Skip to main content

Posts

Dragonborn Review

Dragonborn follows Alex Evans, a twelve-year-old girl whose life has slowly tightened around her like a cage. Ever since her father died, Alex’s mother has become overly protective, enforcing strict rules to control her entire life. Though her mother’s fear comes from grief, it makes Alex feel trapped, lonely, and increasingly frustrated. She has never really understood why her emotions feel so overwhelming — especially her anger, which burns hotter than it should and seems impossible to contain. That “burning” turns out to be literal. One day, during an especially tense moment, Alex loses control and releases a burst of fire from her own body. The incident is both terrifying and confusing, but it reveals a truth that changes her entire life: Alex is not fully human. She is a Slumberer — a dragon whose true nature has been hidden inside a human form since birth. She’s meets other dragons and is taken to Skralla, a secret island where young dragons live and train to unlock t...
Recent posts

Nouvelle Vague Review

Who knew a film about making Breathless would be more fun than the original Breathless ? Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague pays tribute to the French New Wave of the 1950s and 60s, celebrating the movement that reshaped cinema and the artists who drove it. He digs into Jean-Luc Godard as a humorous, ambitious, pretentious, and boldly conceited young filmmaker determined to reinvent how people make, see, and talk about films. Still from Nouvelle Vague The dialogue is snappy and funny, fully embracing the style of the era while keeping the script light and self-aware. Zoey Deutch shines as Jean Seberg in a film that entertains, spotlights the creative minds behind the making of Breathless , and challenges cinematic norms just as the real New Wave once did. Rating: ★★★★ Review by: Gal Balaban

Ballad of a Small Player Review

The combination of Colin Farrell in an Edward Berger film was enough to sell me on Ballad of a Small Player . With a recent streak of amazing films such as Conclave and All Quiet on the Western Front , Edward Berger sets his sights on three back-to-back hits. Colin Farrell plays Lord Doyle, a high-stakes gambler laying low in Macau as his past debt begins to catch up to him. The supporting cast is slim but effective, with Tilda Swinton as an unrelenting debt collector and Fala Chen as Dao-Ming, a love interest who pulls Doyle deeper into the film’s central struggles. Still from Ballad of a Small Player The film balances several important themes — the addictive nature of gambling, the corrosive pursuit of wealth, and the emotional decay that follows. Doyle’s lust for fortune becomes a constant chase that corrupts the soul, blurring the lines of reality. Like any addict, he spirals into loneliness and depression as his obsession consumes him. Berger visualiz...

The Running Man Review

The Running Man is not the first film adaptation of the Stephen King novel, but it is the rare reimagining that not only justifies its existence by taking a completely different and more faithful direction, but also tops the original film by far. Edgar Wright’s love of filmmaking shines through in all his projects, no matter the scale or setting. This one is a lot more self-serious than his other works, but enough irreverence and humor still shines through to balance it out. Glen Powell’s action-star presence gives the film much flare and entertainment, making Ben Richards a fun character to root for, even when some of his characteristics do not always add up (a subplot about his anger issues becomes irrelevant after the opening minutes). Colman Domingo is also a riveting standout as the host of the titular game show, giving both the dialogue and performance his all. His scenes of commentary and theatrics elevate much of the film. The Runn...

Now You See Me: Now You Don't Review

Now You See Me: Now You Don’t is devoid of the fugitive thrills, star charisma, and moral ambiguity that made the first film remotely a success. Instead, it turns its protagonists into superheroes with plot conveniences at their disposal, and none of the big names in the cast really get to shine their personalities. Every character feels empty, with the exceptions of those played by Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, and Morgan Freeman. Rosamund Pike is given truly awful material to work with and a very odd South African accent. Now You See Me: Now You Don’t The movie struggles to answer the question of why this sequel exists so many years later. Why this heist? Why this villain? The stakes feel rather low for a third film, and when the script finally comes around to attempting satisfying responses, you’re left wishing you had not heard them. The movie is not even quite able to explain why we should be impressed by these magicians, o...

Predator: Badlands - Review

Just as he did with Prey and Killer of Killers , Dan Trachtenberg once again breaks new ground with the Predator franchise. Badlands is a bold and badass departure from everything we’ve seen before, proving the Yautja to be a versatile, genre-defying species under the right direction. By exploring the Predator as a character rather than just a threat, you risk pulling back the curtain too far — but thankfully, that’s not the case here. These creatures are as ruthless and menacing as ever. Dek is the name of this Yautja, and his tribe’s customs are absolutely brutal. They hunt for sport, and the weakest links are slaughtered — even family. It’s a massive expansion of the lore that feels entirely fresh, giving the franchise a true sci-fi identity again. Tonally, it’s refreshingly unique — essentially a buddy team-up movie between Dek and Thia, the chatty top half of a Weyland-Yutani synth. A still from Predator: Badlands . The plot is lean, emph...

Task - HBO's Latest Mini Series

Task is a morally complex crime drama populated by characters written with thoughtful depth. Following up on the tremendous Mare of Easttown , Brad Inglesby delivers another gripping, heart-rending, and multi-layered story filled with exceptional performances across the board. Because this limited series reaches beyond its crime elements into the lives of people on all sides of the conflict, it becomes far richer than expected. Yes, the investigative and criminal threads are central, but it’s the exploration of what makes these characters tick that truly elevates the show. Some might view the character-driven drama as unnecessary padding, but it adds depth and realism while giving the series a strong emotional core. These aren’t just characters built to serve the plot — they’re living, breathing people with lives and baggage of their own. Tom Pelphrey and Mark Ruffalo in Task . What also makes this such a compelling watch are the layers woven th...