Reviews

Review: Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

Wannabe Movie Critic
When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008.

I just walked out of Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, and I can say without hesitation: I have not laughed this hard in a movie theater in years — maybe ten. This wasn’t just occasional chuckles either. This was full-on, hysterical, can’t-catch-your-breath laughter, the kind that spreads through an entire audience until the whole room feels electric.

I saw it in a completely packed Friday-night screening in Toronto, and the energy honestly felt closer to a rock concert than a movie. People were erupting into laughter, clapping mid-scene, and reacting out loud in a way that’s incredibly rare nowadays. That alone tells you something about how special this movie is as a shared theatrical experience.

Directed by Matt Johnson, this is his follow-up to BlackBerry, a movie I already loved and still revisit through clips because of how sharp and rewatchable it is. That film showed Johnson could handle fast, smart storytelling and compelling performances. This one proves he can also deliver pure, explosive comedy. With BlackBerry and now this, he’s absolutely two-for-two — two home runs right out of the gate — and firmly on my radar as a director whose future projects will now be must-watch.

The premise itself is delightfully ridiculous: two best friends spend nearly two decades trying to land a gig at a Toronto venue- THE RIVOLI, only for their obsession to spiral into time travel chaos. From there, the movie becomes a wild genre mash-up — part buddy comedy, part time-travel adventure, part meta satire.

Tonally, it feels like a uniquely Canadian collision of influences. It has the absurd musical-comedy energy of Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny, the time-travel hijinks and reference density of Back to the Future, and its own deeply self-aware, fourth-wall-breaking style that makes it feel like a passion project bursting with personality.

What really elevates the film is its comedic writing. The gags aren’t just frequent — they’re incredibly clever and often tied to specific cultural moments. The sequences involving traveling back to the late 2000s produce some of the biggest laughs, especially when the movie plays with the era’s pop-culture landscape: who was famous, what we found funny at the time, and how quickly cultural relevance shifts. These jokes landed so hard that my theater was practically shaking with laughter.

There are also unforgettable set pieces — including one involving a wildly over-the-top stunt tied to the CN Tower — that perfectly capture the movie’s mix of ambition, absurdity, and local flavor.

Speaking of local flavor, the Toronto setting adds a huge layer of charm. Seeing streets, landmarks, and everyday locations that you recognize gives the movie a grounded authenticity. It feels deeply rooted in its city in a way that makes it uniquely personal and distinctly Canadian.

Performance-wise, the chemistry between Johnson and Jay McCarroll is the emotional backbone of the film. Their friendship feels completely genuine, which makes the story’s heartfelt moments land just as effectively as the jokes. Underneath all the chaos and comedic insanity is a surprisingly sincere story about persistence, friendship, and chasing creative dreams for years against ridiculous odds.

That balance — heartfelt and hilarious — is what ultimately makes the movie stand out. It’s not just funny for the sake of being funny; it feels like a scrappy, deeply personal project made by people who truly love what they’re doing. That passion radiates from every scene.

The biggest takeaway is simple: this is easily the funniest movie I’ve seen in recent memory, and it already feels like a strong contender for funniest of the year. It’s inventive, energetic, self-aware, and packed with unforgettable comedic moments.

One of the most mind-blowing aspects of the movie is simply how it was made. Walking out of the theater, I kept wondering how they actually pulled it off. The time-travel elements alone feel incredibly ambitious, especially the way past footage, different time periods, and real-world settings are blended together so seamlessly. On top of that, so much of the film appears to have been shot directly on the streets of Toronto in a way that feels almost guerrilla-style — like Matt Johnson and the crew just went out and captured chaos in real time while traffic and everyday life kept moving around them. It gives the movie an unpredictable, “how did they get away with this?” energy that makes the production itself feel like an incredible creative feat, not just a backdrop for the comedy.

Another fascinating layer to the film is realizing that this isn’t a concept that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The movie grows out of the long-running TV series Nirvanna the Band the Show, which Matt Johnson and Jay McCarroll have been building for years. You absolutely don’t need to have seen the show to understand or enjoy the movie — I hadn’t — but knowing this context makes the film’s ambition even more impressive. It helps explain how they were able to weave together older footage, long-running ideas, and newly shot material into a seamless time-travel story. Rather than feeling like a recently invented premise, the movie plays like the payoff to a creative project that’s been evolving for nearly a decade, which makes its scale, cleverness, and technical execution feel even more extraordinary.

If you love creative comedies that take big swings, break rules, and deliver nonstop laughs while still having genuine heart, this is an absolute must-see. Matt Johnson has firmly established himself as a filmmaker to watch, and if this streak continues, he’s only just getting started.

Nirvana The Show The Band The Movie 88/100

Reviews

Shelter Review: Jason Statham Gonna Jason Statham

Wannabe Movie Critic
A recluse on a remote Scottish island rescues a girl from the sea, unleashing a perilous sequence of events that culminate in an attack on his home, compelling him to face his turbulent history.

There are two certainties in life: death, taxes, and a Jason Statham action movie dropping every January. Shelter continues that proud tradition. After The Beekeeper and A Working Man, we now get him as a badass recluse living alone on an island with his dog, Jack. Immediate bonus points for Jack—the movie dog MVP. Any film with a good dog already starts in the positives.

Statham’s character lives off the grid, getting weekly supply runs from an uncle and his niece, Jessie. When a boating accident goes wrong, Statham saves Jessie—played by Bodie Ray Brethnock—and takes her in to treat her injuries. What follows isn’t quite a father-daughter story, but it’s close. The dynamic is very The Last of Us–coded: two people thrown together by chance, slowly forming trust while danger closes in. Of course, it turns out Statham isn’t just some random hermit—he’s a former MI6 agent in hiding, which means it’s time for him to start doing Jason Statham things, aka killing people in cool ways.

Shelter is firmly a B-action movie, and it knows it. What really carries it is the chemistry between Statham and Jessie. If that casting hadn’t worked, this movie would’ve gone completely off the rails—but she’s competent, grounded, and believable, which keeps the whole thing afloat. Everything else is pretty much copy-paste: bits of John Wick, bits of Jason Bourne, and a whole lot of “I’ve seen this before.” There’s even a nightclub scene that feels like it’s trying very hard to be John Wick, which is tough, because no one actually does John Wick better than John Wick.

One thing that really stood out to me, though, was the ending—or more specifically, how it doesn’t quite stick the landing. I’m not saying I could write a better movie, but while watching it, I was already thinking, “Okay, I know exactly how this is going to end.” And then it ends… and it’s fine. It’s a cool enough ending. But the movie teases certain ideas and setups early on and then just never circles back to them. That’s the part that confused me. If you’re going to plant those little seeds at the beginning of the movie, why not let them pay off at the end? Even something small—like Jessie forming a stronger bond with Jack, or some emotional button that ties back to the opening—would’ve gone a long way. Give the girl a puppy, give us something. This is the kind of movie where you technically don’t need that level of storytelling, but then why tease it in the first place?

I also think part of why Shelter works as well as it does comes down to the director, Rick Roman Waugh. He’s not a bad director by any means—he’s a capable one. He made Shot Caller, which is a genuinely great prison movie that I loved, and he also did the two Greenland movies. The first Greenland was honestly better than I expected when I watched it at home. I haven’t seen the newest one yet, and apparently it’s not that great, but still—this is someone who knows how to keep a movie moving and give it a baseline level of competence. That’s probably why Shelter never feels like a complete and utter failure. It’s not amazing, but it’s functional.

The movie wisely keeps things tight at about an hour and forty minutes, which is another win—it doesn’t overstay its welcome. The villain is a total flavor-of-the-week action bad guy, the kind you’ve seen 30 or 50 times before, and while the supporting cast does their job, no one’s stealing the spotlight. You’re here for Statham, and that’s exactly what you get.

Overall, Shelter lands near the bottom of my January movie list. It’s not terrible, it’s not great—it’s just fine. The two leads carry it, the action does what it’s supposed to do, and nothing really breaks new ground. If you’re going to the theater because nothing else is out and you want some reliable Statham chaos, this’ll get the job done. And once again, shout-out to Jack the Movie Dog.

Until next time, Jason Statham.

Shelter = 61/100

News

‘Michael’ Trailer Is Sensational

Wannabe Movie Critic
Domestic Box Office King In 2026

With biopics dropping left and right lately — Bohemian Rhapsody, A Complete Unknown, even the recent Bruce Springsteen movie — it’s clear Hollywood is deep in its music era. But let’s be honest: none of them are on Michael Jackson’s level.

Antoine Fuqua’s Michael feels like the Super Bowl of musical biopics.

Those other artists are legends in their own right, but nobody in music history was as big as Michael Jackson. Maybe decades from now we’ll see something similar for Taylor Swift — but even then, Michael’s story, impact, and global dominance are just on another plane entirely.

The second trailer only reinforces that this movie is swinging for the fences. Jafar Jackson looks like a complete revelation. It’s honestly unreal how much he channels Michael — knowing he’s his nephew makes it even more powerful. From what we’ve seen, he doesn’t just resemble Michael… he becomes him.

The supporting cast is stacked too. Coleman Domingo as Joe Jackson brings serious weight, especially given Joe’s dark and complicated legacy. Domingo excels at intense roles, so it’ll be fascinating to see how he tackles that character. Nia Long as Katherine Jackson feels perfectly cast, and with Miles Teller in the mix, this movie is clearly loaded with talent.

Of course, the real star is going to be the music. “Thriller,” “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “P.Y.T.” — this honestly feels less like a traditional biopic and more like a full-scale concert experience. I already know I want to see this in IMAX with the volume cranked as high as possible.

This thing has awards potential written all over it. It looks amazing. It’s going to sound amazing. The performances seem locked in. If it all comes together, I wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up being one of the biggest box office hits of the year — possibly the biggest domestically. This could be an absolute sensation.

Story-wise, it looks like the film will cover Michael’s upbringing through the ’70s and ’80s and into the early ’90s, before things started to shift in his life. There’s so much ground to cover that it wouldn’t shock me if this ends up being a two-part story.

Say whatever you want about Michael Jackson — everyone is going to see this movie. It’s that simple.

I already know I’ll probably watch it more than once. Jafar Jackson feels like a breakout star in the making, and you can’t help but think Michael would be proud. I genuinely can’t wait.

Reviews

Send Help (2026) Review — Sam Raimi Brings the Chaos Back

Wannabe Movie Critic
An employee and her insufferable boss become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. Here, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, will they make it out alive?

Imagine being stranded on a deserted island with your asshole boss who thinks very little of you. That’s basically the perfect tagline for Sam Raimi’s Send Help — and honestly, it tells you everything you need to know.

Raimi’s latest is a sharp, bloody, surprisingly funny two-hander that proves he still knows exactly how to balance horror, dark comedy, and character-driven tension.

Starring Rachel McAdams as Linda Little and Dylan O’Brien as Bradley, the film starts with a familiar workplace dynamic: Bradley is the rich, arrogant CEO, while Linda is the underappreciated “weird girl” coworker (quotation marks intentional — Rachel McAdams is obviously far from ugly, even when the movie tries to sell that idea).

At the beginning, they even pull the classic Princess Diaries move on her — ugly sweaters, messy hair, food on her face, eating a tuna sandwich — like we’re supposed to believe she’s this awkward nobody. You know the trope: straighten the hair, take off the glasses, boom, suddenly a perfect 10.

After a corporate retreat to Bangkok goes horribly wrong and their plane crashes, the two end up stranded on an island. That’s when everything flips. Linda turns out to be a survivalist enthusiast who’s read all the books and watched all the shows, while Bradley suddenly becomes completely dependent on her. The former boss becomes the helpless one — and that role reversal is the backbone of the entire movie.

Beyond the thrills, Send Help is really about survival instincts, not judging a book by its cover, and how men in power often underestimate women in the workplace. Linda has been overlooked and undervalued her whole career, and now she’s the one keeping them alive. The movie leans into that dynamic hard, and it works.

One thing that’s genuinely funny is how Rachel McAdams somehow only gets hotter as the movie goes on. There’s literally a fade to black at one point and then — boom — suddenly she’s full Rachel McAdams mode, total smoke show. Which is hilarious, because they’re stranded on a deserted island and you’d think people would start looking worse, not better. Later there’s a reveal that explains why this is happening, which makes it even funnier in hindsight.

This is Raimi’s first full horror outing since Drag Me to Hell, and his fingerprints are all over it: gnarly gore, vomit, jump scares, wild camera work, and that trademark sense of chaos. But what really makes Send Help work is the chemistry between McAdams and O’Brien. This movie lives or dies on their dynamic, and thankfully, they’re fantastic together.

Rachel McAdams absolutely steals the show. If Game Night proved she has elite comedic timing, this confirms it — she’s hilarious one moment, completely unhinged the next, and genuinely intense when the thriller elements kick in. She also spends half the movie giving Dylan O’Brien ridiculous nicknames — “Limpy McGee,” “Grumpy Gus,” “Sweetie,” and a bunch of others — and honestly it feels improvised. “Limpy McGee” in particular killed me. Those little moments add so much personality and humor to their dynamic.

Dylan O’Brien is a great surprise here. He’s come a long way since Maze Runner, showing real range with his facial expressions and physical comedy while also making his character deeply unlikeable — at least at first. There’s also a scene involving a poisonous octopus that temporarily paralyzes him, and I’m telling you right now — that sequence is going to stick with me all year. His facial expressions, the tears in his eyes, the panicked crying, the way his body locks up — I was literally wincing in my seat going, “oh my God… this is actually happening.” It’s one of those Raimi moments where you can’t believe what you’re watching, and it’ll easily be one of the most memorable horror scenes of the year.

Despite being a survival horror thriller, Send Help is genuinely funny. Raimi leans into the absurdity, and it works. Think Cast Away mixed with Misery, Horrible Bosses, and a splash of Lord of the Flies, thrown into a blender.

There are plenty of twists — some you’ll see coming, some you won’t — including a clever reveal near the end that reframes a lot of what you’ve been watching. The movie also makes an interesting choice by eventually showing that neither character is fully “good.” By the end, someone gets a happy ending… but it’s fair to question whether they actually deserve it after everything that happens.

Still, this is a tightly crafted, wildly entertaining ride. Raimi reminds us why he’s such a master of tone, McAdams reminds us (again) how great she is, and O’Brien proves he’s got real chops.

Also, side note: between this and Red Eye, maybe just don’t get on planes with Rachel McAdams.

One of the better movies I’ve seen this year already — and it’s only February. This will almost certainly be one of 2026’s standout horror films.

Send Help = 78/100

Reviews

Hamnet Review — A Quiet Devastation Anchored by Jessie Buckley’s Tour-De-Force Performance

Wannabe Movie Critic
After losing their son Hamnet to plague, Agnes and William Shakespeare grapple with grief in 16th-century England. A healer, Agnes must find strength to care for her surviving children while processing her devastating loss.

Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet is not an easy watch — and it isn’t meant to be. This is a hushed, grief-soaked 16th-century love story that sits with sorrow rather than dramatizing it, inviting the audience into a space where silence carries as much weight as dialogue. Nearly two months after its release, I still found myself in a sold-out theater so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Starring Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare and Jessie Buckley as Agnes, the film traces their romance, marriage, and family life with their three children — Susanna and twins Hamnet and Judith — before centering on the unthinkable loss of their son. A brief title card notes that “Hamnet” and “Hamlet” were interchangeable names at the time, setting the emotional and thematic foundation for what follows.

This is, above all else, Agnes’s story.

Jessie Buckley delivers one of the most powerful performances of the year — honestly, one of the strongest performances from anyone, period. She carries this film on her back. There are at least four scenes where you can practically see an Oscar clip forming in real time: raw, unfiltered grief pouring out of her in waves. Her Agnes is fierce, intuitive, and deeply human — a woman rumored to be the daughter of a witch, gifted with an almost supernatural sensitivity to the people around her.

Zhao leans into symbolism from the very beginning, including an arresting birthing scene in the woods, weaving themes of medicine, death, fate, and purpose throughout the film. Agnes’s spiritual connection to the world contrasts beautifully with William’s restless search for meaning. Mescal is quietly solid here, though his role is more restrained — Shakespeare as a man trying to escape his circumstances, eventually heading to London to find himself through theater and writing.

The child actors deserve real praise, especially the young actor playing Hamnet. The bond between the twins feels genuine and heartbreaking, which makes what comes later all the more devastating.

The film doesn’t rush grief. It sits inside it.

Hamnet’s death is the emotional core of the movie, and Zhao handles it with restraint and respect. Agnes watching her son pass away is a brutal, unforgettable moment, and the ripple effects on both parents feel painfully real. This is a story about how people survive unimaginable loss — how they try to hold families together, how they search for meaning afterward, and where the dead go once they leave us.

Emily Watson is excellent as Mary, William’s mother, providing a grounded emotional counterpoint to Agnes. Joe Alwyn also stands out as Agnes’s brother Bartholomew — understated, stoic, and quietly expressive, continuing his streak of strong supporting performances.

Visually, everything feels authentic to the period. The world looks lived-in, harsh, and fragile — exactly as life would have been in a time without medicine, when children died young and often. Zhao’s direction is confident and intimate, a reminder of how powerful she is when allowed full creative control after being swallowed up by the Marvel machine.

The score is beautiful throughout, but Zhao absolutely sticks the landing by using Max Richter’s “On the Nature of Daylight” in the final moments. It’s a devastatingly effective choice — the same track used memorably in Arrival. The instant those first notes hit, the emotional weight multiplies. It’s cinematic shorthand for heartbreak, and it works.

The film closes with Agnes attending a performance of Hamlet, believing it to be a comedy, only to confront her grief in a new way. It’s a quietly stunning ending — less about closure and more about acceptance.

Hamnet isn’t a crowd-pleaser. There are no big moments, no easy catharsis. This is an Oscar movie in the truest sense: contemplative, emotionally demanding, and deeply human. It’s about love, loss, and learning how to let go.

And at the center of it all is Jessie Buckley, delivering a career-best performance that alone makes Hamnet essential viewing.

Hamnet = 77/100

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Super Mario Galaxy Movie Trailer Review: Bigger Worlds, Yoshi Love, and Endless Nintendo Possibilities

Wannabe Movie Critic

The new trailer for the Super Mario Galaxy movie just dropped, and honestly? It completely works for me.

Look — the first Mario movie was what it was. A fun, safe, kid-friendly animated ride. But as someone who grew up with Mario, I had a blast with it. You could tell they were playing it conservative, making sure the foundation was solid. Now, with this sequel, it feels like they’re finally ready to really expand the universe.

We already got teases in the first trailer with Baby Bowser and Rosalina (voiced by Benny Safdie and Brie Larson), but this new trailer puts the spotlight on Yoshi — and let’s be real, Yoshi is basically the GOAT of Mario characters. Seeing him front and center instantly raises the hype level.

The whole thing just feels bigger. We’re talking Mario Galaxy-level scope now: bouncing between different worlds, pulling inspiration from games like Mario Odyssey, Sunshine, and of course Galaxy itself. New locations, new characters, familiar vibes — it looks like a full-on tour of the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond.

And the voice cast continues to crush it.

Chris Pratt actually works as Mario (yeah, people complained, but he fits the role just fine). Charlie Day is incredible as Luigi. Jack Black is perfect as Bowser. Anya Taylor-Joy was great as Peach. Keegan-Michael Key brings tons of energy as Toad. Yoshi sounds like classic Yoshi, which is exactly what you want. It all clicks.

What really excites me, though, is the potential. This universe has endless possibilities. They already brought in Donkey Kong — who’s definitely coming back — and from here, who knows? Link? Star Fox? More Nintendo worlds? The door is wide open.

Sure, it’s “dumb animation meant for kids,” but I’ll absolutely be there day one. It looks like a genuinely fun theater experience, and that’s all it needs to be.

Financially, this thing feels unstoppable. The first movie was massive, and that came out while theaters were still fully finding their footing again. This one drops in April, and I’d be shocked if it doesn’t clear a billion easily — probably somewhere between $1.1 and $1.6 billion.

Bottom line: bigger scope, fan-favorite characters, solid voice work, and a universe with unlimited potential. I can’t wait.

https://youtu.be/eVJduWRCmvw?si=AuizNj8ySva2dXjQ

Reviews

The Bone Temple Review: Faith, Science, and Fanaticism at the End of the World

Wannabe Movie Critic
As Spike is inducted into Jimmy Crystal’s gang on the mainland, Dr. Kelson makes a discovery that could alter the world.

With The Bone Temple, the 28 franchise doesn’t just continue—it deepens, challenges, and evolves in ways that few long-running horror series ever manage. What’s truly astonishing is that this is a January release, a sequel to a sequel, arriving barely a year after 28 Years Later—and yet it stands confidently as one of the strongest entries in the entire saga.

Picking up almost immediately after the wild tonal whiplash ending of 28 Years Later, The Bone Temple leans into the chaos rather than retreating from it. That previous film closed with Jack O’Connell’s Jimmy and his cult of identical blond-wigged followers—“the Jimmys”—descending upon Spike in a moment that felt like A Clockwork Orange filtered through a surreal children’s action show. It was bizarre, off-putting, and strangely magnetic. This film takes that energy and fully commits.

At its core, The Bone Temple is a film about belief systems in a world that has lost all structure. On one side stands Sir Jimmy Crystal, a religious fanatic who has transformed despair into dogma. On the other is Dr. Kelson, a man of science who clings to logic, empathy, and research as the last remnants of civilization. These two ideologies—religion and science—are placed on a collision course, not as simple good-versus-evil stand-ins, but as competing obsessions shaped by the same apocalyptic trauma.

Villains, Saints, and the People Caught Between

Jack O’Connell delivers a career-defining performance as Sir Jimmy Crystal. This is villainy stripped of romanticism. Jimmy is cruel, narcissistic, and utterly merciless, hiding his savagery behind ritual and rhetoric. O’Connell plays him with chilling confidence, making him instantly detestable while remaining endlessly watchable. It’s the kind of performance where you find yourself counting the minutes, waiting—and hoping—for the moment he finally gets what’s coming to him. Coming off Sinners, O’Connell is quietly building one of the most impressive villain résumés of the decade. This is absolutely a Villain of the Year contender.

Opposite him is Ralph Fiennes’ Dr. Kelson, and it cannot be overstated just how extraordinary Fiennes is here. This may genuinely be one of the finest performances of his career. Kelson is gentle, curious, and stubbornly humane, even as the world collapses around him. He believes science can still save something—if not the world, then at least a soul. His compassion is radical in a landscape defined by brutality, and Fiennes plays him without irony or condescension. There is a quiet moral weight to his performance that anchors the entire film.

Caught between these extremes is Spike, once again played beautifully by Alfie Williams. Spike remains the emotional center of the franchise—a young person forced to decide what kind of future is worth believing in. His interactions with both Jimmy’s cult and Kelson’s quiet optimism pose the film’s central question: When everything is broken, who do you follow—and why?

A standout addition is Erin Kellyman as one of the Jimmys, a follower who still seems to retain a fragment of humanity. Her dynamic with Spike is subtle but deeply affecting, suggesting that indoctrination is not always absolute. She feels like someone on the edge of awakening, and the film wisely leaves space for that possibility. Her presence adds emotional complexity to the cult storyline, and it’s exciting to see her positioned as a key player going forward.

Cults as Contagion

One of The Bone Temple’s most compelling ideas is how it frames cult mentality as a parallel infection. Just like the virus, fanaticism spreads through fear, isolation, and desperation. Jimmy’s followers are not merely villains—they are victims of belief weaponized against them. The film draws a clear line between blind faith and survival instinct, suggesting that both religion and science can become dangerous when treated as absolutes.

This thematic tension reaches its peak when Sir Jimmy and Dr. Kelson finally share the screen. Their conversation crackles with philosophical energy, not because it’s loud or explosive, but because it feels inevitable. Two men, both convinced they are right, both shaped by the same apocalypse, standing on opposite ends of what it means to “save” humanity.

Unexpected Humanity in the Infected

One of the film’s most surprising—and effective—elements is the relationship between Dr. Kelson and Samson, the alpha infected played by Chi Lewis-Parry. Their dynamic occasionally evokes the energy of a stoner buddy movie—not because it’s played for big laughs, but because of its laid-back, oddly tender rhythm. Scenes of the two lying in the grass, dulled by morphine, accompanied by needle drops, introduce moments of calm absurdity that humanize the infected without ever defanging the horror.

These sequences don’t make The Bone Temple a comedy—but they add texture. They remind us that even in a world defined by violence, moments of strange companionship can still exist. Samson becomes more than a monster; he becomes a presence, a friend, and a quiet challenge to everything we think we understand about the infection.

Direction, Sound, and a Metal Apocalypse

Nia DaCosta deserves enormous credit for her direction. Rather than attempting to replicate Danny Boyle’s unmistakable style, she builds on it—borrowing the franchise’s kinetic energy while asserting her own voice. The camera work is visceral, the pacing confident, and the film never feels like it’s imitating what came before. This is unmistakably a Nia DaCosta film that understands the DNA of the 28 universe.

Musically, the absence of the Young Fathers’ score from 28 Years Later is noticeable, especially given how powerful that music was. However, The Bone Temple compensates with carefully chosen needle drops—most notably a blistering Iron Maiden track—that elevate the film’s final act into something transcendent.

The last 15 minutes are pure, unfiltered catharsis. It feels less like a movie climax and more like a heavy metal ritual, erupting in chaos, violence, and spectacle. Audiences cheering, chanting, and applauding weren’t exaggerating—this is one of those endings that instantly becomes part of franchise lore.

And then there’s Cillian Murphy.

His return is seamless, impactful, and deeply satisfying. The film doesn’t overplay it or treat it like a gimmick—it simply reintroduces him as if he never left. The final moments all but confirm that the closing scene of The Bone Temple will be the opening chapter of the next film, and it’s impossible not to feel excited about where this is heading.

Final Thoughts

It’s astonishing to say this in mid-January, but The Bone Temple already feels like a top-10 film of the year. It’s ambitious, brutal, thoughtful, and emotionally rich. Few horror franchises dare to interrogate belief systems this deeply while still delivering unforgettable spectacle—and even fewer succeed.

The 28 franchise isn’t just back. It’s doing the most interesting work of its entire existence.

And honestly? I can’t wait to see how it all ends.

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple = 83/100

Reviews

The Rip Review: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Why This Reunion Still Matters

Wannabe Movie Critic
A group of Miami cops discovers a stash of millions in cash, leading to distrust as outsiders learn about the huge seizure, making them question who to rely on.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are one of Hollywood’s true, shining friendships — pushing close to 30 years now. From School Ties to Good Will Hunting, then decades later The Last Duel, Air, and now The Rip. It’s rare to see a real-life friendship endure this long in the industry, let alone continue to produce genuinely compelling work together.

Obviously, School Ties was their first collaboration — a great early-’90s prep-school drama and really the beginning of both of their careers. But for me, my relationship with Affleck and Damon truly began in university. First year at McMaster, sitting alone in my dorm room, I watched Good Will Hunting for the very first time. I remember sitting in silence as Matt Damon’s Will Hunting drives off down the freeway at the end, heading out to see about a girl — and something about that moment just landed. Movies kind of changed for me right there.

This was before Netflix. This was the Blockbuster era. Our dorm had this shared network where everyone traded files, and I remember watching Good Will Hunting twice in one day, thinking, that might be the best movie I’ve ever seen. And honestly, at one point, it probably was. It’s not my single favorite movie of all time, but it’s absolutely one of them. Ever since then, Affleck and Damon have just been special actors to me. So when they reunite — especially after going so long without working together — it genuinely feels like an event.

Which brings us to The Rip.

Directed by Joe Carnahan and inspired by true events, The Rip follows a Miami police task force that receives a tip about a potential money safe house. They think they’re walking into a modest bust — maybe $150,000. Instead, they stumble into over $20 million. From there, paranoia sets in. Trust erodes. And the movie becomes a slow-burn psychological cat-and-mouse game about loyalty, corruption, and whether the people you trust most are actually the ones you should fear.

The cast is absolutely stacked — something Carnahan has always been good at (Smoking Aces was a formative “this movie is cool as hell” experience for me back in high school). Alongside Affleck and Damon, you’ve got Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor (coming off major awards momentum), the always-reliable Kyle Chandler, Sasha Calle, and more. Everyone shows up ready to work.

But let’s be honest — we’re here for one main reason: Affleck and Damon.

They play cops, longtime partners who clearly respect one another… until that trust starts to fracture. Watching their dynamic unfold is the best they’ve been together on screen since Good Will Hunting. And it’s completely different energy. These aren’t scrappy kids or ambitious outsiders — they’re tough, hard-nosed cops. There’s a lot of swearing, a lot of tension, and at one point, they even come to blows. It’s electric. Their chemistry — built over decades — just pours off the screen.

Every major movie they’ve done together (School Ties, Good Will Hunting, The Last Duel, Air, and now The Rip) works because these two are extraordinary actors. When you let them actually “chop it up” onscreen, it’s riveting.

What really surprised me, though, was how well the twists landed. I usually catch onto these things early, but this movie genuinely kept me guessing. When the curtain finally gets pulled back and you realize what’s really happening, I actually said, well fucking done. The paranoia works. The suspicion feels earned. You’re constantly asking yourself who’s dirty, who’s clean, and whether anyone is actually telling the truth.

This isn’t a shoot-’em-up action movie. There are really only a couple of action sequences — one brief, one at the end — but that’s not the point. This is a slow-burn police thriller, driven by performance and tension. And it flies by. I was locked in the entire time. I checked my phone maybe twice — which is saying something for a Netflix-at-home watch.

And that’s the one frustrating thing: this movie absolutely should have been in theaters. January is notorious for being a dumping ground for bad movies, yet The Rip is excellent. This easily could have made solid box office money with a short theatrical run. I would have loved to see this on the big screen — hell, even in IMAX. I want movie stars in movie theaters. Simple as that.

Shout-out as well to Wilbur, the money-sniffing police dog — always a sucker for a great movie dog, and Wilbur understood the assignment.

At the end of the day, The Rip just works. It’s tense, well-acted, confident, and powered by one of the best actor duos of the last three decades doing what they do best. No pun intended, but The Rip absolutely rips.

Definitely check it out. This movie is going to do big numbers on Netflix — and deservedly so — even if it still feels like a missed opportunity not seeing Affleck and Damon command a theater screen once again.

The Rip = 73/100

News

Avengers: Doomsday — Breaking Down the Four Teasers and What They’re Really Setting Up

Wannabe Movie Critic

Avengers: Doomsday is Marvel Studios’ biggest gamble in years. Arriving after the next Spider-Man movie, this film is clearly positioned as the MCU’s long-awaited “we’re back” moment. Since Avengers: Endgame, the franchise has struggled to find consistent footing. While there have been successes, many leaned heavily on nostalgia rather than strong, forward-moving storytelling. Doomsday is absolutely leaning into that nostalgia again — but this time, it feels intentional, strategic, and massive in scope.

The film’s biggest headline is undeniable: Robert Downey Jr. returning to the MCU as Doctor Doom, the next major villain of the franchise. That alone puts an enormous amount of pressure on this movie to deliver. To start building hype, Marvel released four teaser trailers — one per week — each debuting in front of Avatar screenings. The Russo brothers have since said these aren’t really trailers or even teases, but pieces of something larger, something meant to be examined closely. Whether that’s marketing speak or a genuine hint at deeper storytelling remains to be seen, but together, these four teasers paint a very interesting picture.

Steve Rogers / Chris Evans Teaser

The first teaser wasted absolutely no time: Chris Evans is back as Steve Rogers. Marvel didn’t even attempt to keep this a secret. Instead of teasing a surprise reveal later, they leaned directly into the emotional weight of his return.

Importantly, Marvel was careful with wording — they didn’t say Captain America is back. That mantle now belongs to Sam Wilson. What they confirmed is that Steve Rogers himself has returned to the MCU. The teaser visually echoes the end of Endgame, where Steve chose a quiet life after returning the Infinity Stones. This time, we see him with a child, implying that the life he chose has grown into something worth protecting.

It’s a smart move. Steve has already saved the universe once. Bringing him back without resetting his growth would feel hollow, but giving him a family reframes his return. This isn’t about duty alone anymore — it’s personal.

Thor Teaser

The second teaser focuses on Thor, and more importantly, on fixing the tonal whiplash the character has suffered over the past few years. Set in the woods, Thor delivers a reflective monologue about family, legacy, and one final fight. Like Steve, Thor is now a father, and once again Marvel is emphasizing that its legacy heroes now have something tangible to lose.

This teaser feels like a direct response to criticism of Thor: Love and Thunder. The humor is stripped back, the visuals are grounded, and the character feels purposeful again. Thor has been drifting narratively for a while, but this glimpse suggests Marvel is taking him seriously — perhaps for the first time since Infinity War.

Whether this is Thor’s final chapter or simply a return to form, the teaser successfully restores weight to a character that desperately needed it.

X-Men Teaser

The third teaser is pure nostalgia — and it works. The original X-Men cast returns, including Patrick Stewart as Professor X (yes, again), but the real excitement comes from how these characters are presented.

The standout moment — the money shot — is James Marsden’s Cyclops, clad in a bright, comic-accurate costume, firing a massive optic blast while on his knees. After years of black leather suits in the early 2000s films, this visual feels like Marvel finally embracing what fans have wanted all along.

Even if this ends up being the coolest thing Cyclops does in the entire movie, it’s worth it. This teaser made one thing very clear: the X-Men are not just cameo appearances. They’re being positioned as a legitimate force in the MCU, and that alone sent hype levels through the roof.

Wakanda & Fantastic Four Teaser

The fourth and most recent teaser brings things firmly back into the current MCU by showing Shuri and M’Baku in Wakanda meeting Ben Grimm, aka The Thing. This strongly suggests that when the Fantastic Four arrive on Earth, Wakanda may be their first point of contact.

It’s a fascinating pairing. The upcoming Fantastic Four film is expected to lean heavily into sci-fi concepts, while Wakanda represents one of the most technologically advanced societies in the MCU. Watching those two worlds collide opens the door for exciting character interactions and bigger world-building possibilities.

This teaser also reinforces the idea that Doomsday may involve multiple factions operating independently — Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Wakandans — all potentially converging toward the same catastrophic event.

Final Thoughts

Taken together, these four teasers feel less like marketing hype and more like strategic table-setting. There’s a clear emphasis on legacy characters, personal stakes, and multiple teams spread across what could be a fractured battlefield. It wouldn’t be surprising if Avengers: Doomsday plays a role similar to Infinity War — a darker chapter filled with losses, setting the stage for Secret Wars to be the true culmination.

At the end of the day, though, everything hinges on Doctor Doom. If Doom is simply “evil Tony Stark,” the movie risks collapsing under its own gimmick. But if Marvel truly reinvents him — visually, thematically, and narratively — Avengers: Doomsday could be the film that finally re-excites audiences about the MCU’s future.

There’s a lot riding on this movie. For the first time in a while, it feels like Marvel knows that — and is acting accordingly.

Reviews

‘Primate’ Review

Wannabe Movie Critic

In the immortal words of Chris Griffin – EVIL, EVIL, MONKEY!! 

A group of friends’ tropical vacation turns into a terrifying, primal tale of horror and survival.

Primate is exactly the kind of movie that reminds you why January has the reputation it does. That’s not to say it’s terrible—far from it—but this is a horror film that lands squarely in the “good idea, messy execution” category. Directed by Johans Roberts, Primate takes a simple, instantly compelling premise and stretches it across one very bloody, very tense night: a chimpanzee named Ben contracts rabies and turns what should have been a relaxing weekend getaway into a full-on survival nightmare.

On paper, the concept rules. It’s basically Cujo, but instead of a dog, you get a chimpanzee—an animal that is smarter, more unpredictable, significantly stronger, and completely unaware of its own strength. The movie understands that on a primal level (no pun intended). Chimps are cute until they absolutely are not, and Primate does a disturbingly good job of showcasing how terrifying they can be when things go wrong. Ben isn’t just an animal running wild; he’s a force of nature, and when the movie leans into that, it’s genuinely scary.

The film also gets some unexpected credibility thanks to Troy Kotsur, the Oscar winner for CODA, who plays Ben’s caretaker and the father of the main character. Kotsur, who is deaf, brings a level of authenticity and emotional weight that the movie desperately needs. There’s a real attempt here to build a family story: a daughter returning home to Hawaii, unresolved tension after the death of the mother, guilt over having moved away, and the strain that puts on her relationship with her father and younger sister. When the movie allows these moments to breathe, they actually work—and Kotsur is easily the most grounded presence in the film.

Unfortunately, that level of care doesn’t extend to most of the rest of the cast. Outside of Kotsur, the ensemble is made up of young, mostly unknown actors playing characters who feel like they were pulled straight from a horror trope checklist. You’ve got the best friend, the awkward love interest, the girl she immediately has beef with, and—of course—a group of random college kids who show up solely to make the worst possible decisions at the worst possible times. You don’t need a stacked cast for a movie about a rabid chimpanzee, but you do need characters who behave like real human beings under stress.

And this is where Primate becomes deeply frustrating.

The movie is tense. It’s suspenseful. It’s violent as hell. There were moments where it was genuinely hard to watch, not because it was bad, but because it was intense. Ben absolutely wrecks people—faces get ripped off, bodies get mangled, and the film does not pull its punches. Horror fans who live for gnarly kills are going to eat this up, and honestly, this feels like a movie Dead Meat is going to have an absolute blast covering. This thing is practically begging for a Kill Count.

But then the characters open their mouths—or make a decision—and the movie immediately undercuts itself.

Time and time again, Primate relies on characters doing unbelievably stupid things: splitting up, ignoring obvious danger, walking directly into death traps, and displaying absolutely zero critical thinking skills. This isn’t the fun, campy stupidity of ’80s slashers. This is the kind of writing that actively drags the movie down. In 2026, audiences don’t need characters to be geniuses, but they do need them to act like real people. Instead, the stupidity feels like a shortcut, and it cheapens the tension rather than enhancing it.

The dialogue doesn’t help. At its worst, it feels flat, generic, and borderline AI-generated. The movie also borrows heavily from other horror films, recreating familiar scenes and beats without adding much originality beyond “now it’s a chimpanzee.” If you’re going to start with an original idea, you owe it to your audience to follow through with original execution.

Visually, though, the movie has a lot going for it. The Hawaiian setting is gorgeous, and the house itself is incredible—wide views, open spaces, and a layout that actually enhances the suspense as the night unfolds. Keeping the story mostly confined to one location over a single night was the right call, and it helps Primate feel tighter and more focused than it otherwise might have.

By the end, there’s also an odd sense of sympathy for Ben. None of this is his fault. He’s bitten by a mongoose, his condition worsens over the course of the night, and what follows is pure tragedy filtered through horror. In a strange way, the movie’s most emotionally coherent character is the chimpanzee. Justice for Ben.

So where does that leave Primate? It’s not a great movie—but it’s not a bad one either. It’s a frustrating one. There’s a genuinely cool, scary horror movie buried in here, and you can feel it trying to claw its way out. Horror fans will likely enjoy it for the gore, the tension, and the sheer insanity of the premise. Casual viewers will probably catch it on streaming, talk about how wild it is, and move on.

Primate is a January release through and through: entertaining, messy, occasionally thrilling, and ultimately a reminder that a great idea can only carry a movie so far without smart writing to back it up. If you like horror, check it out—just don’t expect the humans to be the smartest species on screen.

Primate = 56/100