January 2, 2026
Greetings again from the darkness. Well, we can’t really call this a feel-good movie. After all, the first segment (which is really the third) deals with what appears to be the early stages of the end of the world. Plus, it’s adapted from a Stephen King novella/short story and it’s directed by Mike Flanagan, who is best known for DOCTOR SLEEP (2019) and “The Haunting of Hill House” … not exactly the genes of a happy-go-lucky film experience. Still, beyond those points, it’s a terrific film that leaves us with an inspirational and life-affirming message.
The storytelling structure is worthy of forewarning. Reverse order, or backwards … the story of Charles “Chuck” Krantz is told mostly from old age to youth, rather than the traditional chronological order. Beginning with Act III, we get a glimpse of Chuck in a hospital bed, before picking up in the classroom where teacher Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is informed by his smartphone-toting students that an earthquake has caused parts of California to collapse into the sea. This catastrophe has an impact on the parent-teacher conferences Marty holds … everyone wonders what’s the point – especially once internet is lost. This segment is subtitled, “Thanks, Chuck” because billboards everywhere are thanking the unknown Chuck for 39 great years. After the parent conferences with David Dastmalchian and Harvey Guillen, Marty crosses paths with his neighbor (Matthew Lilliard) and a funeral home director (Carl Lumbly), before re-connecting with his ex-wife (Karen Gillian). Rather than face the end of the world alone, Marty chooses to be with someone who has been special in his life. We understand.
Act II, “Buskers Forever”, delivers the most memorable scene from the movie. We meet the infamous “Chuck” from the billboards. It’s Tom Hiddleston who spontaneously plops down his briefcase and begins dancing to the beats of a street drummer (The Pocket Queen). Chuck’s fantastic dance steps draw a crowd and he invites bystander Janice (Annalise Basso) to join him. It’s a beautiful sequence guaranteed to put a smile on your face – just like with Chuck and Janice, both of whom have had a bad day. Hiddleston (as Chuck) only has about 20 minutes of screen time, but it will definitely stick with you.
Although those first two acts pack a wallop, it’s Act I, “I Contain Multitudes”, that carries much of the weight. Teen Chuck is played by Jacob Tremblay (ROOM, 2015), while even younger Chuck is played by a debuting Cody Flanagan (the director’s son). Chuck’s grandparents are played by Mia Sara (the girlfriend in FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF, 1986) and Mark Hamill, both exceptional here. Grandma Sarah teaches young Chuck to find the joy in dancing, while Grandpa Albie has the best intentions with his not-so-great life advice. We also find Chuck’s teacher (Kate Siegel, Flanagan’s wife) explaining the Walt Whitman poem, “Song of Myself”, to young Chuck – it’s the same Whitman poem Marty was teaching early in the film.
Flanagan delivers an unusual way to look back on one’s life, and seems to stress the point that the view can be quite different from how you recall certain moments. An environmental and global event forces folks to live in that moment, but the lesson here is about all the other moments in our life. The message is to avoid obsessing about what could happen in the future and focus on what (and who) matters. Nick Offerman serves as the film’s narrator, and yes, some sentimentality is involved, yet it’s never an overdose. In fact, the story is likely to leave you in a contemplative state – analyzing how you deal with your moments. Maybe a dance?
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2 Comments | 
Drama, Sci-Fi | Tagged: Annalise Basso, Carl Lumbly, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cody Flanagan, David Dastmalchian, Harvey Guillen, Jacob Tremblay, Karen Gillian, Kate Siegel, Mark Hamill, Matthew Lilliard, Mia Sara, Mike Flanagan, movies, Nick Offerman, Stephen King, The Pocket Queen, Tom Hiddleston, Walt Whitman | 
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Posted by David Ferguson
December 27, 2025
Greetings again from the darkness. You don’t have to be a baseball fan to enjoy this one. You don’t need to be an old man either. Since I am both, you can only imagine the appreciation I have for writer-director Carson Lund and his co-writers Michael Basta and Nate Fisher as they deliver a nostalgic and humorous look at how men deal with glory days of old and a rapidly changing landscape that looks to erase the past and their memories.
Two adult recreational league men’s teams gather for a final game on the baseball field where they’ve played their entire lives. The land is being developed for a new school, so the River Dogs and Adler’s Paint square off to scratch that itch one last time – safe/out arguments, aching bodies, rounding the bases, and the form of male camaraderie that only exists when keeping score is involved. In fact, this game has an official scorekeeper in old-timer Franny, who takes the game even more seriously than many of the players.
The field and the game take place in New England, but the location could be anywhere, U.S.A. These are friends and acquaintances, some connected only through baseball, while others are lifelong buddies, co-workers, and relatives. As throwbacks to a different era, this game, which goes extra innings, includes a lost ball in the woods, car headlights to illuminate the field, a delay due to a trash truck, and a shortage of pitchers.
For those who don’t know, an “eephus” pitch is an extremely slow, arcing junk pitch designed to contrast with fastballs and catch the hitter off-guard. Probably the most famous was Rip Sewell’s eephus pitch to Ted Williams in an all-star game, and the pitch has been used more recently by Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. However, the pitcher most associated with the pitch is Bill “Spaceman” Lee, who pitched for the Red Sox for many years. Known for his quirky personality, the pitch was a natural part of his arsenal. That same Bill Lee, now 78 years old, makes an appearance in this film, and even pitches an inning … showing off the titular pitch.
Lee also gets to rattle off a couple of his most famous phrases: “Strikeouts are fascist” and “The sun don’t shine on the same dog’s ___ every day”. And as quickly as he appeared, Lee is then nowhere to be found. The post-game handshakes have a bit more emotion than a typical game, and the players even take in some fireworks before heading back to real life. A nod to Lou Gehrig’s famous farewell is included, and the film ends with Tom Waits singing “Ol’ 55”. Appreciation is the best word I can come up with for Carson Lund and these teams of actors who portray the fun and pain that goes along with a final game.
The film is currently streaming and available VOD
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Leave a Comment » | Comedy, Drama | Tagged: Bill Lee, Carson Lund, Michael Basta, movies, Nate Fisher | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
December 26, 2025
Greetings again from the darkness. Dysfunctional families are frequently at the center of movies – often used for comedic effect. But this latest family drama from writer-director Joachim Trier (THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD, 2021) is something different. It’s something much more powerful. Trier delivers a film of characters struggling with the real effects of the tangled web of emotions that occur when family dynamics take the inevitable twists and turns.
An incredible two-segment opening prepares us for what’s coming. We see a very cool house that’s at the center of a 6th grade essay written as if the girl were the house – seeing and feeling all that happens within the walls. This bumps against a segment where Nora (Renate Reinsve, who was superb in Trier’s THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD) is a lead actress experiencing extreme stage anxiety just prior to the curtain rise of her stage performance in Chekov’s “The Seagull”. The two scenes may appear unrelated, but in Trier’s film, everything ties together to create the whole of human experience.
Nora and her married sister Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, A BEAUTIFUL LIFE, 2023), an historian, are close to each other and to differing degrees estranged from their filmmaker father Gustav (Stellan Skarsgard, “Chernobyl”) who shows up for the funeral of his ex-wife, the girls’ mother. An awkward reunion is made worse when Gustav tells Nora that he wrote a script for her. She wants nothing to do with him or the script. It’s hard to tell if Gustav is offering the role as a peace offering to his daughter, or if he is taking advantage of her success on stage to secure financing for the film … it’s been 15 years since his last.
I disclose all of that to give you some idea of the intricacies involved in these relationships. Things only get more complicated when Gustav casts a popular American actor, Rachel Kemp (the always amazing Elle Fanning) in the role meant for Nora … in a film about Gustav’s mother, his daughter, and his grandson … and the family house. That house is the centerpiece to much of what has occurred and what occurs as the father tries to re-connect with his daughters. The eavesdropping through the stove is a nice touch that exemplifies the communication problems for the family members.
As good as Ms. Fanning and Ms. Lilleaas are, there are a handful of scenes between Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgard that are among the most resonant scenes of the year. And the film itself (replete with nods to Lasse Hallstrom and Ingmar Bergman) is also one of the best of the year. Rarely does a family drama perfectly capture the entanglement of emotions, memories, and art. This one succeeds through directing, writing, acting, and cinematography (Kasper Tuxen).
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4 Comments | Drama | Tagged: Elle Fanning, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Joachim Trier, Kasper Tuxen, movies, Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgard | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
December 23, 2025
Greetings again from the darkness. Longtime movie lovers usually cringe with announcements regarding movie remakes. Of course, some work out pretty well: A STAR IS BORN (2018), THE THING (1982), TRUE GRIT (2010); while others deserve backlash: PSYCHO (1998), ROLLERBALL (2002), THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (2003). When the news hit that writer-director Tom Gormican (THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT, 2022) was going to remake ANACONDA (1997), it wasn’t so much a cringe reaction as it was a giant question mark … Why remake a movie that on its best day could only be labeled a fringe cult favorite? Once the leads of Jack Black (after Nic Cage dropped out) and Paul Rudd were announced, it made much more sense. This was to be a comedic take on an original film that featured quite a few accidental comedy elements.
This latest take revolves around four lifelong friends stuck in mid-life limbo, searching for meaning. Doug (Jack Black), Griff (Paul Rudd), Kenny (Steve Zahn), and Claire (Thandiwe Newton) made a movie together as kids, and Griff discovered the VHS tape at his mom’s house. Watching their work as youngsters ignites the desire to recreate the passion they once had. The solution is obvious (to them): remake ANACONDA!
They head to the Amazon and almost immediately are unknowingly caught up in a gold crime ring where a key player, Ana (Daniela Melchior, ROAD HOUSE, 2024) winds up captaining the boat they chartered for the river work. Also on the boat is Santiago (Selton Mello (I’M STILL HERE, 2024), a snake handler who brings along his pet as the titular character. As you might imagine, the whole thing turns into quite an ordeal and yes, there is a giant snake who feasts on humans (like in the original).
Director Gormican co-wrote the script with Kevin Etten, and rather than tongue-in-cheek, they go full-on comedic reimagining of the original 1997 film written by Hans Bauer, Jim Cash, and Jack Epps Jr. Paying additional homage to that film, there are mentions of Jennifer Lopez, Eric Stoltz, and a wisecrack about Jon Voight’s confusing accent. I’ll admit that I don’t always find the genius in this type of comedy, but I found myself laughing more often than not at some of the outrageous escapades … likely due to the talents of the lead actors (Zahn especially has some zingers). You likely know already whether this one will appeal to you, so enjoy … or not.
Opens in theaters on Christmas Day 2025
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2 Comments | Comedy | Tagged: Daniela Melchior, Jack Black, Kevin Etten, movies, Paul Rudd, Selton Mello, Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, Tom Gormican | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
December 22, 2025
Greetings again from the darkness. We give thanks to the movie Gods for filmmakers like Josh Safdie, as there is zero chance that he will ever make a movie that bores us. This is his first solo movie in many years after frequent collaborations with his brother, Benny (UNCUT GEMS, 2019; GOOD TIME, 2017). But fear not, because working alongside the writer-director are other frequent collaborators: screenwriter Ronald Bronstein, cinematographer Darius Khondji, composer Daniel Lopatin, and costume designer Miyako Bellizzi.
The film opens in 1952 New York City where Marty Mauser (two-time Oscar nominee Timothee Chalamet) is working as a shoe salesman, barely managing to stay a half-step ahead of bill collectors. Marty uses the shoe storage room for quickies with childhood friend Rachel (Odessa A’zion, SITTING IN BARS WITH CAKE, 2023), who is married to a stereotypical inner-city brute named Ira (Emory Cohen). Rachel much prefers Marty, while also realizing his big dreams of greatness and grandeur prevent him from ever settling down for family life. It’s startling how quickly we come to understand the personalities here.
Marty manages to get himself to the table tennis championship tournament where his skill in the game is almost as obvious as his too-big-for-his-britches persona. He’s all American in that his arrogance shines through his fast-talking entitlement … diametrically opposite to his Japanese opponent in the finals. Marty’s hustler instincts score him a luxury hotel upgrade as well as an introduction to once-popular movie star Kay Stone (Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow) and her husband (played by “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary). Marty smooth-talks one of them into bed, while attempting to fast-talk the other into a business deal.
If you’ve seen previous Safdie films, you know he thrives on a frenetic pace and characters who create chaos. As an example, we are subjected to a cringe-inducing honey-licking visual, as well as a bathtub accident and related dog incident, both succeeding in generating shock value. This is a hectic story about a chaotic guy (supposedly loosely based on real life ping pong player/entertainer Marty Reisman). After losing in the tournament finals, our Marty endures a crazy year that includes ping pong against a seal and performing halftime showboating at Globetrotters games – his work properly described as a vaudeville act.
Safdie sprinkles in some familiar faces throughout, including NBA legend Geroge Gervin, Fran Drescher (as Marty’s mom), Larry Sloman, Sandra Bernhard, and film director Abel Ferrera (in a key role as a dog owner). We even get (musician) Tyler the Creator as Marty’s hustling cohort. Sharp-eyed basketball fans might spot Kemba Walker and Tracy McGrady as Globetrotters. Marty’s crazy year does culminate with him finding a way to Japan for the next world championship tournament, where kissing a pig becomes the big risk. Some of Marty’s antics may sometimes be in the mold of the Three Stooges, but he’s clearly very talented at table tennis … it’s just the ‘life with integrity’ thing that he finds difficult – even drawing in Rachel and Kay. The ending is not unlike many sports movies, but the path Marty and Safdie lead us down is absolutely unique and entertaining.
Opens in theaters on Christmas Day 2025
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2 Comments | Drama | Tagged: Abel Ferrera, Daniel Lopatin, Darius Khondji, Emory Cohen, Fran Drescher, George Gervin, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Safdie, Kevin O'Leary, Larry Sloman, Miyako Bellizzi, movies, Odessa A'zion, Ronald Bronstein, Sandra Bernhard, Timothee Chalamet, Tyler the Creator | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
December 22, 2025
Greetings again from the darkness. ‘Do what you love’ and ‘Pursue your passion.’ That’s the traditional advice we give youngsters, so they won’t grow up to live a mundane life filled with regrets. Perhaps there is no better example of living your dream than the real-life love story of Mike Sardina and Claire Stengl-Sardina. These two Milwaukee residents not only found a path to sing on stage, they also found true love with each other.
Writer-director Craig Brewer (the underrated DOLEMITE IS MY NAME, 2019) was inspired by watching the 2008 documentary by Greg Kohs with the same title and same subject. Speaking of inspired, the casting of Hugh Jackman as Mike (or as he prefers to be called, Lightning) and Kate Hudson as Claire certainly qualifies. Their harmony is obvious in both their singing and their acting. We first see Mike at an AA meeting, celebrating 20 years sober. He then heads to the Wisconsin State Fair where he is scheduled to take part in a musical legends program. Only he refuses to fulfill his duties as Don Ho, but does take notice of Claire and her performance as the great Patsy Cline.
It’s Mike who envisions the two being billed as Lighting (him) and Thunder (her), but it’s Claire who pitches the idea of a Neil Diamond ‘interpretation’ … as opposed to an impressionist. If you are fan, you know that Neil Diamond was a prolific songwriter with hundreds of songs from his career spanning more than five decades. Even if you aren’t a Neil Diamond fan, you are likely to know many of the songs – especially “Sweet Caroline”, which is a bit of a running gag in the film (and in real life as well).
Filmmaker Brewer brilliantly mixes the pursuit of stage fame with the blended personal family life – two teenage daughters, Rachel (a terrific Ella Anderson) and Angelina (King Princess), and a young son, Dana (Hudson Hensley). The family moments ground the film and allow us to accept the human side of Mike and Claire – especially after tragedy and near tragedy strike. Other supporting work is provided by Jim Belushi, Fisher Stevens, Michael Imperioli, and Mustafa Shakir.
There is an excellent sequence where Mike and Claire get to open for Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam when the grunge band’s tour hits Milwaukee. This is one of the feel good moments – and there are a few of these, as well as a few that don’t feel quite so good. Mental issues, physical issues, and personal issues all create obstacles for these folks, and yet the dreams stay alive. Hugh Jackman is all in as Mike, and yet it’s Kate Hudson who is the memorable one with both her performance and her surprisingly elite singing voice. Ms. Hudson’s performance in ALMOST FAMOUS (2000) will always be iconic, however, she built a career doing many films of which I’m not particularly fond. Her work here is awards-worthy … or as Mike would say, “Huge”. The film is a crowd-pleaser that’s neither corny nor lame. Brewer includes a closing shot of the real Mike and Claire as the credits roll.
Opens in theaters on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025
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2 Comments | Drama | Tagged: Craig Brewer, Ella Anderson, Fisher Stevens, Hudson Hensley, Hugh Jackman, Jim Belushi, Kate Hudson, King Princess, Michael Imperioli, movies, Mustafa Shakir | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
December 20, 2025
Greetings again from the darkness. Horror films are a dime a dozen (meaning there is no shortage from the genre), so it’s a revelation when a filmmaker has a legitimate feel for psychological horror – the kind that creeps us out and (likely) causes a nightmare or two. Such is the case for writer-director Paul Bickel. The scariest place on Earth is between our ears, and Bickel attacks the space by keeping us guessing as we attempt to solve the mysterious events occurring on screen.
We open on nearly indistinguishable flashes of memory until we zero in on Raya (the film debut of Raya Miles) waking up in the forest. She’s filthy, has an injured foot, and her clothes are in tatters. She’s a bit disoriented, yet finds her way home thanks to the barbed wire fence and local road. Once home, her hot shower is accompanied by flashbacks unrelated to her mysterious forest awakening. After the shower, she enters a bedroom where her partner, Paul (the film’s director Paul Bickel), is bedridden and non-communicative. She cares for him by spoon-feeding oatmeal, giving his beard a trim, and keeping the oxygen in stock. Mostly, she frets about this new life.
Well, ‘mostly’ is not the right word since the awakenings in the forest and staggering march home have become regular occurrences for Maya … and she’s still not understanding why or how. She Facetimes with her friend Amy (Tracie Thoms, GRINDHOUSE: DEATH PROOF, 2007) who expresses concern at the situation, but Maya tells her not need to visit. This is all filmed at Grout Creek in Big Bear, so the scenery is gorgeous (if you aren’t the one waking each morning oblivious to how you ended up in the forest), and the snow fall and Maya’s exhaustion are bonus elements to the overall atmosphere created by a nightmare situation she must interpret in order to bring about an end.
Maya’s daily existence manages to get worse as the nightmares become more intense (she wakes up in ever-deepening graves) and real – thanks to her own detective work and some truly frightening and unexpected developments. Missing women, pieces of gifted jewelry, and a recurring axe are crucial elements to the story. And even though we are forced to guess our way through most of the film, the ending is excellent … even the closing credits have flair. Much of this was filmed during the COVID pandemic as Bickel and Miles were secluded in the cabin. Other scenes were filmed once the world re-opened, and I believe most everyone will appreciate the camera work and individual shots throughout. Here’s hoping Raya Miles continues acting and Paul Bickel continues making movies for us.
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2 Comments | Horror | Tagged: Eugene Byrd, Horror, movies, Paul Bickel, Raya Miles, Tracie Thoms | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
December 18, 2025
Greetings again from the darkness. Director Paul Feig hit it big with the outrageous comedy BRIDESMAIDS in 2011, and then he got a lot more interesting as a filmmaker by directing screen adaptations of Darcey Bell novels that were so popular with Book Clubs – A SIMPLE FAVOR (2018) and ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOR (2025). There’s no need to mess with a good thing, right? This time he’s directing another Book Club favorite, Frieda McFadden’s 2022 novel. Adapted for the screen by Rebecca Sonnenshine, the movie subjects three gorgeous actors to some off-the-chart twisted and devious turns.
Sydney Sweeney stars as Millie, a young parolee who we see arrive at a stunning mansion (fabricated resume in hand) to interview for a live-in housemaid position. Amanda Seyfried is Nina, the lady of the house, and she has prepared a lovely charcuterie board for the interview before taking Millie on a tour of the place … including the attic room where Millie will be living as she cleans the house, does some light cooking, and sometimes cares for ice-cold young daughter, Cece (Indiana Elle). Millie sleeps in her car until the phone rings with Nina’s job offer.
Now, Nina was the dreamboat perfect host and potential employer during the first meeting, but upon Millie’s arrival, her temperament has shifted – full bore psychotic mood shifts, replete with throwing dishes, screaming, and false accusations. Of course, Millie must take the abuse and uncertainty or face serving out the rest of her prison sentence – the details come out much later in the film. Still, Millie might just crack if not for the calm, supportive nature of Nina’s rich male model-type husband, Andrew (Brandon Sklenar, MIDWAY, 2019).
Common sense would tell you that the crazy wife vs the desperate housemaid would be enough for a wild story, but oh, how wrong you would be. Things only get crazier from here, and if we’ve learned one thing sitting through bizarre movies, it’s that the best way to execute a preposterous and outlandish story line is to play it (mostly) straight. And that’s what we get here. Of course, many of the twists and turns are easy to predict, but that doesn’t cut down on the demented fun – even though it jumps the shark a bit.
It’s a fun, wild ride – despite the gaps and the unfortunate lack of substance for supporting characters like Elizabeth Perkins as Andrew’s mother, and Michele Morrone as Enzo the groundskeeper. More from either character would have been welcome, although the real star here is Amanda Seyfried who shows incredible range, and never once backs away from the psycho side. I haven’t read the book, but for those who have, this film version is more spicy than erotic (save for one hotel scene), and it easily qualifies as a guilty pleasure – especially for those book clubs out there.
Opens in theaters beginning December 19, 2025
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2 Comments | Thriller | Tagged: Amanda Seyfried, Brandon Sklenar, Elizabeth Perkins, Frieda McFadden, Indiana Elle, Michele Morrone, movies, Paul Feig, Rebecca Sonnenshine, Sydney Sweeney | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
December 10, 2025
Greetings again from the darkness. The phrase ‘Third time’s the charm’ loses impact when the first two times were also charmed. Such is the case for writer-director Rian Johnson and his ‘Knives Out’ trilogy (so far). The filmmaker has really tapped into the joy of whodunits for those of us who are big fans of the genre. This third one has a darker tone and feel than the first two, but many of the elements remain in place – including a stellar ensemble of well-known actors, some whom only appear briefly.
Rising star Josh O’Connor plays troubled young Priest Jud Duplencity. If you are unfamiliar with O’Connor, I highly recommend REBUILDING (2025) and EMMA. (2020). After a physical confrontation, this Priest gets reassigned to Chimney Rock, where arrogant Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin) rules over his loyal flock which includes devoted assistant Martha (Glenn Close), depressed Dr. Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner), stressed out lawyer Vera Draven (Kerry Washington), best selling sci-fi author Lee Ross (Andrew Scott), cellist Simone (Cailee Spaeny), groundskeeper Samson Holt (Thomas Haden Church), and ambitious politician/social media influencer wannabe Cy Draven (Daryl McCormack). As I previously stated, it’s quite an ensemble … and it also includes Mila Kunis, Bridget Everett, Annie Hamilton, Jeffrey Wright, and James Faulkner.
Having this set at a church with two rival Priests make ‘The Good Friday Murder’ one for the Knives Out pages. When superstar detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) arrives on the scene, he calls it “The Holy Grail” of murder and a “perfectly impossible” crime. A ‘closed room’ murder with all suspects seated in the church pews – except Priest Duplencity, who is front and center at the altar, creates quite a conundrum for Blanc and the Priest. Of course, that’s where the fun comes in for Rian Johnson and his writing. He excels at weaving a tapestry of confusion sprinkled with just enough witty humor to prevent the mood from sinking too low.
A secret that’s been held for 60 years leads to another contemporary secret, as well as a few more between characters. Eve’s Apple and the religious inserts are a welcome addition, and mostly this is designed as yet another fun treat for the ‘Knives Out’ fan base. There’s even Tom Waits singing “Come On Up to the House” to close things out.
Opens on Netflix on November 12, 2025
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1 Comment | Thriller | Tagged: Andrew Scott, Annie Hamilton, Bridget Everett, Cailee Spaeny, Daniel Craig, Daryl McCormack, Glenn Close, James Faulkner, Jeffrey Wright, Jeremy Renner, Josh O'Connor, Kerry Washington, Mila Kunis, movies, Rian Johnson, Thomas Haden Church, Tom Waits | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
December 8, 2025
Greetings again from the darkness. My apologies for this review posting months after it should have. The tardiness of the post has nothing to do with the quality of the movie, which I found quite entertaining and creative. It might be best described as an innovate storytelling approach to an age-old tale … with some very cool twists and turns. Ryan Coogler previously directed BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER (2022), BLACK PANTHER (2018), CREED (2015), and FRUITVALE STATION (2013); however, this is his first fully original film as writer-director, and it certainly doesn’t lack ambition.
You likely know that Michael B Jordan starred in all of Coogler’s films mentioned above, and he’s back here as both “Smoke” (Elijah) and his twin brother “Stack” (Elias). The boys are fresh from Capone’s gang in Chicago, and intent on setting up a juke joint in their old Mississippi hometown stomping grounds. An abandoned sawmill that has seen its share of slaughters will do just fine (and no, you definitely shouldn’t read any foreshadowing or irony into the setting. Wink. Wink.). Since I mentioned the twins, you should know that the technical aspects are astounding (in addition to Jordan’s terrific performances). An early scene where the brothers share a cigarette amazed me in its execution and detail. This was the first of many.
Young, bloody Sammie (the film debut of Miles Caton) staggers to his preacher father’s alter carrying the neck of a shattered Charley Patton guitar. And this may be the closest Coogler’s film gets to a serene scene. What follows is a unique blend of too many bits to list, but definitely includes horror, monsters, blues music, biblical references, southern racism, historical events (Robert Johnson’s crossroads), mythology, mobsters, Mississippi Delta black culture, and enough violence for a few films. You may think you’ve seen all there is to see about vampire mythology, but Coogler doesn’t shy away from new blood (so to speak). Now, is all that just too much for one movie to tackle? Many will likely think so, however, those that go with it will likely find it as entertaining as I did.
The supporting cast is massive and filled with familiar faces and talented actors – too many to list here, but know that each contribution adds to the overall dynamic. I will mention Hailee Steinfeld, who plays Mary, a “dangerous” multi-racial woman who is the bridge between black and white (and perhaps good and evil). There are at least eleven other actors who excel in their role and have a memorable, and often surprising or shocking impact, but the only other one I’ll call by name is the legendary Buddy Guy who appears in the 1992 Epilogue. From a technical standpoint, acknowledging those who created the Southern Gothic horror atmosphere are Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Editor Michael P Shawver, and Composer Ludwig Goransson (a two-time Oscar winner). Filmmaker Ryan Coogler has established himself as one who combines a strong technical team, a stellar cast, and a sharp script to create films that have broader appeal than one might expect (superheroes, vampires, and culture clashes). His films are now must-see cinema.
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2 Comments | Fantasy, Horror, Thriller | Tagged: Andrene Ward-Hammond, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Buddy Guy, Delroy Lindo, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O'Connell, Jayme Lawson, Lola Kirke, Ludwig Goransson, Michael B Jordan, Michael P Shawver, Miles Caton, movies, Omar Benson Miller, Ryan Coogler, Saul Williams, Wunmi Mosaku | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson
Movie Reviews from the Dark 