Tag: Drama

REVIEW: Imperfect ‘Hail Mary’ still scores with charm, excitement

Not going to lie, this movie lost some points for not having the 2Pac song “Hail Mary.” I’m only kidding, sort of.

“Project Hail Mary” is a film based on the novel of the same name by Andy Weir. Fans of both film and books likely remember Weir’s other novel “The Martian,” which was adapted into a film, garnering award recognition. The latest Weir book-to-movie production stars Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace, a molecular biologist aboard an interstellar spacecraft.

Grace wakes up with his ship nearing its destination in a far off system. There, he’s tasked with investigating a microorganism that eats energy from stars, including the sun, which will drastically cool the Earth. Tragically, he wakes up to find his two crew mates passed away. However, he encounters an alien also studying the star eater, and the two decide to partner on a solution.

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REVIEW: ‘They Will Kill You’ will entertain you

After “You’re Next,” “Satanic Panic,” “Ready or Not” and a RON sequel, we get the next movie in the Woman Surviving Evil Rich People Cinematic Universe.

In “They Will Kill You,” Zazie Beetz stars as Asia Reaves, a woman who gets a job as a maid in a New York high rise building after a 10-year prison sentence. Her stint behind bars was because of an incident involving her attacking her abusive father to protect her younger sister.

Now out of jail, Asia is looking to get her life together with her new job. She’s also looking to reconnect with her sister who she hasn’t seen in years, and is committed to using this opportunity to find her. However, she soon learns that the owners of the building have ulterior motives, namely sacrificing their new maid to Satan to keep their immortality.

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REVIEW: Strong cast and inspiring tale help lift ‘Tow’ over issues

A 2025 film with Rose Byrne playing a mother in a difficult living situation and stressful personal life? Yes indeed, and it’s not “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.”

In this movie, debuted at a 2025 film festival but just hitting theaters now, Byrne stars as Amanda Ogle. The film tells the true story of how Ogle, a homeless woman in Seattle on hard times, is trying to get back on her feet while living out of her 1991 Toyota Camry.

Unfortunately, the last thing she owns is stolen during a job interview, and later towed away after it’s ditched. Receiving a huge bill to get her car back, she decides to take the matter to court, claiming she wasn’t at fault because of the theft. To help her, an ambitious non-profit lawyer, Kevin (Dominic Sessa), decides to help her.

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REVIEW: ‘The Bride’ is an abomination

First “Lisa Frankenstein,” and now this. Yeesh.

Written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Bride” is a retelling of “Bride of Frankenstein.” However, rather than take place in the 1800s, this one is set in 1936 Chicago. The movie centers on Ida (Jessie Buckley), a young woman who is killed one night at a mob bar after she’s suddenly possessed by the spirit of Mary Shelley.

Meanwhile, Frankenstein (Christian Bale), the monster who took the name of his creator, has become exhausted from a century of loneliness and wants a significant other. With the help of a Chicago-based scientist, Dr. Euphronious (Annette Bening), they resurrect Ida, creating a wife for the monster. Their ensuing escapades result in havoc and chaos.

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REVIEW: Solid action in ‘Protector’ overwhelmed by other problems

Kids, this here is what we used to call “straight to DVD.”

“Protector” is an action film very much in the vein of “Taken,” as it centers on the protagonist’s daughter being abducted. Milla Jovovich stars as Nikki in the film, a woman who for years served in the United States Army with multiple combat tours during America’s wars in the Middle East.

She ends her military career, though, when her husband passes away, so she can be at home with her daughter, Chloe (Isabel Myers). Because she was gone for years, their relationship is strained. But when Chloe is abducted by traffickers, Nikki goes in to protective mom mode, and leans on her special forces training.

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REVIEW: ‘Crime 101’ is a familiar but refreshing drama course

Since it’s been out for a while, I’m sure it’s been mentioned a bunch. So, insert Hulk and Thor joke here.

The reason for that lede is the actors now well-known for their appearances in Marvel movies both appear in “Crime 101.” Chris Hemsworth in the movie portrays a jewel thief, Mike, who’s pulled several successful heists. Each one he does efficiently, and with a unique commitment to non-violence.

Mark Ruffalo, meanwhile, is Lou Lubesnick, a detective who manages to deduce that all of the recent jewel heists are tied to Mike. As his investigation heats up, Mike is approached about a new big job, but is concerned about doing so, especially since he recently started a new relationship.

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REVIEW: ‘How to Make a Killing’ sorely lacking in humor, suspense

I need Margaret Qualley to back off the crime movies, because between this and “Drive Away Dolls,” it’s not been a great run in the genre.

Rather than the focusing on her, though, “How to Make a Killing” centers on Glen Powell’s character Becket Redfellow. A blue-collar worker in New York City, Becket appears to come from, at best, a middle-class background. However, he’s tied to a family with immense wealth, and remains in the will, meaning a fortune is possible.

Yet he’s not exactly first in line to receive anything. In fact, he’s far from it, more like fifth or sixth. Knowing his family abandoned his own mother leaving her to fend for herself, Becket decides to take matters in his own hands, and knock off heirs to put himself in a better position. But while he thinks he’s in the clear, a person from his past starts to suspect him.

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REVIEW: Sam Raimi’s ‘Send Help’ is a zany good survival flick

If you thought Rachel McAdams was intense as Regina George, just wait until you see her in survival mode.

That’s the gear she shifts into in this film by director Sam Raimi, where she plays financial strategist Linda. While she’s a bit awkward in the office, she’s also a hard worker who’s an expert with the corporation’s fiscal data. Because of her knowledge, she’s expecting a big promotion.

However, the business’ new, crass CEO Bradley (Dylan O’Brien) chooses to promote his college buddy instead, though he does offer Linda an opportunity to move up in the company on a work trip. On the way there, their plane crashes with Bradley and Linda as the only survivors. Fortunately, Linda is also well versed in staying alive in rough situations.

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REVIEW: Gimme ‘Shelter’ at a matinee price and I’m good

Tell me, what’s a Beekeeper want with being a wickie?

I ask that question because Jason Statham, star of the 2024 action flick “The Beekeeper,” plays a man living in and upkeeping a lighthouse. However, the lighthouse, situated on an island off the coast of Scotland, isn’t actually active. The reason he’s there is because he wants to be completely off the grid at an undisclosed location.

Michael Mason is a former elite black operations soldier, and his only connection to the world is a commercial sailor and his niece who deliver supplies. However, after a tragic incident, the sailor is killed and in helping the girl, Mason is spotted by the government that now wants him eliminated to cover their tracks.

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REVIEW: ‘Mercy’ has a rough script but offers some schlocky fun

Chris Pratt may not have his Guardians of the Galaxy starship in this flick, but he’s still working with some high-tech equipment.

Pratt stars as Chris Raven in “Mercy,” a Los Angeles Police Department detective who was a major advocate in creating an artificial intelligence program that handles court cases as a way to expedite the judicial process. The effort has ramped up convictions with 90-minute trials, where a person has a chance to prove their innocence.

If their evidence is insufficient, the AI program, taking the appearance of a woman dubbed Judge Maddox (Rebecca Ferguson), will exact justice. For a murder case, that includes execution. Unfortunately for the detective, he wakes up suddenly needing to mount a defense for a murder he claims he didn’t commit.

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