- Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show” Piles On More Oscar Winners As The Show Loses Steam (September 17, 2025)
Over the course of three seasons spread over six years, the star-studded, glossy, addictively entertaining albeit extravagantly logic-bending Apple TV+ prestige vehicle “The Morning Show” has been mostly successful in ping-ponging between substantive commentary on real-world issues and events such as the #MeToo movement, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Roe v. Wade overturn and the January 6th attack on the Capitol—and sudsy melodrama about rules-breaking journalists who become the news far too often. As someone who has co-anchored a morning TV show in Chicago and has spent more than a few years as a contributor to other news/information programs (not to mention a certain movie review show), I’ve been thoroughly entertained by the juicy performances and the glam settings and the cliffhanger plot developments. Even when there are times when the series is no more realistic about network television than “WKRP in Cincinnati” was about local Top 40 rock radio.
Season 4 of “The Morning Show” sees a couple of Oscar winners (Jeremy Irons and Marion Cotillard) joining an enormously talented, if sometimes overcrowded, cast, led by linchpins Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, and Billy Crudup. As always, it’s a visually arresting show, with great-looking characters forever stepping out on wraparound balconies with breathtaking views of Manhattan, and expensive-looking set pieces involving a large-scale protest on the streets of New York City, as well as some exquisitely choreographed cloak-and-dagger stuff transpiring during a Puccini opera recital. Alas, by the time we get to that latter sequence, “TMS” has taken so many ludicrous and often ham-handed turns that the entire vehicle has flown off a cliff. It’s only a matter of time before the whole thing comes crashing down in a heap of self-important nonsense.
The problems for Season 4 begin with the way Season 3 ended, effectively sending the three main characters and one major guest star in separate directions. When we last saw Witherspoon’s Bradley Jackson, she was about to come clean with the feds about covering up her brother’s assault on a police officer during the Capitol riots. Crudup’s Cory Ellison was seeing his time as UBA network’s CEO come to an end. At the same time, Aniston’s Alex Levy had double-crossed her billionaire tech boyfriend, Paul Marks (Jon Hamm), by engineering a deal where UBA would merge with rival network NBN. Cut to two years later, and all four have indeed gone their separate ways—so how do we get Bradley, Alex, Cory, and even Paul back in each other’s lives? Through a series of hastily developed plot machinations that feel utterly contrived. (They also found a way to have Mark Duplass’ passionate producer Chip Black return to the action. Duplass is once again electric as the closest thing to a moral compass in this ethical shark tank.)
Season 4 is set in late spring/early summer of 2024. The upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris are an early focal point, with UBA pinning its financial hopes on its coverage of the Games, which will include a major AI component. (Timely!) It’s another example of “The Morning Show” tapping into real-world events as dramatic source material—but curiously enough, there is almost zero mention of the 2024 presidential election, which, of course, was the story of that summer. The premiere episode centers on an international incident in which Alex once again finds herself on the other side of the news—but that story thread is pushed to the side in subsequent chapters, which focus on quandaries in which various characters make some truly dubious choices when it comes to steamy hookups and long-term affairs, bend journalistic ethics, and break the law. (“Do I need to recuse myself from [a particular story]?” Bradley asks Alex at one point, and I all but screamed, “YES, BRADLEY. YES YOU DO.”)
The sublime Marion Cotillard is all withering glances and backroom dealings as one Celine Dumont (sounds like a Marx Brothers foil), a scion of a prominent European family dynasty who has become president of the UBA board and is scheming for even more power. To its credit, “TMS” shines a spotlight on the unique difficulties faced by a number of female minority characters, including Greta Lee’s Stella Bak, president of the UBA News Division; Karen Pittman’s Mia Jordan, the producer who keeps bumping up against the glass ceiling; and Nicole Beharie’s Christina Hunter, the former Olympic gold medalist turned rising star anchor. (All three actors are outstanding, knocking it out of the park in their respective showcase moments.“The Morning Show” is BIG on emotionally charged, often confessional monologues.)
In a subplot that seems designed primarily to provide material for Emmy reels, the great Irons parachutes in as Alex’s estranged father, an esteemed law school lecturer who has never bothered to hide his disappointment in her career choices. This does lead to one magnificent scene where she has it out with her father, though it has little to do with the pressing matters at hand.
Then there’s Boyd Holbrook’s Brodie “Bro” Harman, a hugely popular podcaster/live streamer who is part of the UBA-UBN merger, much to Alex’s dismay. He’s a writer’s room combo/platter of Joe Rogan and Alex Jones, e.g., “The American sperm count’s dropping faster than Biden’s poll numbers. That’s why you need to head over to my website and order a tub of Bro Greens. My own personal daily supplement to get those T levels on track, to get you back in the sack.” Time and again, when “Bro” says something outrageous, Alex stomps her feet and curses him out. Ooooh, he’s the worst! This guy might have been an edgy character…in 2015.
Crudup continues to shine in a career-highlight role as Cory, arguably the most complex and interesting character on the series. Aniston and Witherspoon are excellent actors, but it almost comes across as if they share our feeling that Alex and Bradley are no longer particularly fresh and challenging roles, and have possibly been played out. Just prior to the premiere episode of Season 4, Apple TV+ announced that “The Morning Show” will be renewed for a fifth season, and I’m all for that. Here’s hoping everybody regroups, takes one big last swing, and figures out a way to sunset the series on an uptick.
Season 4 of “The Morning Show” premieres September 17th on Apple TV+. Nine of 10 episodes were made available for review.
- Lauren Melinda Receives the Inaugural Chaz Ebert Phenomenal Person in Film Award (September 16, 2025)
At the 2025 Cinema Femme Short Film Festival that took place at the Music Box Theatre earlier this summer, filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist Lauren Melinda was honored as the first recipient of the Chaz Ebert Phenomenal Person in Film Award. The award recognizes filmmakers whose work embodies empathy, compassion, and a commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices, values central both to Cinema Femme and to Chaz Ebert’s philanthropic vision.
During the ceremony, Sonia Evans, Vice President of Development at Ebert Digital LLC and daughter of Chaz Ebert, selected Lauren Melinda for the honor, and shared why she chose Lauren and her film “Before You”:
“I chose Lauren Melinda and her film “Before You” because it invites the viewer into a world where forgiveness, empathy, compassion, and kindness are not only present but essential for survival. These principles are woven throughout the film’s emotional arc and are reflected in Lauren’s own artistic mission. Lauren’s work across film photography and mixed media installation serves as a powerful form of advocacy that speaks not only to personal truth, but to shared humanity. For these reasons, I believe Lauren Melinda is the deeply deserving recipient of the 2025 Chaz Ebert Phenomenal Person in Film Award.”
When asked about Evan’s words, Melinda reflected on how deeply they resonated:
“I so appreciate that’s what she saw from the film. And I think that’s always been my goal—to bring humanity to a conversation that’s so politicized and isn’t really seen in that light. For her to reflect that back was incredibly meaningful to me. In all of my work—my artwork, writing, filmmaking—it’s always been about finding the humanity and the connection we share, and creating an open dialogue.”
Melinda emphasized that her art often delves into subjects many people shy away from discussing. “My husband sometimes asks me, why do you talk about things people aren’t supposed to talk about?” she said with a smile. “But the truth is, so many of us live with silence, shame, or guilt. We don’t need to be alone in that. Sharing our own humanity allows others to bring their stories into the light.”
Her film “Before You,” currently screening at festivals nationwide—including at the Alabama School of Fine Arts—has sparked conversations across audiences in unexpected places.
“What surprised me most was how many red states have been playing my film,” she noted. “I expected it to find its home in blue states, where the conversation is maybe more normalized. But actually, most of the festivals have been in very strict abortion states. It’s been fascinating to see how audiences there have received the film and the idea that love and pain can exist together.”
That duality, Melinda explained, is at the heart of “Before You.” “I talk with my daughter about being able to hold two feelings at once. For me, this film is about holding the immense love I had for my daughter who was born alongside the pain and loss of the one who never came to be. Many of us—women, men, parents—have lived with loss. The film is about shifting expectations and opening space for those emotions to coexist.”
About the Award
The Phenomenal Person in Film Award was inspired in 2019, when Chaz Ebert praised Cinema Femme’s Executive Director, Rebecca Martin Fagerholm, as “a phenomenal woman” during a public event. That moment sparked the creation of an award to recognize filmmakers whose work advances empathy, representation, and inclusion.
This year marks the first time the Cinema Femme Film Festival has presented the award under Ebert’s name. Each recipient is interviewed for Cinema Femme Magazine and invited to meet Chaz Ebert, continuing her mission of mentoring and uplifting new voices. Past honorees of the original Phenomenal Person Award have included Veronica Miles, Katrine Weber, Anna Fredrikke Bjerke, Mazdey Snob, Tiffany Tenille, and Claudia Lee.
- TIFF 2025: Hamnet, Driver’s Ed, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (September 16, 2025)
There was much ado about some of the biggest festival favorites and premieres coming to the 50th Toronto International Film Festival, and no shortage of what to watch between the various categories. Among one of the heralded festival favorites to make its Canadian premiere was Chloé Zhao’s breathtaking adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s “Hamnet.” Rich in beauty and astounding performances, “Hamnet” is a stunning domestic drama set in the household of William Shakespeare, but with a twist: in this retelling of the Bard’s life, it is his wife who is the real subject of the movie.
“Hamnet” follows the story of Agnes (Jessie Buckley), an independent spirit whose mother was closely tied with the land and before her early death, passed many of her remedies and practices to her daughter. She meets an unhappy tutor named William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and the pair begin a passionate affair that leads them to marriage. Their bliss is short-lived as William’s restless creative spirit cannot find peace in the countryside where Agnes finds home and comfort. She encourages him to go to London while she looks after the children, but over the years, the pair must endure the pangs of long distance love and the challenges of raising a family in the era.
Zhao, who adapted the screen version of “Hamnet” with author O’Farrell, gives the story an enchanting visual style through cinematographer Lukasz Zal’s camera. So much of the movie is meticulously composed, colorful, and detailed, that it almost feels like a romantic fairytale. When the harsh reality of the historical period arrives, it darkens the fantasy, but does not destroy it, for Zhao and Buckley so wonderfully carry the audience through her character’s grief.
This is Buckley’s showcase, a chance to play many parts throughout her character’s life, from lovestruck young woman to a frustrated wife and heartbroken mother. The object of her affection, Mescal’s Shakespeare, falls for her untamed manners and theirs is a tender affair. Zhao captures their romantic intensity in aching closeups framed by the bucolic setting of the English countryside. Now winner of the festival’s People’s Choice Award, “Hamnet” will likely end up on many awards shortlists and year-end favorites. The only detrimental note was the choice of composer Max Richter’s heavily used score “On the Nature of Daylight” from “Arrival” and “Shutter Island.” It leaves this otherwise magnificent film on a false note.
I had less lofty expectations for director Bobby Farrelly’s new film, “Driver’s Ed,” but ended up pleasantly surprised by its good-natured coming-of-age story about first love and a first road trip with friends. Writer Thomas Moffett and Farrelly make some use of his raunchy comedy hijinks, but the overall story at the center ends on a heartwarming note and a feel-good message about the painful changes that come with growing up.
Jeremy (Sam Nivola), is a newly minted senior and an aspiring filmmaker wholly dedicated to Samantha (Lilah Pate), his girlfriend who has gone off to college ahead of him. After she stops talking to him for too long and drunkenly breaks up with him one night, Jeremy decides to visit her on campus to clear things up. Jeremy steals a car from driver’s ed full of his friends, including the romantic skeptic Evie (Sophia Telegadis), valedictorian Aparna (Mohana Krishnan), and a depressed-slacker-turned-drug dealer Yoshi (Aidan Laprete), in an effort to save his relationship, if only he can slip past his bumbling driver’s ed substitute teacher Mr. Rivers (Kumail Nanjiani), their poodle-obsessed principal (Molly Shannon), and a security guard (Tim Baltz ) tasked with bringing the kids back from their misadventure.
Bobby Farrelly and his brother Peter cornered the ‘90s gross comedy market with movies like “There’s Something About Mary” and “Dumb and Dumber,” and there are a few low hanging jokes sprinkled throughout the college scenes. But “Driver’s Ed” is more in line with Farrelly’s other recent movies, like the heartwarming sports underdog story “Champions” and the Jack Black-led “Dear Santa.” The beats of “Driver’s Ed” are perhaps a bit familiar and predictable, but they’re still effective thanks to the film’s cast.
As Baz Luhrmann revealed with his 2022 movie, “Elvis,” the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll is still a source of inspiration for him. Thanks to his research on that film, Luhrmann came across rare, never-before seen footage, and now, “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert” is bringing the king’s own words and performance back to the spotlight.
Using archival taped interviews and footage both familiar and never-before-seen, Luhrmann creates a montage of different parts of Elvis’ life, including his relationship with his mother, his time in the army and how it affected his career, his doubts about his time in Hollywood, to his tireless performances in Vegas. Luhrmann lays the soundtracks to Elivs’s life and with editor Jonathan Redmond, creates a visual story to encompass each song or interview, including touching tributes to Elvis’ time with Priscilla and Lisa Marie.
The quality of the restored footage in “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert” is truly dazzling (I did have one question as to whether what looked like an animated photo in the film used AI or not, but I really hope it’s not the case). It’s even better when Luhrmann stops adding too much extra business on top of an already busy screen, like red rhinestoned texts to stand in for headlines explaining what’s happening in Elvis’ life at that moment. These eventually fall by the wayside as he lets Elvis’ interviews tell the story in his own words. It’s also perhaps why some of the tougher parts of Elvis’ story is missing from the film, like some of the problems Priscilla shared from their relationship. As a music documentary, “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert” lands somewhere in-between “Moonage Daydream” and the recently released “It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley,” and it’s nonetheless a treat for just about every Elvis fan.
- 11 Baseball Movies that Hit it Out of the Park from Make Me Commissioner’s Jane Leavy (September 16, 2025)
Jane Leavy knows baseball. And she really loves baseball. She’s a former sportswriter and author of best-sellers about Sandy Koufax and Mickey Mantle. Her new book is Make Me Commissioner: I Know What’s Wrong with Baseball and How to Fix It. The book is a skillful mix of history, personal connections, and insights based on watching innumerable games as a lifetime fan. She writes about the way baseball has been affected by changes in technology, from “moneyball” math to television cameras intruding on the playing field, the shift in ownership from families to billionaires, even the way stadiums are designed, the shift from “the sun is the pitchclock,” keeping the action going to one estimate that there are only 17 minutes of action in a baseball game. She explains how they have affected the game and what it would take to get a new generation of fans to fall in love with what we used to call America’s Pastime.
I especially enjoyed her chapter about the Savannah Bananas, a minor league team that is all about the fans—even their name came from a fan. I learned the most from her chapter about the “Tommy John surgery” that more than a third of professional pitchers end up needing, from her conversations with baseball stadium architect Janet Marie Smith, and from her critique of baseball’s failure to support Black players, while still pointing to Jackie Robinson’s historic time in the major league as key to its history. What comes through on every page is how much she loves every bit of the game, its players, and its coaches and managers. She also loves baseball movies, and I asked her to share her favorites with me.
“Pride of the Yankees”
Because of Gary Cooper’s chin. Because sometimes I need a good cry. Because home plate at the old Yankee Stadium was one long, loud foul ball from my grandmother’s parlor. At bottom, your relationship with the game is personal, perhaps intimate.
“Bull Durham”
Because it celebrates the language of baseball, how they really talk, and the practiced answers dictated by Crash Davis, the washed-up big league catcher, on how to answer a question without saying anything. Derek Jeter was a master of the art. The love affair between Crash and Annie, the ultimate clubhouse Annie, is of course a metaphor for the love of the game—only wetter and funnier.
“A League of Their Own”
It tells a story that needed to be told about the women who pinch-hit for Major League Baseball during World War II. It gets all the details right and, by doing so, gives the women implicit credibility. Penny Marshall got it. Baseball is funny. “There’s no crying in baseball.”
“Bang the Drum Slowly”
Hollywood’s best and most faithful treatment of literary baseball fiction, Mark Harris’s novel about the New York Mammoths and the friendship between their star pitcher and his terminally ill catcher. Robert DeNiro and Michael Moriarty are sublime. Beautiful.
“Eight Men Out”
John Sayles’ important film about the 1919 Chicago Black Sox cheating scandal that has renewed relevance now that MLB has decided gambling is okay and Donald Trump has twisted arms to get reprobate Pete Rose into the Hall of Fame.
“Moneyball”
The origin story of baseball analytics with Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill as a cuddly odd couple: handsome Billy Beane, insurgent general manager of the Oakland As, and Hill, his fictional analytics guy, because the real one, Paul DePodesta, wanted no part of the movie. By the time it premiered in 201, eight years after Michael Lewis’ book, analytics had sunk its teeth into the game. Beane’s methods were old hat, and every general manager aspired to look and dress just like him. Hollywood took the usual liberties. Beane did not fire scouting director Grady Fuson because he objected to drafting a fat catcher. But the movie mattered.
“The Natural”
Barry Levinson changed the ending of Bernard Malamud’s 1952 novel to let the late, great Robert Redford play the hero Robert Redford had to be, invoking magical realism as opposed to just plain realism. Redford knocks the lights out. Glenn Close, the lady in white, summons the best from damaged Roy Hobbs. Irresistible.
Tie: “The Bad News Bears” and “Angels in the Outfield”
Walter Matthau and Christopher Lloyd with wings.
“Field of Dreams”
I hated W.S. Kinsella’s treacly, overwrought novella “Shoeless Joe,” and I hate everything it’s led to. Especially MLB’s Field of Dreams games in 2021-2023, played not on the diamond Hollywood carved out of an Iowa cornfield but in a pop-up ballpark made to look old with faux pine adhesive padding. And those corn stalks Ray Liotta stepped out of as Shoeless Joe Jackson in search of redemption? Plastic. The landscaper, Chris Krug, told me. He was the Cubs’ catcher whose errant throw allowed the only run to score in Sandy Koufax’s perfect game. But I’m a sucker for James Earl Jones, more so now that he’s gone. And that book-banning scene plays really well in 2025.
“Damn Yankees”
The Fifties: when people wanted to play baseball so much, they’d do a deal with the devil. Whatever Lola wants.
- “Gen V” Rivals “The Boys” in a Sharper and Sleeker Season Two (September 16, 2025)
In the final episode of the first season of Prime’s “Gen V,” our young heroes were left defeated and imprisoned, seemingly left to rot as the world went on without them. Since then, we got Season 4 of “The Boys” last summer, ushering in the setup for the series’ final season and the progression of this new story. After the off-screen death of Andre (Chance Perdomo, who passed away before Season 2 began production), who died trying to free himself and his friends, Emma (Elizabeth Broadway) and Jordan (London Thor, Derek Luh), are brought back to Godolkin University, forced to tell the press that they aren’t affiliated with either Andre, nor Marie (Jaz Sinclair).
Our heroine made her escape before Andre’s death, leaving her friends behind and taking to staying in motels, evading capture in small towns. With Dean Indira Shetty (Shelley Conn) now dead, another rises: Dean Cipher (Hamish Linklater), a pious and brutal man who desires to weed out the weak at the university, desperate to mold the remaining students into an army that can rival The Seven. As Marie walks around America picking up snacks at gas stations and beating up Homelander (Antony Starr) supporters, she is tailed by Starlight (Erin Moriarty), who needs her help in uncovering a mystery that lies buried beneath the floors of God U.
More so than Season 1, “Gen V” is now directly intertwined with the showdown that will obviously commence in the final season of its predecessor. The underbellies of Godolkin’s already rotten core are even more frightening than one could imagine, and beneath those horrors lie ones that are unfathomable not only to our central characters but also to the audience. These horrors, which will inevitably break open this world as we know it, are also tethered to one of our heroes more than we could have expected.
Hamish Linklater (Dean Cipher)
At its core, this season examines its protagonist, Marie, who still crackles as the show’s fierce breathing heart. Her connection to the secrets being kept beneath Godolkin’s halls and its new Dean grows as the season progresses, ultimately becoming a defining aspect of the show, cracking open the foundation of not only Marie’s birth, but her existence. In spite of what should have been a deadly blast from Homelander in the Season 1 finale, it became clear that Marie harnessed a power that she and viewers had not previously been shown. These powers have sat dormant within her, and desperate to bring them up from the surface is Dean Cipher, who attempts to push her beyond her means, amplifying her powers but simultaneously putting Marie and those she loves in danger.
With each bombshell, Sinclair plays Marie with ease, allowing the character to become a younger version of herself when reconnecting with people who knew her now-deceased parents, while harnessing a fierceness that grows with each episode and makes her appear as someone long grown-up. While this cast has always had chemistry, each of the young actors here has improved with Season 2, making for an ensemble that runs like a well-oiled yet tender machine. Each of them melds together perfectly, perfectly portraying a broken family that is desperate to bind itself together again, despite their foes doing everything in their power to separate them.
A welcome addition to the core group this season is Polarity (Sean Patrick Thomas), who was only featured briefly in Season 1 as Andre’s father. His presence here is increased tenfold, operating as not only an older mentor for our young protagonists but the series’s new emotional clutch in the wake of Andre’s death. Kept in the dark about the why and how that led to this, we watch as Polarity is broken apart by this loss, which is directly tied to the powers that he and his son once shared. Forced to reckon not only with his son’s death but with his declining health, Thomas harnesses a tender yet fierce melancholy, fully aware of his declining health but still desperate to uncover the mystery of his son’s death.
Asa Germann (Sam)
This leads to a job at Godolkin, hopeful to get closer to uncovering these mysteries while also helping Andre’s friends figure out the secrets kept by Cipher. This storyline, along with others, often makes Season 2 of “Gen V” feel more like a detective show. We watch as characters trade fight scenes for sequences spent digging through university archives, and the show’s high-tension moments aren’t dependent on CGI, but on characters revealing secrets to each other over hushed whispers and declarations. While some may not enjoy this shift in tone, it helps the series grow into one that may eventually surpass “The Boys.”
Although this series was never as politically charged as its parent show, this season explores how young people’s bodies and minds are co-opted by their elders and molded to become talking heads for a cause that is unjust and that they don’t truly believe in. Cate (Maddie Phillips) and Sam (Asa Germann), last seen as “villains” in the final moments of Season 4 of “The Boys,” have become some of this universe’s most engaging characters. With them are, of course, our clear-cut heroes, who band together to attempt to rehabilitate these broken souls.
Each character at play here is one whose childhood was stripped away from them. Finally, the series delves deeper into what this means for these characters going forward, and how we push children in our technologically driven society to see themselves as products that can be sold to a broader audience, rather than as individuals who can exist beyond the bounds of consumption. While the children outside of this fictional world are pushed further into a jaded adulthood, “Gen V” makes it clear that what these fictional heroes desperately need is to look back and attempt to heal the broken children that lie within them.
- Dakota Fanning & Kathryn Hunter in 'Vicious' Original Horror Trailer (September 17, 2025)
"This is will be for you now... You are going to die tonight. Unless you give it what it wants." Paramount+ has revealed the first official trailer for a brand new original horror creation called Vicious, the latest from filmmaker Bryan Bertino, creator of The Strangers franchise and director of a few other indie horror films as well. Vicious will premiere at Fantastic Fest 2025 later this month before it's streaming on Paramount+ to watch in October for horror season. A woman spends the night fighting for her own existence as she slips down a rabbit hole contained inside a gift from a late-night visitor. It comes with simple instructions if she wants to live – place three things inside: something you need, something you hate, and something you love. Starring Dakota Fanning as Polly and a very creepy Kathryn Hunter, along with Mary McCormack, Rachel Blanchard, Devyn Nekoda, Klea Scott, and Emily Mitchell. So, from this tease it seems like Hunter is just another victim of this box, and an evil supernatural force is hiding inside this box, controlling people to give it what it wants? Yep seems like a wicked cool concept for a horror movie - check it out below. // Continue Reading ›
- Funny First Trailer for 'Anaconda' Remake with Paul Rudd & Jack Black (September 17, 2025)
"We are in the middle of the jungle and we are being hunted!" 🐍 Big snake energy. Sony Pictures revealed the first official trailer for their new Anaconda remake, a goofy action comedy in theaters on Christmas Day at the end of this year. The original Anaconda is a 90s classic, a totally ridiculous action movie starring JLo & Ice Cube that is unintentionally funny but also quite scary. This remake is going full-on with humor and a wacky meta concept. Two friends are going through a mid-life crisis – so they decide to remake their favorite movie from their youth but encounter unexpected events when they enter the jungle. Things get real when an actual giant anaconda appears, turning their comically chaotic movie set into a deadly situation. Starring Paul Rudd and Jack Black as Griff and Doug, with Steve Zahn, Thandiwe Newton, Daniela Melchior, and Selton Mello. Well, this is a strange idea for a remake. Then the comedy gets really dumb in the second half of this trailer. This is what they're doing? Not sure it will be any good. What do you think? // Continue Reading ›
- Official US Trailer for 'Trifole' About the Way of Life in Piedmont, Italy (September 17, 2025)
"My methods, my secrets will live and die with me. Understood?" The truffle hunter's secrets are his alone. Cohen Media Group has debuted an official US trailer for an indie film from Italy titled Trifole, made by Italian filmmaker Gabriele Fabbro. This already opened in Italy last year and it played at the Santa Barbara Film Festival earlier this year. Set for a limited debut in the US in November this fall. In this bittersweet portrait of a vanishing rural way of life, aimless grandaughter Dalia travels to Piedmont, Italy to care for her aging grandfather Igor, an expert forager. Armed with his loyal dog Birba, she hunts for prizewinning truffle to save his home. From filmmaker Gabriele Fabbro, one of MovieMaker Magazine’s 2022 writers to watch, and co-written by rising star Ydelie Turk (who plays Dalia), Trifole stars the Italian screen legends Umberto Orsini & Margherita Buy, 7-time David di Donatello Award-winner. Well this looks absolutely gorgeous! How did this film fly under the radar for so long? So many sweet and wholesome moments in this trailer alone. And best of all - it stars the cutest truffle hunter doggie Birba! I will be watching it just for him. // Continue Reading ›
- Kate Beckinsale Stars in Action Thriller Trash 'Stolen Girl' Full Trailer (September 16, 2025)
"They need you on these jobs." Vertical and Voltage Pictures have unveiled an official trailer for an action thriller movie titled Stolen Girl, arriving to watch later this month. Another one of these super obviously, poorly shot, entirely cliche action movies being dumped VOD soon. Though someone will inevitably say it's a good movie anyway. To top it off, it's directed by a TV director who has barely ever done any action or any real feature films before. Is he the only they could get to make this junk? Supposedly based on a true story, an American woman spends more than ten years tracking down her daughter who was abducted and taken to the Middle East by the child's father. Their big mission takes them to Beirut, where they're pulled into a treacherous web of international espionage, betrayal, and corruption. Stolen Girl stars Kate Beckinsale, Scott Eastwood, Jordan Duvigneau, Matt Craven, & Arvin Kananian. This looks as terrible as any movie can – and it looks like blatant propaganda to always keep people afraid of "others". Avoid at all costs. // Continue Reading ›
- Intense Teaser for 'The Great Flood' - Epic Korean Apocalypse Movie (September 16, 2025)
"You have to create a new mankind... all we have is you." Netflix has unveiled a first look teaser trailer for The Great Flood, a new disaster movie from Korea about a massive flood destroying the world. This one is premiering at the 2025 Busan Film Festival later this week, which is why this teaser has launched now. On what may be the last day on Earth, a life-or-death struggle in a flooded apartment becomes humanity's one & only hope for survival. When a raging flood traps a researcher & her young son, a call to a crucial mission puts their escape—and the future of humanity—on the line. The Great Flood is a sci-fi disaster blockbuster film following those holding onto the last shred of hope for humanity to survive in a flooded building on the last day on Earth. Starring Kim Da-mi and Park Hae-soo. There's also some kind of Artificial Intelligence subplot to this, but it's hard to discern if that's because they need her to store all of humanity's data on some servers somewhere in a safe bunker. Intense! The massive waves remind me of the disaster movie 2012 – we haven't seen anything like this in a while. I'll be watching when it's out later this year! Check out the footage. // Continue Reading ›
