TRON: ARES (2025)

Directed By: Joachim Ronning 

Written By: Jesse Wigutow

Story By: Jesse Wigutow and David Diglio

Based on characters created By: Steven Lisberger and Bonnie Macbird 

Cinematography: Jeff Cronenweth 

Editor: Tyler Nelson 

Cast: Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Gillian Anderson, Jeff Bridges, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, Hasan Minhaj, 

A highly sophisticated program, Ares, is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission.

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Now I was prepared to really dislike the movie.  As I have seen the previous two TRON’S and liked them, but I wouldn’t say I’m a fan of the franchise so when another one was announced to come out, I was shocked and I really didn’t understand why because I know that the last film had gone way over budget and was not seen as a hit, even if the soundtrack by Daft Punk was

Though I have to say watching this film, it feels a little simplistic, but I surprisingly found myself entertained. I’m not going to say that the film is great, but it is entertaining enough to keep your interest as majorly. It is more style over substance and it’s a film that looks great and the special effects look seamless. The action scene is the ones that they are are pretty clean. Get well shot.

Even though I’m not the biggest fan of Jared Leto as many times though method, he seems like how I describe this movie style over substance. He does what is needed as the lead of the film. Greta Lee, as the co-lead of the film deserves better material than this, especially as a best actress nominee, though I am a fan and understand hey, this might be the best that she got out of the scripts offered and she does what she needs to do in her role.

This is the type of film that would’ve came out in the late 90s and early 2000 and seemed kind of basic but watching it here this is truly a film that is more spectacle than storytelling as instead of dealing with the Tron world inside of the computer like the last two films it explores Tron coming into the real world which helps keep the budget down, but also explores new territory, even if not as wondrous.

The fountain definitely feels more in debt to the 1980s of the evil corporation head, wanting to control all instead of using the technology to help or just to open up the world. 

Now the history of this film was that originally there was supposed to be a sequel to the 2010 movie Tron Legacy in 2012 called Tron Ascension, which was more of a direct sequel but due to the budget and the Tron legacy not doing as well as expected the film was shelved while Jared Lido was attached to play a role. What ended up happening is that the writer strike happened in Disney needed a tent pole film for 2025 just in case depending on how long the rider strike went on so they dusted off the old Tron ascension script, and once the writer strike ended quickly rewrote that script to be more of a kind of continuation, but also standalone not really needing to repeat any characters from the previous film and Jared Leto got a career high payment of 15 million to star in the film.

I don’t know how the die hard of the franchise will feel about this film, and truthfully, it is quite disposable, but the two things that stand out from the film or the soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails, so continuing in the tradition of memorable soundtracks of the Tron films, and also the look while it doesn’t break new ground and special effects the style of the film is just so beautiful and delicious to look at that even if you don’t like the film, you can’t deny it’s looks. As it is as sleek, slender and, conditioned as the leads.

Two of the reasons for the Sharp look is cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth known for dark beautiful visuals and director Joachim Ronning is a director of range but constantly sharp visuals. 

This comes off as a guilty pleasure and the technology shown off seems advanced, but yet behind as far as on-screen tech innovation goes. 

The film isn’t as smart as it likes to think it which isn’t very, but works as a kind of mindless popcorn science fiction movie. So if looking for check your brain at the door entertainment this is perfect for you. 

Grade: C+ 

DIE MY LOVE (2025)

 

Directed By: Lynne Ramsay

Written By: Enda Walsh, Lynne Ramsay and Alice Birch

Based on the book by: Ariana Harwicz 

Cinematography: Seamus McGarvey 

Editor: Toni Froschhammer 

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert Pattinson, Sissy Spacek, Nick Nolte, Sarah Lind, Lakeith Stanfield, Gabrielle Rose, Clare Coulter 

Grace, a writer and young mother, is slowly slipping into madness. Locked away in an old house in and around Montana, we see her acting increasingly agitated and erratic, leaving her companion, Jackson, increasingly worried and helpless.

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Jennifer Lawrence gives a phenomenal performance that is raw animalistic and amazing more physical than verbal as that is what the script calls for so she just morphs into the role and is a sensation

Though sadly, she is more interesting and truly the highlight of the movie as the movie is not bad, but she is clearly the star in the heart of the film, even with a stacked cast she’s the only one who makes an impression and stays memorable

Now be warm this film is very dark and very depressing throughout. There are very few if any moments of joy and none that I can truly remember. 

Now I knew what I was getting into when it came to watching this as most of Director Lynne Ramsey‘s movies are intense sad and mostly joyless. I’m not saying that is a bad thing. It’s just that, that is the mood and vibe that they give off they can be quite depressing and this film is no exception. They like the main character and maybe this was intentional. The film also feels a little lost.

As it plays, this feels like the film NIGHTBITCH with Amy Adams strive to be or at least make the audience feel like, whereas, even though that film is more of a satire that involve postpartum depression this film is definitely a drama showing the ravages of postpartum depression only revealing through flashbacks that not only to this character might have had mental problems already, but it seems like everyone around her is also breaking down in their own way. They both have many similarities as both protagonists are artists of some kind. Who begin to exhibit animal type behavior. 

We see that the relationship seemed kind of rushed from the beginning, and that both characters were always impulsive and now that they are need to be more responsible Lawrence his character does not seem prepared or ready for it or as Robert Pattinson‘s character does but doesn’t want to take on all the responsibilities either

As like in the film night, bitch, he comes across as careless and not at all helpful and expecting her to take on everything

Just as with the main character film plays with time where sometimes we’re not sure exactly where we are in the timeline of their relationship exactly where they are and sometimes if what we’re seeing is real, we’re all in her head

Which is shown to be faulty as in a scene when she sees her neighbor who always rides a motorcycle at a supermarket with his wife and disabled child at first, we believe she’s going to talk to him to help her with a flat tire. Then we realize nose, some weird fantasy that she had of talking to as he represents temptation even though doesn’t really have any lines throughout the film.

Speaking of which Nick Nolte is in the film as Robert Patterson‘s father, who is slowly losing his cognizance and seems to be in a film for only five minutes before he’s gone, which is a shame as he has a screen legend and was hoping that he’d have more time on screen and more things to do, though  Sissy Spacek as Lawrence‘s mother-in-law is powerful in her scenes

As she seems to be having her problems after her husband‘s recent death, but still can hold it together and seems to understand what Lawrence‘s character is going through, but wants her to take responsibility and kind of snap out of it even while having sympathy for her

One can’t see who this film’s audience really is as it got a very low cinema score, but it is good filmmaking that is more experimental and doesn’t hold the audience‘s hand. What’s the where it goes and leaves them to interpret it however they will as the last 15 minutes of the film, which so far has been a buildup is truly worth the film. Let’s loose and becomes all the more powerful.

As even though the film does offer some surprises before we reach that point, it’s never as strong as the ending just as a strong and deeply felt Jennifer Lawrence‘s performances. The rest of the film just isn’t as strong as you constantly wonder where it’s going.

Grade: B- 

OH, HI (2025)

Written & Directed By: Sophie Brooks 

Story By: Molly Gordon 

Cinematography: Conor Murphy 

Editor: Kayla M. Emter

Cast: Molly Gordon, Logan Lerman, Geraldine Viswanathan, John Reynolds, David Cross, Polly Draper, Desmin Borges, Jim Gary Jr. 

Iris and Isaac's first romantic weekend getaway goes awry in a most unexpected way.

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This is a disarming and strange film only because at first you think you know where it’s going, and while it plays that way, for the most part, it offers different directions mindsets and present us with characters rather than relying only on its plotting 

Originally thought this would be more of a two hander. 

the first half of the film Is really enjoyable Which was more conventional, by the second half it starts to fall apart a little. As it becomes Less conventional and while not expected it works on it’s Own Even if not necessarily fulfilling in the way that you had hoped 

Would have liked it, if it was more ambiguous at the end, but it is a romance after all so has to have that kind of ending. No matter where the film goes 

So much so, that you care what actually happens and will this resolve itself. While wondering what will happen? Even the supporting characters only add to the films charm. 

While the two leads played with wit by Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman are such a cute couple, who are hiding issues and deep, dark secrets that they have to take a look at themselves. As well as each other to truly move forward in general. Though who knows if this would’ve even happened if not for the films inciting incident.

This is the type of romantic comedy. They don’t make anymore. It’s a little bit more formula, but you can identify with the characters you’re rooting for the characters. it’s not overly cute nor painstakingly unbelievable that feels more like a dream scenario. It deals with real issues minor and mighty that actually come up in more modern relationships. 

The stakes aren’t that mighty,  but there enough for you to pay attention and care. Where you  want to see what’s going to happen. where this is gonna go and how will this resolve itself and while the film isn’t a star showcase. One has to give props to star Molly Gordon, who also came up with the story for the film. As she continuously keeps making projects that give her a showcase for her range and talents in leading to supporting roles, just as she did with the film THEATER CAMP, which she co-wrote and Co-Directed 

This is-one of those films that is subtle enough that you admire it for what it is and really taking a deep look at these characters plus the relationship. As well as what might be in the future for each of them.

The visuals of the film are broad with a single location. It’s almost a two hander. The only thing that keeps it from being that way, is quite a few supporting characters, though this could’ve easily been a play and that’s not a bad thing.

Then again, maybe one was just blinded by the mood and the actors. With a film that can be cynical, but chooses not to be most of the time 

Grade: B 

THE LONG WALK (2025)

Directed By: Francis Lawrence 

Written By: JT Mollner

Based On The Novel By: Stephen King 

Cinematography: Jo Willems 

Editor: Peggy Eghbaliant and Mark Yoshikawa 

Cast: Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Ben Wang, Charlie Plummer, Mark Hamill, Judy Greer, Josh Hamilton, Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Jordan Gonzalez, Joshua Odjick, Roman Griffin Davis 

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In the near future, where America has become a police state, 50 boys are selected to enter an annual contest where the winner will be awarded whatever he wants for the rest of his life. The game is simple – maintain a steady walking pace of at least three miles per hour without stopping. Three warnings, and you’re out – permanently.

This film announces itself as a slow burn and then has the nerve to earn it. From the outset, a dark cloud hangs overhead, but what makes the experience so quietly devastating is how much warmth, camaraderie, and fleeting hope exist beneath that shadow. You know purely from the premise that this is going to hurt. A dystopian march for survival, a grim prize dangled in front of young men with nothing else to cling to. And yet, against all odds, the film keeps reaching for something gentler: connection, shared humor, the fragile optimism of youth.

The storytelling is intentionally cut and dry, almost austere. There’s nothing flashy or sensationalized about the way we move through this bombed-out vision of Middle America. Streets feel hollowed out, spectators feel desperate rather than celebratory, and the so-called hope this march offers the world feels cruelly abstract. The film doesn’t exaggerate its dystopia; it lets the emptiness speak for itself. That restraint is precisely what makes it so unsettling.

At the center of it all is the chemistry most notably between Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson, who anchor the film with a bond that feels lived-in rather than written. Their relationship becomes an emotional spine, but the real achievement is how the entire ensemble locks together. This is a movie where the heart lives in the group, even if it’s a bruised, dark heart. Each character’s elimination lands with a genuine sense of loss. Early on, the executions feel shocking, almost confrontational, as if the film is forcing you to understand the rules of this world in the harshest possible terms.

As the march continues, something subtler and more painful happens. The violence recedes into the background not because it matters less, but because it hurts more. You begin to avert your eyes the same way the characters do. The film places you inside their exhaustion, their grief, their numbness. It’s an odd, devastating alchemy: the suffering deepens, yet so does your emotional investment. You don’t just watch the film, you endure it alongside them.

As a Stephen King story, it fits perfectly within his particular brand of Midwestern dread. There’s no supernatural evil lurking here, which somehow makes it scarier. The horror is human, systemic, and banal. It’s also tinged with nostalgia. a throwback to a kind of youthful camaraderie where people from wildly different backgrounds can form instant, meaningful bonds. That sense of shared experience, of learning from one another before time runs out, gives the film its aching soul.

Francis Lawrence deserves real credit for the direction. Known for handling large-scale studio spectacles, he proves here that he can scale things down without losing intensity. The film could easily have been an intimate indie drama, yet it still carries the propulsion of a thriller. It’s juggling multiple tones at once emotional, political, suspenseful and somehow keeps them all spinning.

Yes, on paper, the story sounds simple and even predictable, and for the most part, it embraces that simplicity. But within that framework, it offers something far richer: a meditation on endurance, youth, and the quiet brutality of hope weaponized. It’s the kind of film that breaks your heart slowly, thoughtfully, and without apology.

The ending is likely to divide audiences. I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about it and that uncertainty feels intentional. It lingers, gnaws, and invites interpretation long after the final frame.

This is not an easy sit, nor is it meant to be. But it’s a deeply admirable piece of filmmaking. one that deserves discovery, discussion, and reevaluation. It may not have found its audience at the box office, but one can only hope it finds a longer life beyond it. If studios made more films like this somber, human, and unafraid of sadness. we’d all be better off, even if we walked out a little heavier than we walked in.

Grade: B

HEDDA (2025)

 

Written & Directed By: Nia DaCosta

Based on the play “HEDDA GABLER” by Henrik Ibsen

Cinematography: Sean Bobbitt

Editor: Jacob Schulsinger

Cast: Tessa Thompson, Nina Hoss, Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock, Finbar Lynch, Mirren Mack, Saffron Hocking, 

In a provocative, modern re-imagining of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play, Heather finds herself torn between the lingering ache of a past love and the quiet suffocation of her present life. Over the course of one charged night, long-repressed desires and hidden tensions erupt-pulling her and everyone around her into a spiral of manipulation, passion, and betrayal.

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This is a film that understands atmosphere before it  worries about plot. It looks great deliberately gray, restrained, and textured. Which is impressive especially considering how much of it stays in a single location. The art direction, costumes, and camera work all do quiet but confident heavy lifting, turning limited space into something moody, elegant, and faintly suffocating in the best way.

Tessa Thompson is very good here, even if her affected accent initially throws you off. At first it feels like something you’re constantly aware of, but as the film settles into its rhythms, so does she. Once again, Thompson proves her range and commitment, leaning the character with a confidence that ultimately outweighs any early hesitation. She knows how to command stillness, and this film gives her plenty of room to do exactly that.

I’ll admit I went in blind, unfamiliar with the original play, and for much of the runtime I wasn’t entirely sure where things were heading. The narrative keeps its cards close, and clarity doesn’t fully arrive until the end. At which point it confirms what you may have suspected from early on. That slow reveal can be either intriguing or frustrating depending on your patience, but it feels intentional rather than careless.

One of the most interesting aspects is how the material is reframed around African American characters, along with more openly LGBTQ+ identities and the politics surrounding them. What’s notable is how relaxed the film feels about this. Instead of leaning into heightened tension or historical accuracy, it presents these dynamics as part of everyday life. Even if that ease may feel more modern than the period itself. That creative choice gives the film a looseness and accessibility that invites the audience to engage with the material from a fresh angle.

Though as shame as they’re are only three African-American characters, and by the end two will try to attack and kill each other. 

This isn’t an especially exciting film in the traditional sense. As period pieces rarely are, but the shifting power dynamics within relationships and the sharp, biting dialogue keep things moving. Conversations matter here. They keep the film alive and keep the audience leaning in, especially as everything circles around a lavish, almost dreamlike dinner party that feels both glamorous and quietly ominous.

Most importantly, this stands out as one of Nia DaCosta’s more original-feeling projects. While it’s still an adaptation, it’s not tied to sequels, franchises, or existing cinematic universes. You can feel her breathing a bit easier here, letting her style emerge more clearly and trusting the audience to follow. It’s a reminder of her talent as a filmmaker rather than a caretaker of someone else’s vision.

Hopefully, this leads to more projects where she has that kind of control. where she can fully flex her artistic muscles instead of feeling like a placeholder executing someone else’s plan. There’s a strong filmmaker here, and films like this suggest she’s at her best when she’s allowed to lead rather than follow.

As even after the film, one still is thinking about it

Grade: B-