Review Category: Movie

From director Kogonada and scriptwriter Seth Reiss, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey follows David (Colin Farrell) and Sarah (Margot Robbie), two strangers who, after meeting at a mutual friend’s wedding, are brought together on a surreal adventure in which they relive moments of their pasts. It’s an imaginative and poignant conceit, if uneven in its execution.

Kogonada, who’s known for the meticulous visual style seen in his previous features Columbus and After Yang, crafts sequences of staggering beauty. The film’s framing and colour palette give each memory a tactile quality, as if nostalgia itself has been made cinematic. Farrell is quietly melancholic, and Robbie’s performance warm and engaging, though the pair’s chemistry is lacking in the passion this story demands.

There are strong performances from Kevin Kline, as the enigmatic Mechanic, an underutilised Phoebe Waller-Bridge, whose sly humour is welcomed in her brief appearances, and Lily Rabe, in a heartfelt role as Sarah’s mother.

For all the film’s fascinating ideas, though, the pacing drags, and the rules of its fantastical world remain opaque – deliberately, maybe, but unsatisfyingly. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is a reflective, imperfect, but visually stunning meditation on memory and choice.

Agnes Applewhite (Lauren Kitchen) lives with her overbearing mother (Brooklyn Woods) and snarky sister (Harlie Madison) and, despite her mother’s objections, takes a job as a shampoo girl at a beauty salon. Being around the colourful characters at work gives her new confidence and even an opportunity to go on a date. Unfortunately, she suffers from debilitating menstrual cramps that manifest into nasty Blob-like creatures that envelop those around her. Things come to a head when the salon enters a competition against their bitter rivals.

Writer-director Brooke H. Cellars has crafted a bad taste picture that has a big heart. Set in a time that’s undetermined (giving a dual meaning to the title), it plays as both a love letter to the world of John Waters, the lavish visuals of Mario Bava, and the power of non-conformity and being an ‘outsider’. Agnes’ dearest confidant is a mannequin, and her menstrual problems become an extension of her anxiety and maternal oppression. The visceral horror opens proceedings with a graphic depiction of Agnes’ insides being torn apart. The attacks on other people take their time to arrive, and when they do, they’re still secondary to the horror of Agnes’ home life and her struggles with her body. Lauren Kitchen depicts Agnes as a likable character, and the most relatable of those who make up the campfest of the rest of the cast.

The visual style is that of a ‘70s grindhouse picture, and shooting on 35mm really elevates it above its lower budget. And while the comedy doesn’t land all the time (at least to this writer), the satire makes its point loud and clear.

THE CRAMPS: A PERIOD PIECE screened at Fantastic Fest 2025.

Michael Chaves returns to helm The Conjuring: Last Rites, the ninth instalment in the long-running supernatural horror saga, and what could very well be its most emotional entry yet.

Written by Ian Goldberg, Richard Naing, and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, the film draws on the infamous Smurl haunting while weaving in a deeply personal chapter for Ed and Lorraine Warren.

Returning to the central roles of these real-life paranormal investigators for one last time are Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, who anchor the scares with their usual warmth and gravitas. Their chemistry, balanced between steadfast faith and weary vulnerability, grounds the film even amidst its most terrifying sequences. Farmiga’s mix of strength and fragility is a reminder of why Lorraine has been one of the genre’s most compelling characters since 2013’s first Conjuring instalment. The addition of Mia Tomlinson as Judy Warren, Ed and Lorraine’s daughter, and Ben Hardy as her boyfriend Tony Spera broadens the family dynamic and ups the stakes.

Chaves executes the scares with precision, building up atmosphere rather than relying on cheap jolts. Unnerving set pieces unfold around ordinary domestic spaces, making the Smurls’ Pennsylvania home feel like a living, breathing threat. Shadows, mirrors, and silence play a pivotal role, tapping into primal fears while keeping the suspense levels up.

So Last Rites delivers on demonic terror, but it also has at its heart an exploration of legacy, love, and the burdens of carrying faith through darkness. Though there’s little innovative, it’s an impressive balance of horror with poignancy.

THE CONJURING: LAST RITES is in cinemas now.

With The Monkey, The Institute, and The Long Walk, as well as the upcoming The Running Man and It: Welcome to Derry, 2025 is proving to be another huge year for Stephen King. Now arriving in cinemas thanks to writer-director Mike Flanagan, The Life of Chuck adds to this epic release storm.

After breaking into the cinematic field with Hush and Oculus, Flanagan pushed through to a wider audience with Ouija: Origin of Evil, a film that reminded us that prequels and sequels can be just as good, if not better than, their predecessors when done right. He went on to prove his Stephen King adapting capability with the highly anticipated Doctor Sleep, earning a stamp of approval from King himself. It’s a strong pairing that will continue right through the cycle of this movie, and straight into the in-development TV version of The Dark Tower.

The film tells the life story of Charles “Chuck” Krantz via three contrasting yet well-balanced acts, shown in reverse order, and is narrated by Nick Offerman. It opens up in a universe populated by characters who can’t figure out why the world is ending so abruptly, and full of signs saying “Thanks for your service, Chuck”. Marty Anderson (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Felicia Gordon (Karen Gillan) delicately move around this mystery whilst asking some of life’s biggest questions. The film instantly shows off its immense cast, with welcome appearances from David Dastmalchian, Matthew Lillard, Rahul Kohli, and Harvey Guillén, to name just a few. This act can feel very secretive, but fear not, because its significance will make itself known throughout.

Act Two belongs to Tom Hiddleston, as we see the hard-working accountant Chuck on his way to another meeting. In this moment, something takes hold of him as he hears a drummer in the street, and alongside Janice Halliday (Annalise Basso), he starts to dance, and just can’t stop. It’s a freeing and crucial segment for the character as he tunes into his lifelong joy of dancing. Ultimately, it’s the heart of the movie.

Moving into Act One, the recurring Flanagan collaborators continue to rule; Kate Siegel, Samantha Sloyan, Mark Hamill, and Mia Sara hold up the foundations of the narrative whilst Jacob Tremblay and Benjamin Pajak superbly lay down the formative years of our protagonist. Flanagan is known for bringing back actors who dominated in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, allowing them to show off their brilliant acting palette. He did it before with Henry Thomas, and has done it again with Mark Hamill and Mia Sara. To add to all of this, at this point the film fuses in its supernatural subplot, one which asks questions not only of the characters onscreen, but of the viewers that witness it.

Backed with incredible cinematography from Eben Bolter, an otherworldly soundtrack from the Newton Brothers, and a stacked to the rafters array of outstanding actors, The Life of Chuck reaffirms the ever-reaching creative ability of Stephen King and Mike Flanagan; both could cover any genre that they wanted to and bring out nothing but the absolute best in it. The Life of Chuck is a multitude of emotion and meaning. It’s an important reminder that no matter what happens in life, we should always embrace the little moments and never forget our creativity.

THE LIFE OF CHUCK is in cinemas now.

A nineties pop sensation is forced to fend off the affections of an obsessive fan in this absurdist comedy-thriller from Cocaine Bear writer Jimmy Warden. With Samara Weaving playing the famous musician and Ray Nicholson in the deranged sociopath role, Warden’s directorial debut does a great job of capturing the interest early on.

Breaking into Sofia Minor’s mansion, stalker Paul Duerson (Nicholson) is determined to achieve the perfect wedding, regardless of whether his bride-to-be wants it or not. And, were Borderline a two-hander between Weaving and Nicholson (whose apple did not fall far from the tree), we might have a worthy successor to The Loved Ones on our hands. Unfortunately for us, the water becomes muddied with a whole cast of people who aren’t Samara Weaving or Ray Nicholson.

That’s not to say that the plight of wounded bodyguard Bell (Eric Dane) isn’t interesting, or that we shouldn’t care about his daughter (Yasmeen Kelders), or Sofia’s basketball player boyfriend (Jimmy Fails), all of whom are perfectly… there. The issue is that none of them are Samara Weaving, who’s more than capable of carrying this sort of thing on her shoulders alone. Instead of a taut home invasion thriller about a pop star and her stalker, Borderline is forced to divide its time between that and everything else it has going on.

The fractured, almost Tarantino-esque approach means that neither Nicholson nor Weaving never get to fulfil their full potential, denying one the opportunity to get nuts while holding the other back from another great horror role. As the 1990s setting is largely underutilised, so is the fact that Sofia is supposedly a global pop star (the film is loosely based on a ’90s stalker case involving Madonna). When it does remember, this scores us the best use of Celine Dion in a film since Titanic, and an otherwise well-deployed soundtrack and score.

If this sounds overly harsh, that’s because Borderline has everything it needs to be great. Unfortunately, it’s successes are outweighed by everything that’s not-so-great, including entire sub-plots and characters Warden’s screenplay could have done without. As for Weaving and Nicholson? As well as being its shining stars, they serve as a reminder that they could have elevated the whole thing, if only they’d been allowed the chance.

BORDERLINE is available for streaming on digital platforms now.

Known for his post-apocalyptic and gritty work on The Hunger Games franchise, director Francis Lawrence has returned with his latest project, The Long Walk, an adaptation of the Stephen King novel (behind the pseudonym of Richard Bachman) of the same name.

With a script by JT Mollner (Strange Darling), the story has a simple premise. America is currently in a state of financial ruin, and every year, a military presence led by the Major (Mark Hamill) puts on a walk to help inspire a work ethic in a society that has seemingly become more hopeless than ever imagined. With 100 young contestants – who have all volunteered for the event – the goal is to maintain a speed of 4MPH or get shot. There is only one winner, who will receive a life-changing prize.

The Long Walk pulls you straight in with its intriguing focus on contestant #47, Raymond Garraty (Cooper Hoffman), just before he heads to the start of the walk. For a moment, everything seems like a video game, in the sense that none of the contestants feel like they are going to die doing this walk. A fake sense of community and friendship quickly forms between some of the walkers. However, when the first gunshot fires, The Long Walk steps into a relentlessly brutal pace that is unpredictable yet compelling to watch. The movie cements its tone from this point on, and it immerses the viewer into the horrific reality of this disturbing event.

With his work on The Hunger Games receiving critical acclaim, Francis Lawrence is the perfect choice for this narrative. He’s used to working with characters that must survive to the last person standing, whilst really getting into the core and background of the personalities on show. He achieved that great cinematic balance previously, and has certainly done it again here.

Alongside an incredible lead performance from Hoffman is a captivating display from David Jonsson as Peter McVries. Peter asks intense yet important questions, and brings out the best (or worst) in all those who walk beside him. After a career-changing performance in Alien: Romulus, Jonsson’s work in The Long Walk is additional proof of a promising career ahead. The dynamic between Raymond and Peter is nothing short of superb, the writing constantly shines through each actor, and as a viewer, you want more.

The film only gets better as it progresses; the more dire the situation, the more honesty it brings out within the characters. With a couple of plot twists along the way, and a kick-ass performance from Mark Hamill, the story arrives at a spot-on conclusion. The Long Walk is brutal and unforgiving in its execution, but you can’t help but watch such a unique idea that rewardingly digs down to the core of human nature, harshly pushed to its absolute limit.

THE LONG WALK is in cinemas from September 12th.

This new indie psychological horror is a difficult watch, and that’s clearly writer-director Martin Melnick’s intention from the outset. A low-budget, claustrophobic, dialogue-driven treatise on existential torment, Lilly Lives Alone is far from multiplex popcorn viewing. Melnick blends unnerving, spooky chills with an intense portrayal of the devastating personal impact of unimaginable grief.

Ten years on from the death of her young daughter, Lilly (Shannon Beeby) is still overwhelmed by an unprocessed sense of loss. Shunning connections from family and friends, Lilly is untethered and adrift, looking for solace in alcohol, pills and meaningless one-night pick-ups. Spending most of her time home alone, she is haunted by memories of her own dysfunctional childhood and ghostly apparitions that might be spectres reaching out to her or simply the hallucinations conjured up by her own addled mind.

Apart from the few glimpses of the outside world, the drama of Lilly Lives Alone unfolds in the gloomy and drab interiors of her home. Her isolation is broken only by the occasional visits of concerned workmates, intrusive neighbours (genre stalwart Jeffrey Combs on scene-stealing form), or her latest hook-up Jed (Ryan Jonze, who plays out of his depth rather adeptly). Given the subject matter and her centrality to the film, it’s a bold creative choice to make Lilly such an unsympathetic character. Audiences will feel empathy for Lilly’s plight, but her caustic, endlessly self-destructive behaviour towards others makes her difficult to like.

Even so, the emotional rawness of Beeby’s committed performance is both powerful and impactful. The supernatural elements of the story are ultimately peripheral to Melnick’s concern with matters of guilt and redemption, yet this remains a visceral and affecting viewing experience.

LILLY LIVES ALONE is available now on streaming platforms in the US. A UK release is coming soon.