Review Category: Movie

Hugo Keijzer’s The Occupant is a striking, visually impressive survivalist genre film powered by an intense and kinetic performance from Ella Balinska, who appears in practically every scene. It’s a haunting, almost poetic movie, magnetically fascinating, and yet occasionally frustrating and confounding as it skirts in, out and around genre conventions but ultimately refuses to pin its colours to any particular mast. But for all its faults and missteps, it’s a film that will make you care about its lead character and draw you into her life, the predicament she finds herself in, and the struggle to survive that she faces.

Balinska plays geologist Abby, whose sister Beth is dying from cancer. Abby refuses to accept that the diagnosis is terminal and, in order to secure funds for a course of treatment that she is convinced will save her, takes a job at a uranium mine in Northern Georgia. The helicopter taking her home crashes in the Caucasus Mountains, and with the crew killed, she finds herself alone in a cold, hostile, remote environment. Fortunately she finds a  functioning radio which connects her with a man named John (Rob Delaney, voice only), who is, he says, stranded just a few miles away.

If she can just make her way across the barren, unforgivingly bleak terrain to reach him, perhaps they can help one another and find their way back to civilisation? But something’s not quite right about John; he’s far too upbeat and snarky considering his apparently precarious situation. Just to add to the sense of weirdness and dislocation,  Abby exhumes a lump of rock from the snow and ice which has some very strange and distinctly unearthly properties…

The Occupant belongs almost entirely to Balinska (previously best known for the 2019 Charlie’s Angels). Her performance is astonishing, as Abby faces the challenge of staying alive in an untamed wilderness, while dealing with the very real likelihood that she won’t be able to save her sister and won’t even be at her side when she passes away. The film ultimately becomes a study of grief and grief management, loss and the survival instinct inherent in us all. As such, it’s powerful and its striking – it’s a hugely good-looking film – but there are times where it asks too many questions it doesn’t feel compelled to answer.

What exactly is the purpose of the strange object Abby finds in the snow? Who or what is John? Is he real or a ghost or some figment or her mind as she tries to cope with the survival ordeal? The Occupant is troubled both with narrative opaqueness and frustrating pacing issues that slow it to a crawl in places. While it offers up an ending that’s both poignant and bittersweet, as the credits roll, you’ll be none the wiser as to exactly what the film is trying to say, even if it’s clear that it’s trying to make points about the human condition and coming to terms with not only our own mortality but the mortality of those around us.

THE OCCUPANT is now available to stream in the UK and USA.

Ben Leonberg’s Good Boy is a unique supernatural horror film in that its main character is a dog called Indy.

The film is also told from the perspective of Indy, who joins his owner Todd (Shane Jensen) as they move into an old family house in the countryside. Todd appears to be unwell, taking calls from his concerned sister Vera (Arielle Friedman), and seemingly desperate for a new start. However, things get worse as Indy begins to sense evil spirits lurking in the dark that Todd cannot see. Throw in a strange room and some old videotape diaries from Todd’s grandfather (Larry Fessenden), and we soon have a battle of dog versus evil with Indy trying to save his best friend.

Despite being a ‘short’ film at barely an hour and a quarter, Good Boy is a slow burner. However, as the film progresses, the tension builds, offering genuinely scary moments and some emotionally heartstring-tugging ones as well. Good Boy is an interesting blend of supernatural horror and dog buddy film that’s definitely worth a watch.

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.