- Life Within the Lens Celebrates Black Filmmaking (February 24, 2026)
Last night, as I am wont to do, I went to the Music Box Theatre. There, a programme in its seventh iteration titled Life Within the Lens took place. It was staged by the Chicago-based programmer and curator Tyler Balentine, who previously presented his Melanin, Roots, and Culture series in 2024 and 2025, which featured Life Within the Lens as an accompanying shorts block. This year, not only did he stage this shorts section, he also began a weekly series at Facets of Black shorts entitled Sunday’s Best, which will have its final showing on March 1.
His assemblage of seven shorts in this year’s Life Within the Lens filled the 700+ seat theater at the Music Box, where a sea of Black folks celebrated cinematic offerings, whether through the origins of their creators or the place of their setting, with ties to Chicago. These screened works leaped effortlessly across genres to tackle heady topics, often with light-hearted flair. So, as I settled into my seat with a plate of àkàrà, jollof rice, chicken suya kabob, doused with a spicy peri-peri sauce, all from Dozzy’s Grill, a local West African restaurant which catered the night, I took in a bevy of sincerely crafted stories that reminded of the potentiality of Black cinema.
The programme began with Jacob Sutton’s “BLK IS TIME/WAKE UP,” an abstract piece that combines footage of dance, often slowed to a crawl, matched with an energetic lyrical piece of poetry. Filmed at the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, the lo-fi short witnesses a lone dancer, dressed in a white button-up shirt, moving through an amber-lit space with sharp intensity. Sometimes Sutton’s use of time lapse becomes so intense, it feels as though our protagonist will simply spin out of frame. Bending time to even greater effect is the use of The Last Poets’s 1971 track “Black is Chant/Black is Time.” Those verses’ active, often kinetic rhythm, provides a rebellious backbeat to the honed movements of the protagonist, intimating the pulsations of Black life.
That agile short transitions into Sarah Oberholtzer’s more meditative work “We Call Each Other.” In that film, which is the first of a three-part series the director has conceived, a father (Ronald L. Conner) of three brings liquid fertilizer for a garden he maintains in his apartment. One day, however, his fertilizer goes missing. He initially suspects the local community garden might’ve taken his supply until he discovers that a young man, with equal horticultural ambitions, might’ve swiped it instead. While you might expect the film to take a vengeful turn, it thankfully doesn’t. Instead, Oberholtzer invests the piece with an uncommon sense of empathy that exemplifies the quiet understanding required to uplift friends, neighbors, and even strangers.
That sense of allowing grace to unlikely figures also takes place in the programme’s third film: Phil Lee’s satirical short “Street Magnate.” The simple premise sees a plainly dressed Cory (Edward Williams III) walking into an office building housing Layment Investors. He asks to speak to the owner and is summarily dismissed by the receptionist. Rather than be deterred, he steadfastly sees his way in to talk to three white employees. I don’t want to spoil the turn that occurs after this point, but suffice it to say, it’s not just a ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ situation. It’s also an instance of subversion that smartly re-works the racist perceptions of Black men into a punchline that’s equal parts funny and eloquent.
The programme continued emphasizing passion via Sanicole’s metaphysical odyssey “The Bet.” Here, Blue (Vincent Fenner Jr), a wayward teenager gunned down after trying to rob a convenience store, becomes a spirit alongside the sage Kit (Church Lockett). Through various acts of kindness, the latter, despite being jaded about humanity, has tried to make his way from this purgatory into heaven. Blue, the newbie, who still believes in the inherent goodness of man, makes a wager with Kit to prove that people can be saved. If Blue wins, then Kit must show him how to transport from place to place. If Kit wins, then Blue must sever contact with him. Apart from its charitable premise, this film thrives on Fenner and Lockett’s easygoing comedic chemistry, which turns the afterlife on Chicago’s streets into a poignant tale about brotherhood.
Intuitively, the ghostly tale of “The Bet” leads us into Eve Wright’s equally phantasmagorical story “The Scorekeeper.” In this genre picture, one can feel shades of Jordan Peele’s “US” when a Black woman named Jade (Bri McDonald), who’s preparing for a first date, is followed by a Black female apparition… aka the Scorekeeper (Alexis Queen), who’s lugging an AV club television behind her. During the oblique film, difficult memories rise to the surface via the Scorekeeper’s poking and prodding through cryptic questions directed at Jade. This speculative format also reminds one of Rungano Nyoni’s “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl,” which also hoped to parse past traumas through metaphor. The sense of mood is equal to the task, fashioning a narrative that doesn’t immediately give itself over to easy answers.
At this point, I’m going to go out of turn by mentioning Luchina Fisher’s uplifting sports documentary “Team Dream.” The final film in the programme, though it’s not the last one I’m writing about, lovingly captures its two subjects: Ann E. Smith and Madeline Murphy Rabb. Both are training for the 2022 National Senior Games. Smith was the first African-American woman to win a statewide election in Illinois, earning a spot on the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. Rabb was Executive Director of the Chicago Office of Fine Arts. Both women, now in their 80s, took up swimming for several reasons. First and foremost, because the activity fulfills them. Secondly, they want to disprove the stereotype that Black people don’t swim. Fisher tells their story simply yet effectively, giving us a full overview of their prodigious backgrounds and showing the intense effort they put into a sport that brings out their competitive fire.
Of all the films featured in the programme, however, the most thrilling might be Shiloh Tumo Washington’s “Bailey’s Blues.” A black and white shot wonder, the film, as the director explained in a Q&A, is inspired by a longer, un-produced feature the director intends to make. When that feature didn’t come to fruition, he decided to craft this documentary about the protagonist. The result is stellar and powerful.
The fictional Marion Bailey (Namir Smallwood) is a jazz stand-up bass player, who’s being interviewed by a white French journalist (Pierre Lucas) in 1962 about his role as a Black man in this musical genre. Rather than give this gazy reporter some eloquent sob story about the plight of artistry, he volleys a series of bristling retorts whose frankness electrifies every moment. This honesty commentary about systemic racism can’t be looked away from, particularly because of Smallwood’s unflinching relationship to the camera and the material. Once more, the film is also incredibly shot, matching the style of 1960s French documentaries down to the subtitles. I beg of someone, please give Washington the means necessary to realize his vision. Because what’s on display here is clearly incredible.
- “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” Maintains Momentum in Confident Second Season (February 24, 2026)
Legendary’s MonsterVerse live-action series for Apple TV, “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters,” achieved a franchise first: provide compelling human characters. In the first season, creators Chris Black and Matt Fraction managed to tell a captivating story with a monstrous, globe-trotting scope spanning two timelines: the 1950s and the 2010s. The series follows three branches of the Randa family tree: Keiko (Mari Yamamoto), her son, Hiroshi Randa (Takehiro Hira), and his children, half-siblings Cate (Anna Sawai) and Kentaro (Ren Watabe). It also delves into their involvement in Monarch, a secret organization co-founded by Col. Lee Shaw (Wyatt Russell in the 1950s/Kurt Russell in the present day) that supervises titans such as Godzilla and Kong.
“Monarch’s” Season 2 picks up right where Season 1 left off on Kong Island in 2017, with Keiko, Cate, and Kentaro’s tech-savvy ex-May (Kiersey Clemons) being saved from the interdimensional rift Axis Mundi by Kentaro, Hiroshi, and Monarch worker Tim (Joe Tippet), with the help of Apex Industries, the mega tech rival company introduced in “Godzilla vs. Kong.” After a long-awaited family reunion between the unaged Keiko and her fully-grown son in 2017, Cate is determined to rescue Lee—who sacrificed himself to save them—from Axis Mundi. However, during the rescue effort, they unintentionally let loose a squid-like titan, which they call Titan X, into their realm. Upon his arrival, the family is once again faced with new challenges as they attempt to locate the new Titan and try to stop it. This culminates in another global rat race between Monarch and Apex, who, of course, try to exploit it for their gain.
For Lee and Keiko, it’s not their first time dealing with Titan X. Scenes from their past play out when they first encounter the monster in Santa Soledad, a village that treats it as if it were their God. Moreover, the relationship between Keiko, Lee, and Keiko’s fiancé Bill Randa (Anders Holm) is put to the test as their secrets make ripple effects to impact the family in the present.
The ten-episode season is never dull. It thrusts you into the immediate chaos and gets to the central focus of the new Titan and the ramifications of its arrival, both on a global and an intermediate level within the Randa family. The season’s plot alternates between being a thrilling extension of the MonsterVerse series that raises the stakes and a “Jurassic World” entry (if it were good) while never losing sight of the engaging humanistic elements.
The ensemble continues to deliver fine performances. Kurt and Wyatt Russell, particularly, are standouts, employing their signature charm through Lee Shaw, who serves as the most effective emotional connection between the past and the present. Mari Yamamoto’s portrayal of Keiko is commendable, as she delivers a maternal performance that resonates with her older co-star Takehiro Hira’s Hiroshi—it’s also funny to witness this mother-son dynamic after freshly seeing them play employee and boss in “Rental Family.” Yamamoto also exhibits the same emotional burden of regret and pain toward Kurt Russell’s Lee as Keiko’s younger self did with Wyatt’s Lee.
The young adult cast doesn’t fare as well. While the characters were well-developed during the freshman season, this sophomore season feels like they’re all written like characters straight out of a YA novel. Anna Sawai’s portrayal of Cate is especially empathetic, and her depiction of her PTSD stemming from surviving the G-Day attack feels authentic. However, this season, while understandable in her intense emotions, she feels as if she has slightly regressed. Numerous beats in the season depict her in a state of constant adolescent-like angst, even before she experiences severe guilt for a mistake that she punishes herself for. The same issue also persists with Watabe’s Kentaro and Clemons’ May, who are written as if they’re teens and not twenty-somethings.
After a mid-season turning point, one that throws a titan-sized wedge in the family, “Prey’s” Amber Midthunder makes an entrance as Isabel, a determined, persuasive businesswoman who has deep ties to Apex. She may come late in the game, but Midthunder’s fierce presence taking center stage adds intense chaos to the Titan X rat race.
By now, it’s obvious that the primary focus isn’t on the big ol’ rock-em-sock-em kaijus if you’re a MonsterVerse fan who is only there for the fights. When they do erupt, however, it is of the same high visual quality and exhilarating thrill as the feature counterparts.
“Monarch’s” season 2 maintains the momentum of its predecessor, marking the best of the MonsterVerse TV series to date. But, like Godzilla’s atomic breath, it takes a while to charge up and deliver a powerful blast.
Whole season screened for review. Season premieres on Apple TV on February 27, 2026.
- “God of War: Sons of Sparta” is a Clunky Footnote in Legacy of Incredible Franchise (February 24, 2026)
Sony wants everyone to love “God of War.” On the one hand, they are hopeful that the in-production Amazon Prime Video series will make the same waves as both that company’s “Fallout” and HBO’s “The Last of Us” did. (“Sons of Anarchy” star Ryan Hurst, who actually voiced Thor in 2022’s “God of War: Ragnarok,” was recently cast as Kratos in the show, by the way.) On the video game front, while we wait for the inevitable next proper game in the hit series, Sony recently announced that they’re remaking the original “God of War” trilogy that really changed gaming in the mid-aughts.
On the day they announced those games are being fully remade (not just technically polished remasters but top-down remakes) at State of Play, they stunned fans and shadow-dropped an entirely new game in “God of War: Sons of Sparta,” now available on the PS5. As a huge “GoW” fan and an even bigger Metroidvania fan (a genre having a moment right now with both “Hollow Knight: Silksong” and the announcement of the return of “Castlevania” from the creators of “Dead Cells”), I was thrilled to play “Sparta.” The excitement wore off pretty quickly.
Let’s get one thing out of the way: “Sons of Sparta” isn’t a horrible game. But it is a game I kept finding myself making excuses to enjoy, because I really wanted to. Even fans of “Sparta” have agreed that it starts remarkably clunky, with several slow hours of what is basically a tutorial as young Kratos gets his powers. The enjoyment of “Sparta” seems to come from whether or not one thinks it ever fully escapes those early growing pains. Yes, some of the gameplay gets smoother largely through repetition, but there are elements of “Sparta” that never reach beyond frustrating, including a story that’s difficult to care about, inconsistent physics, dull combat, and shallow gameplay design. It’s a game with moments that never add up to a sum as interesting as its parts.
“God of War: Sons of Sparta” is an origin story for one of the most famous characters in video game history. It takes place before the previous prequel, 2013’s “God of War: Ascension,” and draws on Greek mythology as its basis (the two acclaimed modern titles drew on Norse mythology instead). It is the story of a young Kratos and his brother Deimos, both living in Sparta. When one of their allies goes missing, they venture out of the city walls to find him, discovering that Laconia is filled with brutal enemies waiting to be stabbed by Kratos’ trusty spear.
Like all Metroidvanias, “Sons of Sparta” is built on a foundation of repetition and backtracking as one gains access to different areas of the map as their powers and tools develop. This is a tougher bit of gaming development than it looks, as games like “Silksong” have so brilliantly embedded upgrades in their storytelling that the player doesn’t feel like they’re just doing something they’ve already done with a bit more power. The world opens up in the “Hollow Knight” games in a manner that makes them masterpieces. On the other hand, “Sons of Sparta” felt like one of the most repetitive experiences of major gaming in years. You’re constantly just doing the same thing over and over again, especially for a large chunk of the game when fast travelling isn’t an option, meaning you literally have to go through the same sections, often from one end of the map to the other, just to progress the story.
The “God of War” games are known for explosive, addictive action. That’s not the case with “Sons of Sparta.” Even boss battles feel more like obligations than the epic, earth-shaking combat for which Kratos is known. Yes, it’s an origin story, but it’s still Kratos, and so being more of a spear-poking kid instead of a Blades of Chaos-swinging killing machine just feels a bit wrong. It’s antithetical to what this series is known for, given how rarely one actually feels like a legend while playing “Sons of Sparta.” No one wants a “God of War” game with low stakes.
It doesn’t help that Deimos is hanging around in most of the battles, doing basically nothing. Why give Kratos a partner when said partner has no real impact on the gameplay? Sure, it looks like he’s swinging away at enemies, but health meters never go down. It’s an example of several places where it feels like “Sons of Sparta” had an interesting idea that never developed into interesting gameplay.
Of course, all of this would have been more tolerable with better mechanics. Worst of all, the upgrades and half of the combat dynamics feel shallow. You can upgrade your gear—the spear, shield, and some random stat-enhancing stuff found throughout the game—but none of it ever feels like it does much. And as much as I kept upgrading my combat skills, it’s basically a button masher where you do the same things over and over again: strike, dodge, parry, strike, repeat. Enemies will glow different colors based on their current attack, indicating if some can be blocked, dodged, etc., and it gives the combat a weird flavor, more like memorizing a pattern over fluid action.
Visually, “Sons of Sparta” is a mixed bag, too. Some of the backgrounds, done in a pixel style, can be gorgeous. And the regions that you unlock have some unique aesthetics, including cold mountains near the top of the map and poisoned swamps near the bottom. While the environments can be engaging, the enemies are often hideous on a design level. Most of them are repetitive and uninspired, and even the bosses can feel half-hearted—there’s one that’s basically just a glowing, green ball of light.
Like most Metroidvanias, some of the repetitive combat of “Sons of Sparta” reaches that addictive spot for fans of the genre, in that I did find myself pushing through what the game does wrong just to open a new region or find a new temple to get a new power. It’s the draw of these games that keeps those of us who love them pushing through, whether it’s to reach that part of the map that remains unopened or get just enough resources to upgrade your favorite weapon. I just wish this one didn’t feel so much like work.
The Publisher provided a review copy of this title. It’s now on PS5.
- Laughs Come Consistently in NBC’s Clever “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” (February 23, 2026)
Robert Carlock, the showrunner for “30 Rock” and creator of “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” is back on network TV with a show that could be called “Remember How Funny Tracy Morgan Can Be?” A show built around Morgan’s goofy, likable personality, “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins,” features Carlock’s quick wit, spoofing sports culture and documentary filmmaking while ultimately being about second chances and defying expectations. Most importantly, after some rocky early episodes, it’s a consistently funny show that could stand alongside Carlock’s previously acclaimed creations.
Co-created by Carlock and Sam Means (an Emmy winner for “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and writer on “30 Rock” and “Parks and Recreation”), “The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins” is a mockumentary show that centers on its mockumentarian, a filmmaker named Arthur Tobin (a perfectly-cast Daniel Radcliffe). An Oscar-winning filmmaker, Tobin had a very viral meltdown on the set of a superhero movie that was nothing but blue screens and tennis balls, not actual people.
Shunned by the documentary community, he’s seeking a comeback by making his own “O.J.: Made in America” or “The Last Dance” with a film about Reggie Dinkins (Tracy Morgan), a famous New York Jets player who was booted out of the NFL when he accidentally called a national sports network to discuss his latest bets instead of his bookie. The Jets fell apart from there, and Dinkins became such an enemy in New York that he couldn’t leave the house without getting yelled at by a fan. He hopes Tobin’s movie can give him the comeback he so desires, and maybe even land him in the Hall of Fame.
THE FALL AND RISE OF REGGIE DINKINS — “Pilot” Episode 101 — Pictured: (l-r) Daniel Radcliffe as Arthur Tobin, Erika Alexander as Monica,Tracy Morgan as Reggie Dinkins — (Photo by: Scott Gries/NBC)
Dinkins has four people circling his life who become major parts of Tobin’s documentary-within-a-show. First, there’s Monica (Erika Alexander), Reggie’s ex-wife, who also still happens to be his agent, trying desperately to hold onto his few remaining scraps of fame while he works on her own to rebuild his legacy. There’s Carmelo (Jalyn Hall), Monica and Reggie’s son, a nice kid who knows how to take advantage of his rich dad and would rather sing in his school’s acapella group than follow pops into sports. There’s Brina (Precious Way), Reggie’s influencer fiancée, a character introduced as a bit disposable, but who proves she’s more than just the flighty, younger girlfriend role.
Finally, there’s the very funny Bobby Moynihan as Rusty, a former teammate who lives with Reggie and supports him through every dumb decision. Moynihan plays Rusty as a wide-eyed bumbler, a sort of vision of if Chris Farley’s character from “Tommy Boy” grew up to be a football player. It’s a funny supporting turn.
As with the acclaimed comedies that Carlock and Means worked on in the past, “Reggie Dinkins” works primarily because of its sharp ensemble, even if it’s a vehicle designed to elevate Morgan’s unique comic timing. Reggie is a classic Morgan character, a guy who may not be the smartest person in the room but someone who becomes easy to root for, especially once Craig Robinson shows up as Reggie’s on-field and now-in-retirement nemesis, a Michael Strahan-esque character who will do whatever it takes to keep Dinkins out of the hall.
HE FALL AND RISE OF REGGIE DINKINS — “Put It on Your Cabbage!” Episode 103 — Pictured: (l-r) Precious Way as Brina, Bobby Moynihan as Rusty Boyd — (Photo by: Scott Gries/NBC)
Morgan gets consistent laughs throughout the first season of “Dinkins,” but so does the entire cast. Radcliffe nails Tobin’s intellectual anxiety, someone who thinks even this project is below him but needs it to resurrect his career, and someone who ends up pretty quickly coming to like Dinkins and his family. Way, Hall, and Moynihan have laughs every episode, but Alexander may actually be the season one MVP as she not only has nuanced comic timing but does great work at grounding a show that sometimes spins off into ridiculous tangents. Alexander plays Monica’s journey completely straight, whether she’s trying to fight her way back into the business management industry or getting addicted to a reality show with Rusty.
Network TV comedy took a hit in the cord-cutting era, but an occasional surprise can burst through the crowd like “Abbott Elementary” and “Ghosts” (and more of you should be watching “St. Denis Medical,” the best comedy currently on the big four). There’d be a bit of TV justice in a show about a fading star trying to reclaim past glory, leading people back to NBC TV comedy, a place that used to define the best of the sitcom form for years. I believe in you, Reggie Dinkins.
Whole season screened for review. The premiere is now on Peacock with the second episode premiering tonight, February 23, weekly from here on.
- CBS’s “CIA” Refuses to Read the Room (February 23, 2026)
It is perhaps not the time for a show about white-guy cops who break the rules to keep the US safe. And yet, that’s what CBS is giving us with “CIA,” a boilerplate spy thriller that doesn’t so much not read the room as exist for the living rooms of twenty+ years ago.
The premise is this: CIA operative Colin Glass (Tom Ellis) needs an FBI buddy to operate on U.S. soil. The powers that be–aka CIA leader Nikki Reynard (Necar Zaedgan) and FBI corner-desk haver Jubal Valentine (Jeremy Sisto)–draft Bill Goodman (Nick Gehlfuss) for the job. In case you’re wondering who’s who, CIA Colin is the bad-boy rule breaker, and FBI Bill is called a “boy scout” more than once in the pilot. Together, they stop terrorist plots.
In the first episode, which includes working with a Venezuelan asset in New York, who Colin “saved” from his own country. Honestly, the idea that the CIA, infamous for destroying democratic states across Latin America, gets to play an unquestionably good hero here had my eyes rolling so far back that my optic nerve was very grateful they only gave critics one episode to screen for review.
“Directed Energy” – When a top-secret weapon is stolen in broad daylight from a U.S. defense contractor, CIA agent Colin Glass is paired with FBI agent Bill Goodman to investigate. Their new partnership gets off to a rocky start, but they soon realize their opposing viewpoints may be their greatest asset, on the series premiere of CIA, Monday, Feb. 23 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT). Pictured: Tom Ellis as CIA Case Officer Colin Glass. Photo: Zach Dilgard/CBS ©2026 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
So yeah, don’t expect complex geopolitical questions from this one. “CIA” doesn’t even appear to interrogate why the CIA, made for spying on and disrupting nation states, doesn’t typically (or straight-up shouldn’t) mess around inside the U.S., but that’s the show we’re in. It’s as if the last couple of decades hadn’t happened. There’s no hint of the conversation the nation is currently having about the federal government’s domestic overreach, no political nuance whatsoever.
The closest we get is a moment when Colin and Bill first confront each other. Nikki, as their lead, mitigates the tension by saying, “Why don’t we all put everything back in our pants and focus?” If that strikes you as edgy gender politics, then “CIA” may be the show for you. If it seems like the type of faux provocation that had its moment before HBO started experimenting with its name, well, that tells you everything you need to know.
On the upside, the show does better with an LGBTQ+ subplot that humanizes rather than tokenizes. The action sequences are also serviceable. The stakes are high–people foam at the mouth, New York is threatened, a sympathetic helicopter pilot is in danger–and while many of the beats are predictable, the resolutions still feel good. Heart rate goes up; heart rate goes down. There’s a bit of fun spycraft as well, with some undercover ops, secret relationships, and off-the-books doctors.
“Directed Energy” – When a top-secret weapon is stolen in broad daylight from a U.S. defense contractor, CIA agent Colin Glass is paired with FBI agent Bill Goodman to investigate. Their new partnership gets off to a rocky start, but they soon realize their opposing viewpoints may be their greatest asset, on the series premiere of CIA, Monday, Feb. 23 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT). Pictured: Necar Zadegan as Deputy Chief of Station Nikki Reynard. Mark Schafer/CBS ©2026 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
To be fair, Ellis and Gehfluss do well with their respective stock characters. The camera particularly loves Ellis, and he commands the screen whenever he’s on it. That said, the pilot doesn’t give him much more to do than stomp about–although his character does get a couple of glimmers of complexity. Only future episodes will tell.
Still, a show can have those elements and be thoughtful too! But “CIA” isn’t reaching for “Homeland” or “The Americans” territory. Its ambition is more “CSI: Miami.”
Which is fine. You do you, CBS. But I don’t think “CIA” is going to break through. It’s decidedly too milquetoast for that. No, this is a series for an imagined audience who still has bunny ears, chasing a network signal. It’s not for our cut-cord reality where we have countless choices of what to watch. Certainly, if you want to start a new spy show, there are better options. Same for a network procedural–let me suggest “Will Trent” or CBS’s own “Matlock” if a throwback vibe suits you.
Because the thing is, not every show needs to be genre-pushing, thought-provoking art. But if you’re not going to make something new, you do at least need to make something quality. And an important part of quality is understanding the audience, moment, and subject matter. “CIA” does none of that.
Might the fans of “NCIS: Sydney” tune in because it’s on after “FBI”? Yes, but I’d hardly call that a success.
One episode screened for review. Premieres tonight, February 23 on CBS.
- Watch: Micro Budget Sci-Fi Short 'Temporal Takedown' Made in Oslo (February 24, 2026)
"Uh let's just not make this into a whole thing." Let the battle begin! This is a must watch new homemade film. A kick ass new sci-fi short film has arrived online called Temporal Takedown, an 8-minute long action thriller about a woman taking on a group of thugs at a dirty car workshop. Temporal Takedown is the latest creation from Oslo-based filmmaker Martin Sofiedal, who also made the Uncharted: Ambushed fan film from 2014, the sci-fi comedy Blasted, and the MIB: Neuralize This! fan film we also posted last year. In this one: a woman with mysterious time freezing powers infiltrate a car mechanic workshop in hopes of learning about a nefarious gangster. An epic and time-bending fight ensues. Pretty much they entire short is this fight with some sci-fi effects thrown in. Martin explains they made this short for only $1800 in Oslo - all the performers did their own stunts and he also worked on the VFX himself. It's awesome! I can't believe they did this on such a tiny budget! He really should be making more feature films now. Click on play below. // Continue Reading ›
- New Trailer for Riz Ahmed's 'Hamlet' Film Set in Modern Day London (February 24, 2026)
"Woe is me to have seen what I have seen." Vertical has debuted a new official US trailer for this new take on the Shakespeare classic Hamlet - it is a South Asian London "re-imagining" or reinvention of the tale of vengeance. Aneil Karia's Hamlet premiered at the 2025 Telluride, Toronto, and London Film Festivals last year to very mixed reviews. TIFF states: "The setting and cultural placement reveal how powerfully the play speaks to issues around identity, intergenerational tensions, contemporary struggles over duty, faith, and belonging. Shakespeare's words remain — but what’s changed is the ground beneath them. And that shift is everything." Adding that Riz Ahmed's "long-standing dream to take on this role, in partnership with Karia, results in a performance that feels both deeply classical and bracingly new." This new Shakespeare film stars Riz Ahmed as Hamlet, with an impressive ensemble featuring Morfydd Clark, Joe Alwyn, Timothy Spall, Art Malik, Sheeba Chaddha, & Avijitt Dutt. With cinematography by Stuart Bentley. This looks interesting but not exactly the most exciting film. Out in US theaters this April if anyone's curious anyway. // Continue Reading ›
- Trailer #2 for 'TMNT II: The Secret of the Ooze' 35th Anniv Screenings (February 24, 2026)
"The true ninja is a master of all things – a master of his environment, a master of himself. Never forget who you are!" 🐢 Fathom Ent. has revealed a second trailer for the 35th Anniversary re-release of the iconic 90s sequel titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, following up last year's mega successful TMNT re-release. Fathom is running this sequel re-release for one entire week in theaters nationwide this March. The Fathom special events for the first live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie last August were huge, because they're awesome movies everyone loves. And yes, I'll happily defend this sequel – it's just as wacky and weird and fun as the original. The Turtles discover their origins while they endeavor to save New York City from the evil Shredder & his Foot Clan - who find a mysterious ooze at a science lab (TCRI) that transforms animals into monsters. This sequel stars Mark Caso as Leonardo, Leif Tilden as Donatello, Kenn Troum as Raphael, Michelan Sisti as Michelangelo, and Kevin Clash (returning) as Splinter, their master. With Ernie Reyes Jr. as Keno, Paige Turco as April, & Francois Chau as Shredder. Plus don't forget - Tokka and Rahzar and the Ninja Rap! This one is so much cheesy fun. // Continue Reading ›
- Michelle Pfeiffer & Kurt Russell in Montana Series 'The Madison' Trailer (February 24, 2026)
"That's why I'm here... I make a memory a day." Paramount+ has debuted their main official trailer for the series titled The Madison, the next follow-up to the mega hit "Yellowstone" from Taylor Sheridan. It's not a direct continuation but follows through with another story of families out on the range. This launches for streaming starting in March to watch. A heartfelt study of grief & human connection following a New York City family in the Madison River valley of central Montana. A big city family's life unravels after a tragedy, as they process grief while vacationing out in rural Montana, exploring human connection amidst profound sorrow. From Taylor Sheridan – starring Michelle Pfeiffer & Kurt Russell as the leads. The Madison is Sheridan’s most intimate work to date, an emotional series set across two distinct worlds – the beautiful landscape of Montana and the vibrant energy of Manhattan – as it examines ties that bind families together. The full cast also includes Patrick J. Adams, Elle Chapman, Matthew Fox, Beau Garrett, Amiah Miller, Ben Schnetzer, Kevin Zegers, Rebecca Spence, Alaina Pollack, & Danielle Vasinova. As beautiful and wholesome as this seems, it also looks like Trad Wives: The Series with all these women living large on this lovely ranch. // Continue Reading ›
- Emma Corrin & Jack Lowden in 'Pride and Prejudice' First Look Teaser (February 24, 2026)
Netflix has revealed a first look teaser trailer for their brand new adaptation of the timeless romance classic Pride and Prejudice, adapted from the novel written by Jane Austen more than 200 years ago (which has already been turned into many films & series before). Ready for streaming later in the fall in 2026. In a year rife with regency drama for loyal fans, Pride and Prejudice will join the yearn-aissance in the Autumn to faithfully bring Jane Austen's iconic story back to life for audiences that cherish it, whilst inspiring a new generation to fall in love with it for the first time. An all-new 6-part limited series for streaming on Netflix – a faithful, classic adaptation of the novel published in 1813. Elizabeth Bennet and the wealthy landowner Fitzwilliam Darcy navigate pride and prejudice as obstacles in their complex relationship before finding love and marriage. Starring Emma Corrin as Elizabeth, Jack Lowden as Mr Darcy, Olivia Colman as Mrs Bennet, Rufus Sewell as Mr Bennet, Freya Mavor as Jane, Jamie Demetriou as Mr Collins, Daryl McCormack as Mr Bingley, Louis Partridge as Mr Wickham, Rhea Norwood as Lydia, Siena Kelly, Fiona Shaw, Hopey Parish & Hollie Avery as Mary & Kitty Bennet. Stay tuned for more footage soon. // Continue Reading ›
