DUST BUNNY (2025)

 

Written & Directed By: Bryan Fuller

Cinematography: Nicole Hirsch Whitaker 

Editor: Lisa Lassek

Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Sophie Sloan, Sigourney Weaver, Sheila Atim, David Dastmalchan, Rebecca Henderson, Lina Kruse, Caspar Phillipson

A dark fairy tale that is quite enchanting, but feels like it has a missing Ingredient to truly sparkle. Though it certainly shines. 

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Shot in the aspect ratio Of 3.00:1 which makes the film visually claustrophobic 

This is writer-director  Bryan fuller’s theatrical directorial debut film. One will admit to being a fan of his previous television work HANNIBAL, WONDERFALLS and PUSHING DAISIES 

Especially as one respects his work. Was really wanted to love this film, but can’t say that I did. There was plenty to like. Though can’t say the film is a slam dunk. Can see why some really like it. Though it’s Magic didn’t completely work for me. There might have been too much whimsy. 

This film is certainly imaginative seems more for adults but seems like it would greatly appeal to children just with it’s colors, beauty and creativity.

Told mostly from a child’s point of view. So while there is some adult material. It stays clean and never is vulgar. 

Every detail meticulous especially by design to fit an be awe inspiring truly building it’s own universe and deeply immersive 

Casting his MVP Mads Mikkelsen as his lead here. After having him previously play Dr. Hannibal Lector in HANNIBAL the television series 

Mr. Mikkelsen on this role is memorable and quite flexible, though never imposing Though it does remind one of his previous performance as an assassin in the 2019 action film POLAR. Only here to much better effect and material.

Even like the private joke of the chicken lamp that references one of Mikkelsen’s previous film MEN & CHICKEN 

It keeps Layering the story with reveals but it also seem to stop and start where it gets exciting and then drags and feels like it’s stretching out it’s

Time. So that the film stays fascinating but feels like it is working against itself as it wants to be episodic yet must be cohesive and take care of itself. 

Stylistically inventive with a hint of the past and classic with modern age edge. It has a throwback quality, though more flash then Cartoonish though in the best way. This film will certainly have items fans and is worth looking into.

Grade: C+

THIS IS NOT A TEST (2026)

 

Written, Directed & Produced By: Adam MacDonald

Based on the book By: Courtney Summers

Cinematography: Christian Bielz

Editor: Pamela Bayne

Cast: Olivia Holt, Froy Gutierrez, Corteon Moore, Carson McCormac, Chloe Avakian, Luke Macfarlane, Joelle Farrow, Krista Bridges, Jeff Roop

Follows Sloane and four other students who take shelter in their high school during a zombie outbreak.

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Based on the young adult novel, THIS IS NOT A TEST feels like the kind of adaptation that probably trims away much of what made the book worth reading. I haven’t read the novel, but I’d wager there’s more room there for the characters to breathe than this film ever gives them.

Instead, it settles into familiar zombie movie territory. Imagine THE WALKING DEAD aimed at a younger audience, only with the occasional surprising moment, yes, including one scene I genuinely didn’t expect. Unfortunately, surprises are in short supply everywhere else. You’ll likely figure out who’s making it to the end long before the characters do.

The frustrating part is that the movie constantly hints at becoming something better. It sets up interesting situations, builds a little tension, then repeatedly backs away just as things are about to get exciting. There are plenty of opportunities to push the horror, the suspense, or even the emotional drama further, but it almost always chooses the safest route.

To its credit, the film isn’t bad. It’s competently made, moves at a brisk pace, and wisely doesn’t overstay its welcome. The cast is believable, likable, and does the best they can with material that rarely challenges them. The movie’s heart is clearly in the relationships and emotional survival rather than nonstop zombie mayhem, and some viewers will appreciate that approach.

If you’re newer to zombie films or horror in general, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this more than I did. There’s enough action and tension to stay engaged, and it never completely loses its footing. For longtime fans of the genre, though, there’s very little here that feels fresh or memorable.

In the end, THIS IS NOT A TEST  isn’t a disaster. it just never becomes the movie it keeps teasing. It’s respectable, watchable, and occasionally effective, but it ultimately feels less like a finished statement and more like an early draft that needed one more rewrite.

Grade: C 

EVIL DEAD BURN (2026)

 

Directed By: Sebastien Vanicek

Written By: Sebastian Vanicek and Florent Bernard 

Cinematography: Philip Lozano 

Editor: Maxine Caro

Cast: Souhelia Yocoub, Hunter Doohan, Lucinae Buchanan, Erroll Shand, Tandi Wright, Maude Davey, George Pullar, Greta Van Den Brink 

After the loss of her husband, a woman seeks solace with her in-laws. As one by one they transform into deadites, she comes to discover that the vows she took in life – survive even in death.

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I watched this in 4DX, and what a ride. It definitely added to the experience. You don’t just watch the movie. you feel like you’re trapped inside it. The seats throw you around so much that by the end you feel as beaten up as one of the Deadites. If there was ever a movie made for 4DX, this is probably it.

As an addition to the EVIL DEAD franchise, it’s a solid one.

What’s always been interesting about EVIL DEAD is that every era has its own personality. Sam Raimi’s films were horror, but they were also goofy, funny, and wildly inventive. The newer films have taken a very different path. They’re less interested in laughs and much more focused on brutal endurance. The gore is nastier, the violence is crueler, and the scares rarely let up. It still feels like EVIL DEAD, but it’s evolved into something much darker for a new generation.

The franchise has also shifted from following a lone hero to centering on survivors and final girls, with each story built around family trauma, buried emotions, and painful secrets.

This time, the horror comes wrapped inside a family gathering where the in-laws may be carrying more baggage than anyone expected. What starts as awkward family dynamics slowly turns into something much worse, as old tensions, resentments, and dark secrets erupt in the bloodiest way imaginable. It’s a fun twist on the usual family drama, your relatives might actually be cursed.

I have to admit, I preferred the previous film a little more. It established this new direction and felt fresher and more personal. EVIL DEAD BURN has stylish direction, especially during a couple of standout sequences that are visually unforgettable, but overall it feels more like a continuation than a reinvention. It’s bigger, bloodier, and slicker, but it doesn’t hit quite as hard emotionally.

At times, it almost feels like a French Extremity horror film that just happens to exist in the EVIL DEAD universe. For some viewers, that relentless brutality will be thrilling. For others, it may start to feel more like an endurance test that brushes up against torture-porn territory.

The good news is that this entry brings back a little more humor than Evil Dead Rise. It’s still incredibly dark, but those twisted moments of comedy help balance out the nonstop carnage.

For all of its memorable kills, shocking set pieces, and energetic direction, I also walked away feeling like it was a little disposable. I had a good time. I liked it. I just didn’t love it the way I was hoping to.

Grade: B-

LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY (2026)

Written & Directed By: Lee Cronin

Cinematography: Dave Garbett 

Editor: Bryan Shaw 

Cast: Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, Shylo Molina, Billie Roy, Veronica Falcon, Havet Kamille, May Eighety 

Eight years after her sudden disappearance in Egypt, a severely traumatized teenager is returned to her shattered family in New Mexico, triggering a visceral nightmare as they realize she is hosting an ancient, demonic parasite.

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A mummy movie by way of the Evil Dead 

No matter what I have to say about this film, I can appreciate that Lee Cronin didn’t simply remake the Brendan Fraser version. Instead of another action-adventure, he tries to bring The Mummy back into the horror genre. That’s an idea I genuinely admire.

The problem is that it often feels less like The Mummy and more like another Lee Cronin horror film. If you’ve seen Evil Dead Rise, you’ll probably recognize the DNA almost immediately.

Horror first, it seems like the mummy cems second. Rather than focusing on ancient curses and classic monster horror, the film mixes together possession, exorcisms, ancient spirits, cursed objects, and over-the-top gore. By the time the third act arrives, it feels more like an Evil Dead movie wearing a mummy costume.

The similarities are obvious, and sometimes it feels as though the “mummy” element was added to a story that already wanted to be something else.

The film is Way too long. The biggest issue is the running time.

The first two acts spend so much time introducing characters, building mysteries, and lining up future victims that the film starts to drag. I understand why Cronin wants to establish the world, but everything feels over-explained.

Instead of creating tension, the movie keeps building… and building… and building.

It isn’t boring, but it definitely tests your patience.

When it works, Once the film finally reaches its third act, it becomes the wild, bloody horror movie it has been promising.

Cronin doesn’t hold back. The violence is brutal, the gore is excessive, and the film is surprisingly mean-spirited. Nobody feels safe, whether they’re children, adults, or elderly characters. That cruelty gives the movie an edge that many modern studio horror films avoid.

The creepy atmosphere also works more often than it doesn’t, even if the pacing occasionally gets in its own way.

I understand Why audiences were divided. I can understand why this version didn’t connect with everyone.

Some viewers were probably hoping for another swashbuckling adventure like the Brendan Fraser films. Others may have wanted something closer to the classic Universal horror movies from the 1930s and 1940s.

Instead, they got what is essentially an Evil Dead-style horror film built around mummy mythology.

That’s not necessarily a bad idea. it just isn’t what many people expected.

This is one of those movies that’s difficult to judge.

It accomplishes many of the things it sets out to do, but it also overdoes them. It explains too much, stretches scenes longer than necessary, and could easily have lost 20 or 30 minutes.

Still, I had a good enough time. It’s entertaining, the cast is solid, and I appreciate that Cronin tried something different instead of copying what came before.

It may not be the mummy movie everyone wanted, but it’s a decent horror popcorn film, even if it sometimes feels like an unofficial EVIL DEAD sequel wrapped in ancient bandages.

Grade: C

THE INVITE (2026)

 

Directed By: Olivia Wilde

Written By: Rashida Jones & Will McCormack

Based on the Motion Picture “SENTIMENTAL” By: Cesc Gay

Cinematography: Adam Newport-Berra

Editor: Anthony Boys and Yorgos Mavropsaridis 

Cast: Olivia Wilde, Penelope Cruz, Seth Rogen, Edward Norton

Joe and Angela’s marriage is on thin ice. When they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbors for a dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places.

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This movie reminded me of something rather embarrassing. I have never been to a dinner party.

I’ve always wanted to be invited to one. Maybe one day, if I ever have a place of my own, I’ll throw one myself. Until then, all I really know about dinner parties comes from movies, television, and books. If they’re anything like this one… sign me up. Hopefully just with slightly less emotional damage.

This feels like a genuine comeback for Olivia Wilde as a director. It reminds you just how talented she is when she’s focused less on genre and spectacle, and more on people. Relationships, insecurities, attraction, jealousy, longing, you know those messy little emotions that make us human.

The film is a loving throwback to the intimate relationship dramas that flourished from the 1960s through the 1980s. You can immediately feel the DNA of WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOLFE and BOB & CAROL & TED & ALICE. It’s refreshing to see a movie made for adults that lets conversations become the action.

The smartest thing the film does is invite you into the story without revealing its hand. Whether you know the premise or go in completely blind, you’re pulled in by the seductive setup and the chemistry between the characters. As the evening unfolds, what begins as playful curiosity slowly transforms into something heavier, more emotionally revealing, and surprisingly tense. Yet the film always keeps a sense of humor tucked away in its back pocket.

Every actor is working at the top of their game, and each performance is an essential ingredient in what makes the film work.

Olivia Wilde is especially impressive, both behind and in front of the camera. She plays the anxious, seemingly ordinary half of a married couple stuck in a comfortable rut with Seth Rogen. It’s fascinating watching the dynamic evolve. To each other they’ve become familiar, almost invisible. But through someone else’s eyes, they suddenly become attractive again. The film cleverly explores how desire and perception change depending on who’s looking.

The entire movie feels like a beautifully staged play. I honestly assumed it was an original screenplay because it feels so confident and distinct. Finding out it’s actually adapted from a foreign film that’s already been remade several times was surprising. Even so, this version feels completely fresh and confidently stands on its own.

It’s bold without trying too hard. Provocative without becoming cynical. Underneath all the awkwardness, emotional chaos, and uncomfortable conversations is an oddly wholesome innocence about people simply wanting to reconnect with themselves, their partners, and the lives they’ve built.

At times the film almost plays like an emotional thriller. There isn’t a killer hiding in the house, just vulnerability, desire, regret, and the fear of saying the quiet part out loud. Somehow that’s even more suspenseful.

Even the soundtrack echoes the films that inspired it. It captures that sophisticated, simmering mood where something has been bubbling beneath the surface all evening, and you’re simply waiting for it to finally boil over.

The Invite is funny, sexy, awkward, revealing, and emotionally honest. It’s the kind of intelligent adult drama Hollywood used to make all the time and one I hope becomes fashionable again.

Grade: A