Hokum

Director: Damian McCarthy
Starring: Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Michael Patric, Will O'Connell, Brendan Conroy, Austin Amelio, Mallory Adams, Sioux Carroll, Ezra Carlisle
Running Time: 107 min.
Rating: R

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)     

It's rare when watching a horror film to have almost no idea where the story's going or how it'll get there. In writer/director Damian McCarthy's moody, atmospheric Hokum, this happens so often you have no choice but to give in while it explores unexpected corners of supernatural trauma. Classifying this as purely genre almost sells it short, if not for the fact it's genuinely scary, with spine tingling moments of suspense that confirm we're in highly capable hands. 

Equal parts folk horror and whodunnit, it's a haunted house throwback that could have easily aired on late night TV in the 70's or 80's, stopping viewers dead in their tracks and keeping them up for weeks. After a perplexing start, this seemingly low-key character study reveals its true ambitions when a creepy, unsettling feeling slowly builds, culminating in a chaotic and claustrophobic ordeal for an unlikably doomed protagonist. 

On the brink of completing his bleak "Conquistador" trilogy of novels, American author Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) makes a trip to Ireland to spread his parents' ashes, staying at The Bilberry Woods Hotel where they spent their honeymoon. While there, he meets the hotel's staff, consisting of owner Cob (Brendan Conroy), his son-in-law and front desk clerk Mal (Peter Coonan), bartender Fiona (Florence Ordesh), gruff groundskeeper Fergal (Michael Patric) and bellhop Alby (Will O'Connell). He also encounters Jerry (David Wilmot), an eccentric local living out of his van who drinks goat milk laced with magic mushrooms. 

While the depressed, alcoholic Ohm cruelly belittles bellboy Alby's writing aspirations, he forms a brief bond with barkeep Fiona just before she goes missing following the hotel's Halloween party. And despite earlier dismissing her claims that the locked, long abandoned Honeymoon Suite is haunted, Ohm knows something's off, postponing his trip home to investigate as the staff closes up for the season. He also has demons to exorcise, specifically related to his mother's tragic accident and the rift it caused with his father. But as Ohm inches closer to the truth about Fiona, what lies in that mysteriously haunted suite forces him to confront the ghosts of his past.

Ohm's novel about the conquistador and young boy that bookend the film not only gives us valuable insight into the writer he is (a Stephen King type), but the bleakness that defines this work and life. Looking for a way out of the unusually cruel dilemma he's placed his characters in, he's drawn to the idea of visiting the hotel his late parents honeymooned at decades ago, perhaps even searching for a certain degree of closure, if not some relief from the emotional baggage he's carrying. 

Once it's revealed what happened with Ohm's parents as a child and the role he played in it, we realize he isn't just a rude, belligerent jerk to this hotel staff because he's a cranky minor celebrity wanting to be left alone. There's an element of that, but his wounds cut much deeper, with McCarthy earning credit for writing a protagonist who at least in the early going fails to display any redeeming qualities.  

Though the film contains quieter moments of subtle humor, some may still be surprised it's carried by an actor still better known for comedic roles, despite his undervalued dramatic range when playing smarmy, sarcastic know-it-alls like this. And Ohm's easily the most complex of these Scott's ever stepped into, resulting in his best big screen outing yet, altering any preconceptions to provide a grounded presence in the midst of pure insanity 

Despite aiming to make his stay at Bilberry Woods as quick and painless as possible, after a few drinks Ohm opens up to quick witted bartender Fiona, who doesn't suffer fools, reminding him of his late mom. What he can't subscribe to is her theory about the abandoned suite, dismissing any idea it's haunted as "hokum." He'll soon find out whether that's actually true.   

A secretive Mal and Fergal both forcefully wave off notions Fiona's somehow trapped in that locked suite while suspicions turn to crazy local Jerry, whose potentially violent past attracts interest from authorities. But Ohm doesn't buy it, forming an alliance with the old man that's one of the film's more rewarding developments, in large part due to David Wilmot's kooky, disarming banter with a deadpan Scott. But all roads lead to the infamous Honeymoon Suite, where getting inside proves easier than getting out. 

How Ohm ends up in the deadly suite is cleverly intricate in itself, though nothing compared to the terror that awaits, resulting in a karmic comeuppance he thinks he deserves. Presumably operating within the parameters of a modest budget, Til Frolich's set design is a sight to behold, as its maze-like construction, mechanical contraptions and darkened corridors visually heighten the impending doom. 

Whether evil lurks in the shadows or even directly in Ohm's face, there are genuinely frightening jump scares only bolstered by Colm Hogan's suffocating cinematography. We also get the menacing appearance of a children's TV host named Jack The Jackass, who supplies enough nightmare fuel in thirty seconds to make Pennywise look like Tinkerbell. Using a key and tape recorder as his entry point, McCarthy advances a carefully constructed plot that brings Ohm closer to solving the mystery and confronting the mistake he's spent his life trying to punish himself for. 

When the time comes to provide a reasonable resolution, McCarthy doesn't drop the ball, which is no easy task considering the nature of this material. And if watching a writer struggle within the supernatural confines of a remote inn conjures up thoughts of The Shining, you wouldn't be far off since so much of the film rests on similar feelings of isolation. But by exploiting the idea of a traveler in unfamiliar surroundings facing his worst fears, Hokum manages to stand out in what's become an increasingly crowded field.   

The Running Man (2025)

Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones, William H. Macy, Daniel Ezra, Jayme Lawson, Alyssa and Sienna Benn, Katy O' Brian, Karl Glusman, Martin Herlihy, Sean Hayes, David Zayas, Angelo Gray, Oluniké Adeliyi
Running Time: 133 min.
Rating: R

★★★ ½ (out of ★★★★)     

Of the many Stephen King adaptations that hit screens in 2025, a new take on The Running Man always seemed the most logical on paper. That's mainly due to so much happening in the world since the author first published his 1982 novel about a dystopian reality show that sees its protagonist competing in a nationally televised battle for his life. But when the Arnold Schwarzenegger original hit theaters a few years later, it arrived as a cheesy guilty pleasure very much of its era, yet ripe for a potential revisiting down the road. 

Now, with the confluence of reality TV, the internet, smart phones, digital surveillance, artificial intelligence and socio-political conflicts, key aspects of King's eerily prophetic tale have come to pass, creating a wealth of new ideas from which co-writer/director Edgar Wright can draw. And does he ever, which only makes the chilly reception this received from critics and audiences even more perplexing. Unfolding at a breakneck pace, it's edited and constructed well enough to earn a lengthy run time, with much of its success attributable to Wright's world building, a smart script, its great cast and a handful of mind blowing action set pieces. 

In a near future, the United States is governed by an authoritarian media entity called the Network, which ensures the country's population lives in poverty with little access to affordable healthcare. Rearing the nation's viewers on a trashy diet of reality TV and violent game shows, ordinary citizens are given a chance to beat the odds in rigged televised competitions that offer substantial monetary rewards. The most popular is The Running Man, where three "runners" have a shot at winning $1 billion if they survive 30 days without being killed by the Network's five "hunters." But for recently unemployed blue collar worker Ben Richards (Glen Powell), it could be his only chance at affording medicine for he and wife Sheila's (Jayme Lawson) sick two-year-old daughter, Cathy (Alyssa and Sienna Benn).  

Despite Sheila's pleas, Ben auditions for the show, bringing him face-to-face with producer Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), who senses he might have a huge ratings draw on his hands. Ben signs on the dotted line, but when the hunt begins, he quickly realizes fans are being duped by Killian and bombastic show host Bobby Thompson (Colman Domingo) into viewing him as a cold, calculated criminal. But while Ben captivates the audience and outsmarts mysteriously masked lead hunter Evan McCone (Lee Pace), Killian orchestrates the ultimate finale, as the show's latest breakout star fights for his survival. 

Even before the film's title card appears, we see a desperate, quick tempered Ben pleading for his old job back, having risked standing up for co-workers in a society where selfless actions aren't just frowned upon, but punished. Now with a sick child and his wife pulling double duty waitressing at a shady establishment, desperation starts sinking in. It's also our first glimpse of this corporate media dictatorship that strikes just the right balance of hewing close enough to certain aspects of contemporary culture while also having a semi-futuristic feel firmly rooted in sci-fi.  

Wright and co-writer Michael Bacall are threading a thin needle here, but the execution is backed up by Andrew Whitehurst's VFX and some really impressive set design from Marcus Rowland that help move this far past the TV-centric plot of its 1987 cinematic predecessor. And though a certain cheese factor remains, it's considerably less, passing as an actual game show you'd watch, albeit one that serves the story's many thematic goals. 

This battle-to-the-death manhunt presided over by its sleazy, carnival barker of a host manipulates viewers into accepting whatever constantly changing "rules" Killian sees fit. But it also accomplishes a larger, more sinister goal in keeping the lower class subservient to the Network, who dangle the possibility of hope over helpless contestants who don't stand a chance at winning. They're aware how stacked the deck is, but don't have a say, knowing their only shot at escaping poverty is surviving to the end. Cunning, athletic and angry enough for that to seem attainable, Ben's in a different league than fellow contestants Jenni (Katy O' Brian) and Tim (Martin Herlihy), creating an intriguing dynamic with Killian, who sees dollar signs for at least as long as he can control him.

The show's presentation and format is concisely explained without slowing the momentum, but it's what happens once Ben leaves the studio that makes for such a thrilling ride. If the '87 film failed at opening up King's story, this better explores Ben (given some flimsy disguises by William H. Macy's store owner Molie) contending with a bloodthirsty public eager to give him up for a reward. As the hunters close in, the film cleverly incorporates social media and drone cameras, making it clear even the highly skilled Ben needs more help. This is evident when mandatory video testimonials he mails in to air on the program are edited and manipulated by Killian to push the Network's agenda and turn viewers against him.  

There's a relentless, brilliantly staged hotel action sequence that sees Ben attempting to escape the hunters' clutches that's somehow topped by a latter one that plays like a deranged and dangerous Home Alone reenactment. All of it eventually leads to a plane ride from hell that finds Ben in an explosive final showdown that'll determine his ultimate fate. Along the way we get some lively supporting turns from Daniel Ezra as a Running Man-obsessed streamer aiding Ben in his escape and a wildly entertaining Michael Cera, whose rebellious survivalist Elton will do anything to exact revenge on the Network that killed his father. 

Cera's brief, but incredibly memorable and eccentric performance strikes just the right tone while Emilia Jones appears late in the third act as Amelia, a highfalutin woman taken hostage by Ben. Yes, her character's a plot device, but you'd never know that considering all she brings to a role that serves an such an important function in Ben's quest to open the public's eyes to government crimes and corruption. 

Though Pace strikes an evil, imposing presence as masked vigilante McCone, it's Brolin's Svengali-like Killian who calls the shots, filtering instructions through Colman Domingo's flamboyant emcee. The latter puts his own unique spin on Richard Dawson's '87 outing while the ideally cast Brolin personifies this smarmy, manipulative mastermind with more than a few twists in store. He may respect Ben's will to win, but primarily sees him as a tool for further strengthen the Network's grip over society. 

Ben becomes a symbol, and whether he survives the ordeal or not, his impact could prove longer lasting by showing citizens their potential power to invoke change. Powell provides a worthy mix of anger, desperation, physical prowess and morality to the rebellious Ben, demonstrating again why he received all those early Tom Cruise comparisons. While he's not there yet, and his best work remains 2024's overlooked Hit Man, this project can't help but feel like another step forward in further showcasing that versatility.        

Aside from a pat, overexplanatory final few minutes that tells rather than shows, The Running Man flirts with perfection and may even be superior to King's similarly themed The Long Walk adaptation from the same year. Easily putting to shame the '87 version, it'll rattle Scott Pilgrim fans to hear it's a strong contender for Wright's best film, or at least his most focused and accessible. Free from any polarizing quirks, this looks and feels like a big deal, rarely letting up as it makes the most of its inspired premise. And by using time and technology to expand on the original's ideas, it enhances the potency of a message that's only grown in the decades since. 

Dead Man's Wire

Director: Gus Van Sant
Starring: Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Cary Elwes, Myha'la, Colman Domingo, Al Pacino, John Robinson, Kelly Lynch, Todd Gable
Running Time: 106 min.
Rating: R

★★★ (out of ★★★★)   

During Gus Van Sant's biographical crime thriller Dead Man's Wire, a voiceover declares that holding onto anger is the equivalent of drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. But by film's end, we're left wondering whether that's true or the real life antagonist actually did get the satisfaction he sought. Eerily prescient, it focuses on this man with a grudge and the extreme measures he takes against those he thinks wronged him. And though his intended victim isn't around for the consequences, he finds a suitable replacement, leading to an unusual standoff that sends the cops and media into a frenzy. 

Initially, the police want this abductor to feel as if he's receiving the attention he so desperately craves, hoping he'll drop his guard long enough for them to go in for the kill. But what happens when the public chooses to view him as a sympathetic figure screwed over by a soulless corporation? With a compelling tale like his, it's no surprise many can relate, enabling them to somehow see past whatever violence he's capable of, as scary as that seems.    

On Tuesday, February 8th, 1977 in Indianapolis, a high strung, mustachioed man named Tony Kiritsis (Bill Skarsgård) arrives at the Meridian Mortage Company building for an appointment with CEO M.L. Hall (Al Pacino). Entering with a sling on his arm and a long box, an agitated Tony makes a scene when informed M.L. is vacationing in Florida. His son and company President Richard (Dacre Montgomery) intervenes, agreeing to meet with him. But once inside the office, Tony removes a shotgun from the box, wiring it to Richard's neck and rigging it to fire should he attempt to escape. 

Believing the Halls cheated him out of money on a land development deal, Tony calls this abduction into the police himself, hoping to expose the Halls. With a wire wrapped around his neck, Richard's taken out of the building and onto the street by Tony, attracting the attention of Detective Michael Grable (Cary Elwes) and TV news reporter Linda Page (Myha'la), who's looking to raise her profile with a big story. As the FBI closes in and Richard's life hangs in the balance, Tony uses local radio DJ Fred Temple (Colman Domingo) to send his message to the masses. But with time running out, he wants money and an apology, or the shotgun goes off.

Aside from Skarsgård's genuinely unsettling performance and a remarkable sense of time and place, the film's greatest asset is how quickly it gets down to business, letting the smaller details pour out as this situation escalates. From the start, there's something off enough about this guy that the pressure's on to give him what he wants, or at least make him think he's getting it. It's also intriguing to watch these opening office scenes with the knowledge that Tony would have been immediately tackled at the front door if this occurred today. But it's the 70's, establishing him as just another irritated client on a Tuesday. 

Viewed through a pre-9/11 lens with no security cams, it's easier to see how Tony pulls this off, his unusual shotgun contraption throwing off authorities as they proceed with heightened caution. All of this gives Tony time to lay out his terms and milk the public's attention while a terrified Richard suffers through the ordeal, his life potentially ending with one sudden move in the wrong direction. 

Montgomery's performance conveys a thinly layered sense of guilt that Richard and his father really screwed this man out of his cash since that's what this company does. Pacino's big scene as M.L. confirms just how little respect he has for his own son, who's essentially a subservient hatchet man. Even with Richard's life on the line, the elder Hall proves too stubborn and entitled to give an inch, frustrating both Tony and the FBI. Pacino's subtle here, never hamming it up as his character comes across completely unaffected and incapable of relinquishing control. 

While Van Sant gets a little heavy handed as he flashes back and forth between TV broadcast recreations and the actual action, tension remains at a fever pitch throughout, delivered in a style intentionally reminiscent of Pacino's Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon. A menacing, unhinged Skarsgård exudes false bravado as the walls close in on Tony, who still plans to walk away scot-free. Domingo also impresses with a nuanced, charismatic turn as the radio DJ caught in the middle of these volatile negotiations. As the only person Tony trusts, if not flat-out idolizes, you'd think using him as a liaison would give the FBI an advantage. And for a while, it does.  

Logic dictates Tony can't get away with this, but his belief he will is what makes him dangerous. The closing title cards revealing the fates of those involved are legitimately surprising, as is the real news footage that appears over the credits. But by depicting the genesis of similar events we'll see play out over the following decades, Dead Man's Wire shows just how easily criminals become celebrities. And while they continue to bask in that adulation and exposure, it still still says as much about us as them.                  

Project Hail Mary

Directors: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, James Ortiz, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, Milana Vayntrub, Priya Kansara, Malachi Kirby, Liz Kingsman
Running Time: 156 min.
Rating: PG-13

★★★ (out of ★★★★)  

Sometimes the most gripping stories involve a character waking up in an unfamiliar location with no idea of their identity or how they got there. Phil Lord and Chris Miller's exhilarating sci-fi space epic Project Hail Mary is one of those. A stirring adventure all audiences can embrace, it wouldn't have felt out of place among Spielberg's lineup of 80's hits, invoking a similar sense of wonder, excitement and awe. For a while though, we're kind of left wondering where it's headed, at least until it gets there and the pieces all eventually fall into place. 

Cleverly mixing science with fantasy and comedy, it approaches The Martian author Andy Weir's 2021 novel with a respect for viewers' patience that stands out among Hollywood's dumbing down of popular bestsellers. And regardless of how much or little the science holds up under closer scrutiny, it's accessible enough to believe in, especially during quietly introspective stretches dealing with the challenges facing this lone survivor of this secretive space mission. But what he hasn't figured out yet is that his toughest battle still lies ahead.     

It's 2032 and middle school science teacher and former molecular biologist Ryland Grace (Gosling) has awakened from an induced coma onboard a spacecraft light years from home. Suffering from amnesia, Grace eventually pieces together that he's a member of a three person crew, two of whom are dead, leaving him stranded alone on the ship. Flashbacks will reveal his recruitment by international task force head Eva Stratt (Sandra Hüller) to join her classified project studying a substance called "astrophage." Having already proliferating the Sun's surface, it's confirmed to cause a catastrophic cooling on Earth within thirty years.  

Dubbed "Project Hail Mary" for its long shot odds, Stratt's plan to combat this centers around a manned space flight to Tau Ceti, the closest star unaffected by the outbreak. Unfortunately, with only enough fuel for a one-way trip, Grace now unwillingly finds himself on a suicide mision. After discovering another ship containing a five legged alien rock he nicknames Rocky (voiced by James Ortiz), they communicate and become friends, working together to find a solution. But as plans go awry and humanity's future hangs in the balance, Grace is faced with a devastating choice. 

Glimpses into Grace's pre-flight life bring valuable context his current situation on the spacecraft since we haven't a clue how he wound up on it. Whether these flashbacks are intended for viewers or represent his memories gradually returning, a scraggly, confused Grace attempts to make sense of his surroundings. And in showing the energetic, enthusiastic science teacher who rides his bike to school out of necessity rather than choice, we see how the ex-biologist's world is turned upside down after he's approached by Stratt for help. As if he has any say in the matter. Grace is aided by Stratt's initially intimidating security specialist Carl (Lionel Boyce) as he attempts to breed astrophage fuel for the mission he'll be forced to partake in once complications arise. 

With Grace alone on this ship trying to make sense of his perilous situation, we're blown away by Daniel Pemberton's cosmically eclectic, synth heavy score and cinematographer Greig Fraser's astounding visuals, both of which harmoniously co-exist in a film unafraid of wearing many influences on its sleeve. Once Rocky arrives, Drew Goddard's script really soars, with Grace realizing this alien life form (brought to life by mostly practical effects) is in a dire situation not so different from his own, having lost everything and everyone. 

That the impending threat to Earth is gradual rather than immediate complicates matters, making it harder to blame an ordinary citizen for refusing to sacrifice themselves for a mass casualty event thirty years down the line. Stratt may have picked Grace for his expertise, but also on a judgmental assumption he has nothing to lose. The ethical implications of that are intriguing, especially considering how he ends up on this spacecraft and comes to terms with how important his role truly is. Hüller's turn is complex enough that Stratt could be read as a cold, heartless bureaucrat or rebellious rogue who leads Grace to discover his life's purpose, as duplicitous as her methods are. Or maybe she's a bit of both, as her memorable karaoke scene hints. 

Despite some long lulls in the action, the film reaches its apex when Grace and Rocky join forces and form their bond, gradually morphing this into a moving tale of companionship and sacrifice that doubles as a great buddy comedy. It also successfully provokes tears in viewers over a rock that's so much more, with Rocky drawing justifiable comparisons to Cast Away's Wilson or even 2001: A Space Odyssey's HAL 9000. Inevitably, Grace will have to choose between getting home or saving a friend in danger.   

Gosling's charismatic performance carries every minute, playing a different kind of reluctant hero who's brutally honest about his own faults, fears and deficiencies. How his character possesses so little interest in being a hero might qualify him as the best kind, whether he sees it or not. But after fully embracing what he's called on to do, it's a whole new ball game, culminating in a propulsive final hour more enthralling and immersive than we're used to seeing in most mainstream blockbusters.                    

The Drama

Director: Kristoffer Borgli
Starring: Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie, Hailey Benton Gates, Sydney Lemmon, Hannah Gross, Anna Baryshnikov, Michael Abbott Jr., Zoe Winters, Damon Gupton, Jeremy Levick
Running Time: 105 min.
Rating: R

**This Review Contains Major Plot Spoilers**

★★★★ (out of ★★★★)

Writer/director Kristoffer Borgli's The Drama can be divided into two sections: Pre-secret and post-secret. And while the former encompasses only twenty minutes of the film's running length, it's the ideal entry point. In accurately capturing life's dark absurdities and the promising trajectory of a relationship between two seemingly likable characters, we're quickly won over. But the flashbacks charting this happy couple's tumultuous trip to the altar are even more valuable, laying the groundwork for a shocking twist that might not otherwise land as hard, especially since we haven't a clue just how bad things are about to get. 

The film shows why secrets are kept and how little we consider them until the cat's completely out of the bag. Some are inconsequential and others potentially earth shattering, forcing its keeper to run for cover in hopes they can somehow avoid the fallout. The latter kind drives this story, which explores how a single piece of information can change your perception of someone you thought you knew. And it doesn't matter when the event occurred or whether it has anything to do with who that person is now. Sometimes just knowing is damaging enough.  

When Charlie Thompson (Robert Pattinson) enters a coffee shop in Boston, he immediately notices Emma Harwood (Zendaya) sitting by the window and tentatively approaches, pretending to have already read the book she is. After Emma apparently ignores him, he'll return to apologize, only to learn she's deaf in one ear and hadn't heard anything he said. This mixup leads to their first date and eventually many more as we flash forward two years to discover they're set to marry within a week. 

Problems begin when they spot their wedding DJ smoking crack on the street, prompting a dinner discussion with married friends Mike (Mamoudou Athie) and Rachel (Alana Haim) over whether they should fire her. This leads to a game where all four reveal the worst thing they've ever done, concluding with a drunk Emma, whose disturbing confession infuriates Rachel and sends Charlie into a tailspin. Now suddenly reevaluating his feelings for Emma, he wants answers. But in attempting to reconcile the woman he fell for with a younger version capable of something like this, he spirals out of control, jeopardizing their impending nuptials.

Say what you will about Emma's secret, but it definitely exceeds expectations in terms of being awful enough to give anyone pause. Why she chooses to share it could be attributed to the alcohol, a moment of weakness or perhaps the false sense security that those she trusts wouldn't judge her. But this is on a whole different level. At fifteen, she planned to commit a school shooting, going so far as to practice in the woods with her father's gun (resulting in her hearing loss) and bring the weapon to school, eventually choosing not to go through with it. 

Due to a personal connection with gun violence, an outraged Rachel has the most visceral reaction to Emma's bombshell while Charlie's affected deepest, stammering and stumbling to come up with excuses for her in his own head. As if that isn't enough, Borgli goes even darker, actually showing flashbacks of an angry, disillusioned teen Emma.

By painting this powerful picture of a lonely, bullied girl who shares little in common with the adult she'll later become, we're reminded how far removed everyone eventually becomes from their high school selves. Of course, that does nothing to blunt the impact of watching an unrecognizable Emma (Jordyn Curet) fall into an online rabbit hole of gun violence and Columbine-inspired videos. 

As Charlie imagines firearms everywhere, he now looks and feels unsafe in his future wife's presence as this depressingly painful part of Emma's past returns to haunt her, prompting premonitions of wedding guests being gunned down on what's supposed to be the happiest day of their lives. But maybe the most unsettling of Borgli's hallucinatory sequences finds Charlie suddenly walking side by side with Emma's younger, rifle toting counterpart. 

After unsuccessfully attempting to laugh his fiancée's confession off, a neurotic Charlie probes for an explanation, which Emma begrudgingly provides, despite knowing none will suffice. Even worse, the reason she didn't go through with the shooting is purely circumstantial rather than the result of a sudden epiphany or change of heart. That comes later when her loneliness subsides and she takes a different path, accidentally stumbling upon the sense of purpose she didn't know she was looking for the whole time. 

If a changed Emma grew up and realized the horrific implications of what she could have done, that's a detail everyone's chosen to ignore, including Charlie, who's unnerved enough to conjure up a more comfortable explanation to ease his panic. But it doesn't work since he's more concerned with how Emma's secret reflects on him, especially with friends in his ear influencing his actions.  

A somewhat spineless Mike tries to appease all parties and stay out of wife Rachel's crosshairs when she vindictively hangs the information over Emma's head at her lowest point. And Alana Haim is so effectively detestable in the role, letting Rachel's hypocrisy shine through as she remains oblivious to the fact she not only initiated this game, but revealed a secret of her own that's arguably worse. 

"What will this say about me?" may as well be written all over Charlie's face as he desperately flails at work and home, reaching new lows with embarrassingly selfish and self destructive actions. But amidst all the lies he tells himself to move past this, he does hit on the profound truth that many people walk around with terribly evil thoughts they never act on. We're just spoiled by the benefit of not knowing what those are. 

Believing this, you'd almost think Emma's biggest mistake was sharing instead of taking a pass or just making something up during the game. Charlie understandably assumes her only excuse for not committing the unthinkable comes down to someone beating her to it, but that doesn't account for all the times before and since when she could have done this. And if we know anything about these shooters, it's that they'll rarely keep postponing the inevitable. They're the only person who can truly stop themselves, as Emma did by finding a community before it was too late. 

Of course, this isn't to say Emma's still not nursing some serious emotional scars, most of which are reopened with her confession. We see this with the panic attacks and how long it took her to openly acknowledge her feelings for Charlie. And it's telling that when both attempt to handle the DJ situation they swap their previously held positions, almost putting on a show to prove the other wrong.  

Pattinson has to walk a tightrope throughout, authentically registering the reactions of someone who sees a different person in front of him than the one he planned to marry. In actuality, little has changed except this new knowledge suggesting that everything should. It's clear Charlie can't handle any of it, but Pattinson brings dimensions to him that imply he has still as much growing up left to do as Emma. 

Zendaya's casting is a masterstroke almost on par with the work itself, requiring viewers to adjust their expectations of an actress whose character is on defense the entire time. At simultaneous moments we doubt Emma's sincerity, empathize with her plight and cringe at our own conflicted feelings toward a would be school shooter. It was a risk to play the role as brutally honest as she does, but one that pays off with a brilliantly tangled turn that stays with you long after the film concludes.

Whether it's Rachel's drunkenly cruel maid of honor toast, Charlie's embarrassing speech or the violent fall out from his humiliating office incident with Misha (Hailey Benton Gates), the wedding's a tense, entertainingly uncomfortable, cringe worthy disaster. And though the pair appear to be finished before their married life has begun, the final minutes suggest they're still in some strange, messed up way perfect for each other. It ends with a clever call back to when their endearingly goofy coffee shop meet cute offered no hint of the chaos to come. Now they've come full circle, ready for a reset. At this point, there's nothing to lose in giving it another shot, if you'll excuse the expression. 

With this, Borgli swings for the fences, delivering an effort just as audacious as his weirdly ambitious Dream Scenario, only far deeper. And in constructing an ethical crisis that'll have viewers obsessively debating what they'd do under similar circumstances, its wicked, subversive humor rests on two underappreciated actors giving their most complex performances yet. As thought provoking as it is controversial, The Drama may be the ultimate "what if," stretching the limits of forgiveness past its breaking point.       

Scream 7

 

Director: Kevin Williamson
Starring: Neve Campbell, Isabel May, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Anna Camp, David Arquette, Michelle Randolph, Jimmy Tatro, Mckenna Grace, Asa Germann, Celeste O' Connor, Sam Rechner, Mark Consuelos, Ethan Embry, Tim Simons, Matthew Lillard, Joel McHale, Courtney Cox 
Running Time: 114 min.
Rating: R

★★½ (out of ★★★★)    

While few expected the Scream series to even be watchable this far in, the hiring of directing team Radio Silence and actresses Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega for 2022's Scream and 2023's Scream 6 revitalized a struggling property, resulting in its two best efforts yet. And though a few legacy characters held on, the torch seemed ready to be passed, signaling an even brighter future ahead for the franchise. 

Given this, you'd figure the studio would do anything to extend its streak and facilitate a smooth transition for the saga's next chapter. So of course they let Radio Silence walk, fired Barrera after a public controversy and watched Ortega exit. Now it's not only time to find out if Scream 7 can creatively recalibrate, but whether any actor or filmmaker is bigger than the franchise itself. Financially, we know the answer, as this became the series' highest grossing entry. But its level of quality is a separate issue. 

Going all in with nostalgia, Neve Campbell is back, along with the original's writer/producer Kevin Williamson as director. We also get the returns of Courtney Cox, Matthew Lillard, David Arquette and others in various incarnations often too complicated or ridiculous to fully explain. And an actor being present in the film doesn't necessarily mean their character is, at least in the traditional sense. Unsurprisingly, this feels like a step back, as if the studio just wanted to get it over with to prove they could.  

With the Macher house in Woodsboro now turned into an interactive museum and Airbnb dedicated to Ghostface's killings, Stab superfan Scott (Jimmy Tatro) convinces his reluctant girlfriend Madison (Michelle Randolph) to stay the night. After they find an unexpected guest and chaos erupts, word travels back to Sidney Prescott (Campbell), who's built a new life with teen daughter Tatum (Isabel May) and police chief husband Mark (Joel McHale) in Pine Grove, Indiana. But when Sidney receives a mysterious videocall from Ghostface, she's shocked to see a scarred, middle-aged Stu Macher (Lillard), the presumably dead killer from thirty years earlier. 

Now Tatum, along with boyfriend Ben (Sam Rechner) and classmates Hannah (Mckenna Grace), Chloe (Celeste O' Connor) and Lucas (Asa German) suddenly find themselves in immediate danger. And despite Sidney's tension with Tatum over her refusal to share anything about her traumatic past, mother and daughter must work together to defeat Ghostface, just as a returning Gale Weathers (Cox) arrives to help. Is Stu actually still alive or is there a new killer on the loose? As usual, everyone's a suspect. 

The film's extended cold open feels particularly reliant on the franchise's more obvious tropes, which is likely the point. Still, you can't help but roll your eyes wondering why we're going down this road again after the two visually and narratively superior installments preceding it. It's very much back to basics, and the Macher house, a setting that probably would have packed a bigger punch had it not already been featured in the fifth entry. 

If you can get past the house being open to the public soon after the latest killing spree, Williamson and co-writer Gary Busick sticking to the formula won't seem like such a problem. But the familiar sequence plays out more transparently than usual, full of obvious fake-outs, clunky dialogue and manufactured jump scares. Things quickly improve once the action shifts to Pine Grove, which may as well be Woodsboro 2.0, with a touch of Halloween's Haddonfield thrown in for good measure. 

The concept of local celebrity mom Sidney living her best life and freed from the past works, as does the rift those lingering issues cause with Tatum (who Sidney named after late best friend Tatum Riley). And most of Campbell's scenes opposite Isabel May find the teen wrestling with the shyness and insecurity she feels as the daughter of badass Final Girl Sidney Prescott, who's since become a closed book to those around her. 

What's odd is just how ill prepared and uninformed Tatum is considering the widespread mainstream attention these murders have gotten for decades. Aware she'll always be a target, it's somewhat perplexing Sidney hasn't prepared her daughter for the worst beyond suggesting an emergency go bag Tatum leaves unpacked. Considering the situation, this might be a good time to fill it.

Of course, the big question is whether this really is Stu or a game being perpetrated by a new Ghostface using AI or some other deepfake technology. But considering the script doesn't have much to say about that and it's mainly used as an excuse to bring back legacy characters, its inclusion risks rubbing viewers the wrong way. Whether Stu's alive or not, Lillard's as entertaining as ever, almost making you wish they'd throw logic out the window and just give us what we want, regardless if it makes any sense.    

Williamson does something at around the forty minute mark that has us wondering if we're headed into uncharted territory, before backpedaling with a more traditional approach. And while it's sort of a mess, there are some cleverly staged kill and chase sequences, like a memorable onstage demise during school play rehearsals, as well as a gory bar massacre. If there's a huge disappointment, it's the reduced presence of Roger L. Jackson as the voice of Ghostface, who doesn't figure in nearly as much due to the mechanics of this plot. 

Collectively, the new cast is fine, if lacking a true standout since May understandably monopolizes the film's second half as Tatum. She and everyone else are immediately labeled as potential suspects, especially boyfriend Ben, who's humorously referred to as the "Gen Z Billy Loomis" by returning twins Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad (Mason Gooding). And while it's great having both back for continuity's sake, the choice to make the siblings fledgling true crime reporters under the tutelage of Cox's Gale is an odd one. We also get a revisitation of her hot and cold relationship with Sidney, as the franchise frenemies work to bury the hatchet following Dewey's (Arquette) death.  

We're all well aware of the rules going into any final reveal, such as the notion we can't trust any prior death, no matter how conclusive it appears. Or the prevalence of multiple Ghostfaces who share a connective tissue with the series' overall mythology. This time, a lack of the latter cements it as one of the more lackluster endings in the franchise. If there's a saving grace, it's the ability to read it as some sort of meta commentary on the fanbase's obsession with Sidney, and by extension, Campbell herself. But that's a reach.  

The good news is that Campbell gets a chance to shine again, emerging as one of the stronger aspects of a flawed entry that commits to featuring her character as its centerpiece. Given the crazy circumstances, this is better than it has any right being, but also a warning of what happens when a horror franchise retraces its steps in search of the same result. For the first time in a while, fatigue sets in, with Scream 7 more closely resembling the franchise's own self-referential Stab movies than the two previous sequels that put it back on the map.

Anniversary

Director: Jan Komasa
Starring: Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Zoey Deutch, Mckenna Grace, Dylan O' Brien, Daryl McCormack, Madeline Brewer, Phoebe Dynevor, Sky Yang, Rebecca O' Mara
Running Time: 111 min.
Rating: R

★★★★ (out of ★★★★)  

Director Jan Komasa's Anniversary asks what happens when the actions of those surrounding you can longer be explained away as politics. It theorizes where that line is and how it gets crossed, bleeding over into legal and ethical waters that have less to do with party affiliation than an emerging ideological battle between "us" and "them." Scarier still is how many won't realize this until it's too late, their moral compasses malfunctioning when needed most.  

If that sounds like an episode of The Twilight Zone, it easily could be, if only the film's events weren't so believably grounded in reality, even by Rod Serling's standards. With that comes the tendency to label this as a mirror reflection of current events or complain how it isn't taking enough of a "stance." Of course, that's precisely the kind of thinking this film rallies against and why it rises so far above similarly themed projects attempting to tackle such issues. It's about the story, leaving it all up on the screen for us to reach our own conclusions. 

Georgetown University professor Ellen Taylor (Diane Lane) and restaurateur husband Paul (Kyle Chandler) are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary with their adult children at the affluent family's sprawling estate. Attending are depressed environmental lawyer Cynthia (Zoey Deutch) along with her husband/fellow attorney Rob (Daryl McCormack), rebellious lesbian stand-up comic Anna (Madeline Brewer), aspiring teenage wildlife scientist Birdy (Mckenna Grace) and struggling novelist son Rob (Dylan O' Brien), who's accompanied by new fiancée Liz Nettles (Phoebe Dynevor). Polite and complimentary, Liz hopes to make a positive first impression on his parents, but Ellen eventually recognizes her as a former student who left Georgetown after the professor she pushed back on her controversial ideas advocating for a totalitarian government. 

As Paul attempts to convince his wife that everyone deserves another chance, Liz gifts Ellen a copy of her latest book, The Change: The New Social Contract. Co-written with Rob, its contents sicken Ellen, who immediately realizes it's just an expanded, updated version of Liz's dangerous worldview. But by the time  everyone next gathers, the book's already incited a full-fledged political movement that's sweeping the nation. And even while many of the Taylors remain vehemently anti-Change, Liz and Josh's power grows, as does their expanding influence, ripping the country and this family apart, just as Ellen warned.

Despite her employment at an academic institution under fire for its liberal leanings, Ellen categorizes herself as "non-political," believing such labels cause people to see only the truth they've conditioned themselves to accept. But what's more interesting is writer Lori Rosene-Gambino's choice to withhold the specifics of Liz's hugely influential novel beyond a brief excerpt and Ellen's descriptions of it as "anti-democratic" and "fascist." The film's actually less concerned with outlining what's in the book than showing us its subsequent impact, all while Ellen remains ahead of the curve, her premonitions about Liz's true intent initially falling on deaf ears. 

Ellen knows Liz's incapability for growth, but any suspicions that a vengeful former student is back to infiltrate this family eight years later are dismissed by husband Paul as paranoia. And Lane gives one of her strongest performances in years as a wife and mother whose mannerisms can barely suppress the frustration that no one's seeing what she is, especially Paul, who's more interested in keeping the peace. But when Ellen gets an early glimpse of Liz's soon-to-be bestseller, she completely snaps, unable to contain herself any longer as the Change starts catching on.  

We easily understand how everyone else would accept the self-assured Liz at face value, or at least assume she doesn't pose the massive threat Ellen speaks of. Coming across as friendly, intelligent and put together in every way, there's no reason to suspect the worst, aside from maybe wondering what she sees in a floundering Rob. But Dynevor's sneaky performance hints that something's off as Liz maintains this blank, almost coldly emotionless poker face the entire time. After a while we'll realize she's there with a single-minded purpose, even while continuing to question whether she's really capable of all Ellen alleges. 

Much to Paul's displeasure, an explosive Thanksgiving family dinner erupts when the action leaps forward two years and it's increasingly hard to ignore for him to keep ignoring politics at the table. It's also difficult not to notice an unrecognizable Rob's transformation from geeky, self-loathing journalist into cocky, belligerent control freak. And few feel the wrath of that quite like outspoken sister Anna, who uses using her public platform to condemn the Change before facing disastrous consequences when more than just her first amendment rights are stripped away. Cynthia isn't thrilled about any of this either, with her depression and marital problems with Rob compounding an already dire situation. 

The wild card is an introspective Birdy, who's played by an impressive McKenna Grace, whose quietly heavy lifting leaves her character's intentions up in the air. A confused, curious teen still figuring things out, we read the teen's expressions and mannerisms looking for hints, until realizing she may not know herself. Torn between an intense, anti-Change activist boyfriend Moses (Sky Yang) and a brother and sister-in-law looking to exploit her perceived vulnerability to their advantage, Birdy's allegiance is unclear. And yet she's stronger than they think, but also somehow weaker, with nothing fully preparing us for how important to the story she'll become.   

With its stars centered in the middle, The Change regime's American flag is a clever, distorted perversion meant to symbolize the country joining in the middle, supposedly free from political parties and division. Of course, what that really means is an oppressive single party system that foists its beliefs on the nation with force. The distressing sight of it shakes Ellen to her core, causing her to do something she'll regret, or maybe not, since the character's defining trait is her unwavering commitment to standing up for what she believes. But whether a single book can carry this level of cultural currency and influence might be the wrong question to ask when sometimes all it takes is a small spark to set social media ablaze, allowing the public to take care of the rest. 

The film's masterful in its escalation as Lane and Chandler's stressed characters subtly age a lifetime, deteriorating before our very eyes as they wonder how things went so spectacularly wrong, especially in raising son Rob, who Liz easily molds and manipulates into the person he thinks he wants to be. O' Brien's metamorphosis as Rob is the stuff of nightmares, particularly during his tense sit-down with Paul in the film's second half, as the latter now grasps the enormity of his own son's actions, finally drawing a line in the sand. 

The always underappreciated Chandler plays Paul as a hardworking, salt of the earth everyman who isn't exactly naive, but chooses to see the best in people, especially his own family. He sees this as a problem that can be temporarily ignored, if not fixed, with small talk and a some burgers. Unfortunately, by the time he heeds his wife's warnings and hunkers down for an ugly fight, the country's careened into an Orwellian surveillance state, reinforced by a chilling third act census visit. But when any political movement gets too big and dangerous to control, no one's immune from the consequences, including those supposedly in charge. 

What starts as a dysfunctional family drama morphs into an American tragedy before emerging as a full blown suburban nightmare that hits too close to home. It also boasts a loaded dream cast where each member stands on equal footing, their respective performances peaking at various points to cohesively form pieces of a much larger puzzle. Starting with an anniversary party and ending with a far different one, its incisive, unsettling script comes full circle with mind blowing developments and a guarantee you'll never hear Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over" the same way again. 

In a less fragmented viewing landscape and with proper studio support, you can envision a scenario where Anniversary becomes one of the more hotly debated and discussed releases of the past year. Instead, Lionsgate seemingly buried it with a generically inoffensive title that hints at them not knowing what they had or maybe even being scared to promote it. Simply calling this The Change would have been a better call, at least drawing attention to the controversial uprising at the story's core. But audiences willing to put preconceptions aside and embrace this at face value can prepare for a thriller as terrifying as it is thought provoking.