As always - **** is a masterpiece. *** is a must-see. ** is worth seeing. * has a redeeming facet. No stars has nothing to offer.
** Tusk (2014) Directed by Kevin Smith and starring Justin Long and Haley Joel Osment. Very weird and funny body-horror. Almost a parody of body horror. I enjoyed it and laughed out loud a few times!
** Backrooms (2026) Directed by Kane Parsons, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve (who was in the great Sentimental Value in 2025). Well made disturbing film about dealing with past trauma and getting stuck in memory. A "must see" if you are into psychological horror. I think this director and this film is onto something.
** Red Rocket (2021) Directed by Sean Baker (Anora). I really enjoyed, and was surprised by, this small movie about a manipulative, delusional charmer who returns to his hometown after a career as a porn actor. He lies to himself and everyone around him and his lies work because HE believes them. And the people he uses, sometimes they use him too. Baker is VERY good at showing the underbelly of America.
Rewatched *** Three Kings (1999, David O. Russell) and *** Mystery Men (1999, Kinka Usher). Both hold up.
** The Drama (2026) Directed by Kristofer Borgli. Starred Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. I had heard it was divisive, and boy is it. This is a treatise about guilt, and about double standards. I almost stopped watching out of frustration but ultimately I came to understand Borgli's point. Zendaya is a puzzle in this. Pattinson is a great jerk - and in this and The Odyssey he's having a good year.
*** The Odyssey (2026) Directed by Christopher Nolan. I very much enjoyed this. I liked his themes about how we had a culture of respect, honor, kindness - "Zeus' Law" in the film - bit we've ruined it. People complaining that it's not true to Homer miss the point completely. Every artist gets to tell their own story. This is the Odyssey that Nolan wants to tell.
