It was a movie...

This week, we review 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), Dan Trachtenberg’s tense, twist-filled psychological thriller that reimagines the Cloverfield universe in a whole new light. Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars as Michelle, a woman who wakes up in an underground bunker after a car crash only to be told by her unnerving host, played brilliantly by John Goodman, that the world outside is no longer safe. As paranoia builds and secrets unrave...

This week, we review Watership Down (1978), Martin Rosen’s hauntingly beautiful animated adaptation of Richard Adams’ novel about a band of rabbits fleeing destruction in search of a new home. Featuring the voices of John Hurt, Richard Briers, and Ralph Richardson, this isn't your typical cartoon, it's a gripping survival epic exploring leadership, freedom, and the brutal realities of nature. With its striking hand-draw...

This week, we review Weapons (2025), a mystery‑horror film written and directed by Zach Cregger. Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Amy Madigan, Benedict Wong and others lead an ensemble cast in a story that explores loss, supernatural terror, community paranoia, and the boundaries between grief and horror. With most of a third‑grade class vanishing under inexplicable circumstances at exactly 2:17 a.m., the film follo...

This week, we review This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Rob Reiner’s cult classic mockumentary that skewers the world of heavy metal with pitch-perfect satire. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer star as the dimwitted but endearing members of Spinal Tap, a fictional British rock band on the decline. As they embark on a disastrous U.S. tour filled with bizarre gigs and backstage meltdowns, the film brilliantly parodies ...

This week, we review Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris’s offbeat road trip dramedy about dysfunction, dreams, and the beauty of being unapologetically yourself. Abigail Breslin shines as Olive, a determined young girl en route to a beauty pageant, crammed into a busted yellow VW van with her deeply flawed but oddly lovable family. Featuring standout performances from Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Greg Ki...

This week, we review Rebel Without a Cause (1955), Nicholas Ray’s groundbreaking teen drama that helped define a generation. James Dean stars as the iconic Jim Stark, a troubled teenager grappling with identity, alienation, and the search for belonging in a world that doesn’t seem to understand him. With Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo rounding out a powerful cast, this emotionally charged film delves into the volatile mix of youth rebe...

This week, we review Underworld (2003), Len Wiseman’s sleek, gothic action-horror hybrid that dives into the centuries-old war between vampires and werewolves. Kate Beckinsale stars as Selene, a stoic vampire warrior caught in a web of bloodlines, betrayal, and forbidden love. With its moody visuals, leather-clad aesthetics, and Matrix-inspired gun-fu, this cult favorite explores themes of loyalty, identity, and the blurred lines b...

This week, we review School of Rock (2003), Richard Linklater’s wildly fun and music-fueled comedy about passion, rebellion, and finding your voice. Jack Black stars as Dewey Finn, a down-and-out guitarist who fakes his way into a substitute teaching gig at a prep school only to transform his class of straight-A students into a shredding rock band. With its blend of infectious energy, classic rock references, and heartwarming u...

This week, we review War of the Worlds (2025), director Rich Lee’s modern, “screenlife” twist on H. G. Wells’s iconic sci-fi thriller. Ice Cube stars as DHS agent Will Radford, juggling the chaos of a looming alien invasion and an invasive surveillance state — all through the lens of screens and apps. With Eva Longoria as the NASA ally Sandra, the film explores data privacy, government overreach, and digital surveillance. As meteor...

This week, we review The Bedroom Window (1987), Curtis Hanson’s suspenseful neo-noir thriller steeped in voyeurism, deception, and moral ambiguity. Quentin Tarantino recommended it so we thought why not. Steve Guttenberg stars as Terry, a Baltimore businessman who becomes entangled in a murder investigation after his affair with his boss’s wife, played by Isabelle Huppert, leads him to report a crime he didn’t actually witness....

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Movie 120 on Metacritic’s all time movie list. This week, we review Grave of the Fireflies (1988), Isao Takahata’s devastating war-time animated drama from Studio Ghibli. Tsutomu Tatsumi and Ayano Shiraishi voice Seita and Setsuko, two siblings struggling to survive in the aftermath of the firebombing of Kobe during World War II. With harrowing scenes of loss, resilience, and the collapse of innocence, ...

🎬 Being John Malkovich (1999) – Random Movie #342

This week, we review Being John Malkovich (1999), Spike Jonze’s wildly inventive....thing...that blends surrealism with sharp social satire. John Cusack stars as a struggling puppeteer who discovers a secret portal into the mind of actor John Malkovich—yes, the real one. With a stellar cast including Cameron Diaz and Catherine Keener, this genre-defying film explores identity, obses...

Inception (2010) – Random Movie #3521

This week, we review Inception (2010), Christopher Nolan’s genre-defying sci-fi thriller that folds reality in on itself. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Dom Cobb, a skilled thief who infiltrates dreams to steal secrets—but this time, he’s tasked with planting an idea instead. With its stacked ensemble cast, mind-bending action sequences, and layered narrative, the film explores memory, guilt, and th...

🎬 Annihilation (2018) – Random Movie #2019

This week, we review Annihilation (2018), Alex Garland’s cerebral sci-fi horror that blends mind-bending visuals with deep existential dread. Natalie Portman leads a team of scientists into “The Shimmer,” a mysterious and mutating zone where nature rewrites the rules of biology—and reality itself. With themes of self-destruction, identity, and transformation, the film offers a haunting...

🎬 Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988) – Random Movie #14081

This week, we review Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988), Tony Randel’s nightmarish sequel that dives deeper into Clive Barker’s twisted world of pain and pleasure. Picking up right after the original, the film follows Kirsty (Ashley Laurence) as she descends into the hellish dimension of the Cenobites to rescue her father and confront the sadistic Dr. Channard. With grotesque...

🎬 Unforgiven (1992) – Random Movie #898

This week, we review Unforgiven (1992), Clint Eastwood’s revisionist Western that deconstructs the myths of violence and heroism on the American frontier. Eastwood stars as William Munny, a retired gunslinger dragged back into one last job, alongside Morgan Freeman’s steady Ned Logan and a brash young wannabe. With Gene Hackman as the brutal sheriff Little Bill, this brooding, Oscar-winning d...

🎬 The Long Good Friday (1982) – Random Movie #1518

This week, we review The Long Good Friday (1982), John Mackenzie’s gritty British crime classic set against the backdrop of a changing London. Bob Hoskins delivers a powerhouse performance as Harold Shand, a ruthless gangster trying to go legit just as his criminal empire comes under mysterious attack. Helen Mirren co-stars as his sharp and steady partner, Victoria. With sharp ...

🎬 Living (2022) – Random Movie #1718

This week, we review Living (2022), Oliver Hermanus’s quietly moving adaptation of Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru. Bill Nighy stars as Mr. Williams, a buttoned-up civil servant in 1950s London who, after receiving a terminal diagnosis, sets out to find meaning in a life he’s long kept at arm’s length. With tender performances and a beautifully restrained script by Kazuo Ishiguro, this reflective drama e...

🎬 The Astronaut's Wife (1999) – Random Movie #14649

This week, we review The Astronaut's Wife (1999), Rand Ravich’s eerie blend of sci-fi and psychological thriller. Johnny Depp stars as Spencer Armacost, a NASA astronaut who returns from a mysterious space mission… different. Charlize Theron plays his increasingly unsettled wife, Jillian, who begins to suspect that whatever came back to Earth isn’t entirely human. With its slow-bu...