

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.

It’s 1980 in Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe) and a revolution is occurring, pending the upcoming election … you are likely familiar with Robert Mugabe, long-time President and Prime Minister of the country. For this story, Bobo (stunning work from first time actor Lexi Venter) is our protagonist and narrator. She’s a curious and observant 8-year-old with a free spirit and a constantly dirty face. The POV of a kid makes sense once you learn that director Davidtz had a childhood in South Africa with many similarities to what Bobo experiences (it is Alexandra Fuller’s memoir after all).

Bobo’s big sister Vanessa (Anina Hope Reed) and their mother Nicola (director Davidtz) share the home with Bobo. Dad is a soldier and is often away for extended periods of time. Nicola sleeps with a rifle and obsessively guards the family’s farmland, while desperately hoping the Whites don’t lose power in the country. Bobo spends a good amount of time with Sarah (Zikhona Bali), who becomes a pseudo-mother, filling the emotional gap left by Nicola’s alcoholism, and brewing breakdown over the possible changes coming.

As you would expect, racism is on display here. It supports the theory that racism is passed down from generation to generation. Bobo is warned to “watch out for terrorists”, which is another word for black Africans, while Sarah’s husband Jacob (Fumani N Shilubana) is regularly warning his wife about getting too close to Bobo or being seen in public with the white girl. Bobo is blatantly told that Africans and Whites are not the same.

Watching young Bobo trying to make sense of the world can be uncomfortable to watch, yet it drives home the point about racism, violence, and growing up in a war. Sarah does her best to guide the youngster, but that parental force can be quite strong. Obviously, this was a personal film for first-time director Embeth Davidtz, and she shows the right stuff with her first feature film. We understand the family wanting to hold onto their land, while at the same time we witness how racism can be spread so easily … and at such a young age.

Opening in theaters on July 18, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

SALVABLE (2025)

July 15, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. After reading the synopsis, I was tempted to pass on this one and move on to the next film on the list. What could possibly be appealing about another fading boxer whose life is in shambles? Co-directors Bjorn Franklin (also the screenwriter) and Johnny Marchetta are frequent collaborators on music videos, and this, their first feature film, is a solid action-melodrama with some moving parts that all (OK, mostly) come together. It also has a surprisingly effective lead performance.

Living in Wales, Sal (Toby Kebbell, “Servant”) is a past-his-prime boxer taking falls in the ring at night, while showing touching care in his day job at the local Nursing Home. Sal is getting by, but it’s clear he needs no sunglasses for his future. His teenage daughter, Molly (Kila Lord Cassidy) is holding on to anger towards him, while his ex-wife (Elaine Cassidy) mostly wishes he would just leave them alone. Matching the mostly joyless life Sal leads is the lighting and atmosphere created by the filmmakers … hometown looks like a place where smiles are rare.

Just as we are adjusting to Sal’s bleak existence and his misguided attempts to improve his lot through his job and slowly improving relationship with Molly, a bad influence pops up in the form of Vince (Shia LaBeouf). Sal and Vince were friends and boxing buddies in their younger days, and now, just out of prison, Vince wants to get the band back together for nefarious activities that can bring them some cash. And just like that, the melodrama of Sal’s struggling becomes a bit of a crime drama, where Vince infuses chaos and Sal makes more poor decisions.

Sal’s long-time trainer and mentor, old-timer Welly (James Cosmo) tries desperately to keep Sal on track and even scores him a real opportunity for redemption. Of course, we have come to know Sal as a man with the best intentions, but an inability to overcome the constant hurdles life puts in his way. Toby Kebbell delivers a truly touching performance as Sal, and his personal struggles are certainly the best part of the film. Shia LaBeouf adds heft as a guy we may initially misjudge, yet in this world happy endings are tougher to come by than victories in the ring.

Now available OnDemand and on Digital platforms

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Posted by David Ferguson

DANIELA FOREVER (2025)

July 10, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. Grief is one of the most powerful emotions we humans can experience. The range of effects varies from lethargy to sadness to full-on depression. We’ve all experienced that feeling of wishing for one more shared moment or the opportunity to say goodbye. Writer-director Nacho Vigalondo (TRUE CRIMES, 2007, COLOSSAL, 2008) is working with an intriguing premise and a strong cast, yet for some reason, this one doesn’t pack the punch it seems like it should.

Fittingly, the story opens with a memory. It’s one most lovers have recounted – their first meeting or encounter. The two versions rarely match in real life and they don’t for Nicolas (Henry Golding, CRAZY RICH ASIANS, 2018) and Daniela (Beatrice Granno, “The White Lotus”). Only this one offers a twist, as Nicolas’ memory transitions into a nightmare – the reality awakens him with the memory of Daniela tragically dying in an accident. The current reality for Nicolas is overwhelming grief, a kitchen full of dirty dishes, an apartment with uncharacteristic messiness, very few gigs for his work as a DJ, and minimal contact with his local friends in Madrid.

When his friend Victoria (Nathalie Poza) offers him a possible path out of emotional darkness, Nicolas jumps at the chance, despite the risks involved with the experimental drug that promises to offer some control over lucid dreams. Rather than follow protocol, Nicolas goes rogue and spends his dream time reliving his time with Daniela. Director Vigalondo and cinematographer Jon D Dominguez use a confining aspect ratio and grainy look for Nicolas’ reality, while a larger aspect and sharper, more vivid images show his dream state. The frustrations for us viewers occur in dream state as Nicolas comes across as self-centered and manipulative, while we can’t quite figure out if the dream version of Daniela has her own thoughts or simply fills the image conjured by her man.

Watching the film leaves us believing a deeper, more insightful movie is buried in there somewhere. In fact, we know that memories and dreams have been used effectively in films such as INCEPTION, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND, and GREATEST HITS … and it certainly fits right in with the tone and style of many “Black Mirror” episodes. Romantic Science Fiction movies are rare, and though there is true love at the core of this one, we are left wishing Nicolas was a bit less harsh, only for the ending to wrap up just a bit too neatly.

opens in select theaters on July 11, 2025 and on digital on July 22

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Posted by David Ferguson

GIVE ME A WORD: THE COLLECTIVE SOUL STORY (2025, doc)

July 6, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. There’s just something kind of cool about a band whose first number one hit single is entitled “Shine”, and here they are 32 years later still touring and taking the time to participate in a documentary. Cinematographer and Music Videographer Joseph Rubinstein has put together an intimate film that allows the band members to tell their story using their own words. The result is that we see a group of guys who get along well, and also seem to be good dudes that we wouldn’t mind getting to know.

Collective Soul exploded onto the rock scene in 1993 with “Shine”, and then opened for Van Halen and played Woodstock 1994. Rubinstein has based this documentary on the band’s recording session at ‘Graceland West’, Elvis Presley’s former Palm Springs house. The setting is a nice touch since this isn’t a typical ‘band-records-album’ documentary. The real treat here is that we gain insight into the band’s beginnings, including co-founders and brothers Ed Roland and Dean Roland recalling their parents’ influence – Dad was a Minister of Music at a Stockbridge, Georgia church. We also learn the band’s name was swiped from Ayn Rand’s novel, “The Fountainhead”, and we hear from each of the band members on the many losses and personal issues and challenges confronted along the way.

The band’s lineup transitions over the years are discussed head-on by leader Ed Roland, and as one would expect, he claims the current group is the best yet (They certainly appear to coexist better than many bands). In addition to Ed and Dean, the other members get plenty of chances to speak their mind: bassist Will Turpin, lead guitarist Jesse Triplett, and drummer Johnny Rabb. While confidence abounds with band members who are clearly talented, the minimal ego on display is quite refreshing.

Special segments feature Dolly Parton recalling how her version of “Shine” won her a Grammy, while Ed chuckles that the band has never even been nominated. Sammy Hagar comments on touring with the band, while Mickey Thomas is shown singing backup on a song. Mr. Thomas then wows us with an a Capelo version of “Fooled Around and Fell in Love”, a song he made famous as part of the Elvin Bishop band in 1975.

A portrait of Elvis hangs on the wall in the house as the band talks, rehearses, and records. In a tragic moment, the death of Lisa Marie Presley is announced while the band is in one of the houses she grew up in. Collective Soul has earned six gold or platinum albums and seven number one singles over the years, and even today, they are a band that continues to ‘Let it Shine’. Other bands should take note.

Releases on July 8, 2025: VOD, DVD, Blu-Ray

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Posted by David Ferguson

JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH (2025)

July 1, 2025

Greetings again from the darkness. It’s been 32 years since John Hammond “spared no expense” on ice cream and Chaos Theory Doctor Malcolm pleaded that the colorful jeep “must go faster”. That 1993 film by Steven Spielberg awed us and changed the course of cinema. Now director Gareth Edwards (ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY, 2016; GODZILLA, 2014) brings us the seventh film in the ‘Jurassic’ franchise. Having adapted Michael Crichton’s books for the first two in the series, renowned screenwriter David Koepp (who has also contributed to Mission: Impossible, Indiana Jones, and Spider-Man franchises, among others) returns for “Rebirth”.

Opening with a flashback to fifteen years prior, we see the InGen lab where experimental cross-breeding has resulted in dino-mutations, and we are only about four minutes in when we get the first dino snack (an unfortunate lab worker). Returning to modern day times (five years after the end of JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION), we find a citizenry somehow bored with the dinosaurs that have been released into the wild – most of which have died or are dying due to environmental issues caused by us despicable humans. The exception is a remote island near the equator where the climate most resembles prehistoric times, and the beasts are free to roam … as it’s now a “No people allowed” sanctuary. It’s also a former InGen lab site.

This all sets the stage for greedy Big Pharma executive, Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend) to plan an excursion with the goal of collecting DNA from the three largest dino species from land, sea, and air. Oh, and minor detail – the DNA has to be collected from live specimens. The DNA can supposedly be used for major medical breakthroughs. Krebs hires Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), a mercenary for “situational security and reaction”, and Dr Henry Loomis (Jonathan Bailey, WICKED, 2024) a paleontologist trained by the infamous Dr Grant. Zora assembles the rest of the team, including friend and boat captain Duncan Kincaid (Oscar winner Mahershala Ali), and the rest of his crew.

Separately, a family sailing the same waters is introduced. Reuben (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and his two daughters, college-aged Teresa (Luna Blaise) and clever 11-year-old Isabella (Audrina Miranda), along with Teresa’s lazy and spacey boyfriend Xavier (David Iacono). This secondary group provides us with ‘normal’ folks to fear for as their boat is dino-attacked, leaving them stranded in the sea, awaiting recovery by the pharma boat. This creates a strange mixture of folks and, most importantly, allows for the mandatory kid-in-peril. Another dino-attack on the boat separates the family from the team and begins the process of scratching characters from the story.

The adventures are quite different for the two groups, and the island scenery is consistently awe-inspiring. But we are all here for dinosaurs, and on that front, the film never disappoints. Very few gaps occur between sightings or attacks, and the dinosaurs dazzle. A slumbering by the river T-Rex provides one of the best chase/attack scenes from any of the Jurassic movies (with a tip of the raft to the Crichton novel). Of course, we know who the villain will be, and we know how things go for villains in these movies. The story includes an altruistic approach from Loomis, who flashes some survival instincts despite a career spent in an air-conditioned museum, rather than a dino-filled jungle.

We are left to ponder what the titular “Rebirth” refers to. The film doesn’t offer anything new, outside of the mutants … including the much-anticipated D-Rex (sporting the head of a Beluga whale?). Your individual level of critique will determine whether you buy Scarlett Johansson as the ultimate tough warrior, although John Mathieson’s stunning cinematography and composer Alexandre Desplat’s score (generously sprinkled with John Williams’ iconic JP score) are complementary to an overall entertaining and crowd-pleasing big-budget summer blockbuster, with many nods to the previous films in the franchise. Race cars and dinosaurs in the same summer … spared no expense.

Opens in theaters on July 2, 2025

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Posted by David Ferguson

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