Drama – Matthew Liedke on Film

REVIEW: ‘Tuner’ is a total bore

For a film about instruments being fine-tuned, it’s a shame this doesn’t manage to strike a chord. Sorry if that’s not the cleverest lede for this type of film. Alas, I played brass in high school.

Anyway, “Tuner” is a film that, unsurprisingly, centers on a piano tuner. More specifically, a tuner’s apprentice named Niki (Leo Woodall), who works for his boss Harry (Dustin Hoffman). Niki was once a promising pianist himself, but had to shift to being a tuner when he began to suffer from hyperacusis, an increased sensitivity to sound.

That sensitivity also means he can pick up subtle noises, such as the gears in a safe mechanism. Once he demonstrates that he can crack a safe thanks to this, he’s recruited by a trio of thieves. At first, his life starts to turn positive with the new gig, as he’s able to support his sick mentor and he gains more confidence to start a relationship. However, things later take a turn for the worse.

REVIEW: While not genre defining, ‘Pressure’ nicely dramatizes D-Day

We’ve seen the major D-Day invasion and its aftermath portrayed in cinema plenty of times. I guess it only makes sense to get a look at how the planning went before the English Channel was crossed.

Rather than determining what type of force is needed to storm the beaches of Normandy, though, “Pressure” centers on the meteorological efforts needed to know when to launch. The picture is largely from the vantage point of James Stagg (Andrew Scott), a meteorologist who was summoned by General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) to help the process.

However, Eisenhower’s decision was based on a recommendation from Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and he already has a weather expert who he’s relied on before. That expert, Irving Krick (Chris Messina), forecasts calm weather, contrasting Stagg’s outlook of a storm. As D-Day gets closer, their disagreement puts the invasion at risk.

REVIEW: ‘Is God Is’ is pretty God damn good

What’s better than a roaring rampage of revenge? A roaring rampage of revenge with a two protagonists.

That’s what audiences can expect in “Is God Is.” The film is an adaptation of a play by the same name, penned by Aleshea Harris, who makes her feature film debut as the writer and director of the movie. The picture follows a pair of twins, Racine ( Kara Young) and Anaia (Mallori Johnson) who are on a mission.

As children, they were forced to witness their mother, Ruby, be burned in a murder attempt by their abusive father, known only as The Monster (Sterling K. Brown). They themselves were burned, too, and the Monster got off free in court. Because of her injuries, Ruby was unable to raise her kids, but now on her death bed, she asks her two daughters to get revenge.

REVIEW: ‘Prada 2’ succeeds with stars, news industry intrigue

When a sequel that’s not part of an ongoing series or trilogy comes out, it’s sometimes fair to feel trepidation. That’s not quite the case in a film like this, though, with such a strong cast.

One member of that cast is Anne Hathaway, who reprises her role of Andy Sachs. Now an established and respected journalist with two decades of experience, Andy is at what should be a good point in her career. That is until she learns that herself and the rest of the newsroom at the publication she works for have been laid off.

As luck would have it, the ownership of Runway, where she was once an assistant, needs some editorial guidance after a scandal breaks out. To help navigate things, ownership of the publication hires Sachs as the new features editor to help right the ship. However, the move isn’t warmly received by Runway’s Editor-in-Chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep).

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REVIEW: ‘Michael’ movie can’t escape mediocrity

I mean, it’s cool to see the background of “Thriller.” But if I want to watch “Thriller,” I could just watch “Thriller?”

That’s a common thought during the course of “Micheal,” a biographical film about the King of Pop during roughly the first 35 years of his life. The picture begins when he was a boy, making waves in the music scene with his brothers as part of the Jackson 5. Under the guidance of their strict father Joseph (Colman Domingo), the group experiences great success.

Michael, played by the musician’s actual nephew Jaafar Jackson, later wants to go on a solo route. The film follows how this creates tension between him and his father, and how he pushed forward to make his notable hits, such as “Beat It.” The film also explores his isolation and difficulty building connections with others.

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REVIEW: ‘The Drama’ presents spectacular relationship chaos

If you’re going to simply call your movie “The Drama,” the tea involved better be hot. In this movie, it’s properly boiling.

In the latest film distributed by A24, Robert Pattinson stars as Charlie, a groom-to-be who’s deciding what to say in his vows to fiancé Emma (Zendaya). The two were introduced in a classic meet cute and have since grown to be the perfect couple. The film picks up with the couple only a week away from their wedding.

So far, the preparation process has been entirely routine, and the movie finds them trying out wines and entrees to include on their menu for the big day. They do the activity with a pair of friends, and all seems to be going well. That is until they play a game of revealing the worst thing they’ve done, and Emma reveals a dark part of her past.

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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. Noticing her plight, 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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