Review by Cole Groth

The cast that surrounds Goth is star-studded and brilliant. Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Giancarlo Esposito, Halsey, and Lily Collins are just a handful of the actors who deliver terrific performances in their supporting roles. They range from devious to heroic, each fleshed out nicely by West's script and interesting to follow. The cast makes MaXXXine stand out as a grand conclusion to the trilogy, bringing it from a series of amateurish low-budget slashers to a horror film with a blockbuster feel.

Speaking of grand, Eliot Rockett's cinematography and West's editing make this one of the coolest-looking horror films of the 21st century. It's perfectly colored and shot to emulate the style of the 80s but manages to stand on its own as more than mere imitation. West plays with some fun editing tricks, like split screens and sliding frames, making this an ambitiously edited film that film nerds will adore.

As far as the killer reveal goes, this will fall flat for those unaware of the trilogy. The unveiling comes out of nowhere and makes almost no sense because the film doesn't set it up within the confines of its runtime. This will lead to problems for new fans but gives audiences who showed up to all three films a more satisfying conclusion.

Ti West has quickly established himself as a horror director for the ages, and if anything is clear from MaXXXine, it's that horror is more alive than ever. It's an impressive experiment in horror, sealing off a phenomenal modern slasher trilogy on a satisfying and intense note. A24's experiment of releasing three cheap horror films within just a couple of years has clearly paid off. West has stated in interviews that he has ideas for the future of the franchise, and while the series seems to have ended on a perfect note with this film, I'll be eagerly awaiting what's next.

MaXXXine releases in theaters starting July 5.

Rating: 4.5/5

Review by Daniel Lima 

That should come from Woo-sung's connection to his wife and daughter. However, he doesn't even know he has a daughter until he's out of prison, and spends most of the film separated from both. Where films like The Man from Nowhere or The Killer externalize their protagonists' conscience but take the time to develop the bonds they form with their innocent morality pets, A Man of Reason simply asks the audience to accept that its hero will go to any length to protect his family. It's certainly enough to move the plot along but not enough to make an audience emotionally invested in what happens.

None of that would matter if the film at least delivered thrilling set pieces. Sadly, this is where Jung well and truly drops the ball. The handful of action beats here are about as exciting as all the exposition: low-speed car chases, shooting a nail gun as the target jogs into cover, choppily-edited fist fights in the dark. Truthfully, much of the action in the classic Korean revenge thrillers of the '00s and '10s probably would not hold up today, but they at least committed to delivering a brand of stylized violence that hadn't really been seen up to that point. The only thing commendable here are the explosions, which seem practical, yet even they pale in comparison to another actor-director's action thriller, Hunt. Coincidentally, Jung Woo-sung had a starring role there; it's a pity he didn't take notes.

All that said, nothing in A Man of Reason is exceedingly poor. It follows the expected beats of this kind of story andblunders its way through the narrative and the action, but not enough to earn ire. It certainly is not a success, but it's not a total failure. In a way, it'd be preferable if it were, as it would at least be memorable. Instead, it evaporates from the mind shortly after watching, leaving in its place the desire to revisit any number of better examples of its genre. ​

A Man of Reason arrives in theaters July 5 and hits VOD on July 9.

Rating: 2.5/5

Review by Daniel Lima

I distinctly remember that in the fall of 2023, I was listening to an interview with stuntman/action director Lee Whittaker about his experiences working within the various Indian film industries (on Action Talks with Eric Jacobus, highly recommended). At one point, he was asked whether it would ever be possible for an Indian filmmaker to make something akin to the Indonesian film The Raid, that is, a stripped-down, brutal action film that abandons the ample melodrama and gravity-defying opulence of many Indian blockbusters in favor of a more grounded genre experience. It’s a question that made me chuckle, as while the interview was months old, the Hindi actioner Kill had just premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, and it promised precisely that.

The film has consistently been described as “The Raid on a Train,” and there’s no better way to do so. An army commando finds himself on a train that dozens of bandits have taken over, and it’s up to him to take them down. The film is under two hours, set almost entirely in one location, the fights are visceral and violent to an almost shocking degree, and there is only the barest amount of narrative groundwork laid. In short… it’s The Raid on a train.

Obviously, the selling point here is the action, as hyperviolent and frantic as one would expect, given its obvious influences. Pitted against such an overwhelming force, the protagonist is forced to use every tool at his disposal against his foes, including the claustrophobic environment. To that end, the choreography departs from the typical Indian style of pseudo-superheroics, instead adopting a more realistic approach. Well, as realistic as carving through forty armed men can be.

Throughout the many, many fights, characters utilize whatever weapons they can, from knives to canes to guns to fire extinguishers. Navigating the confined space provides an additional challenge and aids in combat, restricting movement but allowing one man to take on many without being swarmed. While limited to only one setting, there is a deliberate attempt to break up the visual staleness of the surroundings and introduce new dynamics to the action: taking a fight to the bathroom, opening a locked door while a friend provides cover, facing down one particularly large adversary. And, of course, all of this is uncompromisingly bloody, with an almost overwhelming amount of stabbing, mauling, cutting, and killing.

It’s all admirably intricate, as one could expect from the action director pairing of Parvez Shaikh and Se-yeong Oh (who previously collaborated on films such as War and Tiger 3). However, it cannot be helped that there is a sameness to all the action, largely because of a lack of variance in both the actual choreography and the intensity of the action. Violence breaks out about fifteen minutes into the film and carries on at the same level for the next hour and a half. Considering the premise, we will inevitably see the number of villains dwindle, and there is a dwindling return on the impact of all the gore. Worse yet, there is little to distinguish all the combatants while they are fighting, as impressive as it all is to coordinate. Watching The Raid, there is a clear difference in how all the characters fight, befitting their personalities and the martial abilities of their actors. That personal touch is lacking here, and by the end, it all blends together. ​

Review by Jonathan Berk

Writer and director Niclas Larsson's film Mother, Couch is an anxiety-inducing examination of family issues delivered by a stellar cast. Larsson thrusts the audience into the film's surreal world, primarily set in an antiquated furniture store. It's a jarring experience that will make audiences question whether they missed the beginning of the film, but it establishes the tone that will carry through for the entirety. 
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Ewan McGregor is at this furniture store with his estranged brother, played by Rhys Ifans, and their elderly mother, Ellen Burstyn, takes a seat on a couch and refuses to leave. The store is run by Taylor Russell and her father, F. Murray Abraham, and becomes an odd place to hash out the family baggage. The brothers call their sister, Lara Flynn Boyle, to come and help them figure out what to do about their mother. 
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McGregor's character is working through many issues. He performs really well in this chaotic role. He is the anchor for all of the story elements, and each character has some connection to him. The film's ticking clock is McGregor getting to his daughter's birthday party. His wife, played by Lake Bell, is calling and inquiring when he'll arrive, but he can't abandon his mother despite how awful she is towards him.

Burstyn delivers this cruel, biting performance as the family's matriarch. She has to give a big performance while mostly sitting on a couch, which she does expertly. The writing adds to the experience, but the same lines said by someone less capable wouldn't have the punch they do here. Of course, it's also the reactions to the words that help sell the overall idea. 
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Boyle and Ifans get some solid moments as well. The three siblings have an interesting past that's explored throughout the film. However, Russell and Abraham make the most of their screen time. They act as the keepers of the reality the characters find themselves in and offer sagelike advice or throw threatening commentary on the actions of these strangers invading their space. 

The decision to make this story a little more surreal adds to both the tone and the creativity. Several scenes allow for aesthetically interesting visuals. The staging of the furniture store mirrors the rooms of a house, lending to the exploration of our character's past. The metaphors the film is working with allow it to hit its visual stride later on. The third act, in particular, really makes the most of the odd reality the characters find themselves living in and will push the audience's willingness to accept it or storm out angry. 

All of these elements mix reasonably well, but they don't make for an enjoyable experience. It's hard to watch Mother, Couch and not be reminded of Ari Aster's Beau is Afraid — another film that sought to make its audience uncomfortable, but one that executes the approach a little bit better. Still, Niclas Larsson's film is well-made and gets its idea across enough to make it worth watching. ​

Mother, Couch will be in theaters on July 5. 

Rating: 3.5/5

Review by Sean Boelman

A fourth film in the Beverly Hills Cop series has been in and out of development for decades. Now, 40 years after the release of the original movie and 30 since its most recent entry, Netflix is releasing the legacy sequel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. The result is about as good (or bad) as one would expect from a straight-to-streaming continuation of a once-bustling franchise — that is to say, it’s entirely inoffensive and totally palatable, if not particularly impressive.

The film follows Axel Foley as he leaves Detroit yet again to go to Beverly Hills when his (adult) daughter’s life is threatened. Along the way, he causes hijinks as he uncovers a conspiracy in the 90210. It’s an incredibly generic, predictable story — anyone with any cinematic knowledge would be able to guess the “twist” just by looking at the cast list — but if you’re willing to be satisfied by the bare minimum of another adventure with Murphy’s detective, this sequel is passable. 

Unfortunately, stars like Tom Cruise and Will Smith have spoiled legacy sequels for the rest of Hollywood. Although Eddie Murphy is only a few years older than either, he feels decades older in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. Although it might be a quote from Lethal Weapon, you’d think Murphy’s detective would be shouting, “I’m too old for this shit!”

The action set pieces in the movie are sorely lacking any sense of adrenaline and excitement. Excusing it due to Murphy’s age can only go so far when others in their sixties — and older — have done much more exhilarating things in recent action flicks. And while it might be possible to forgive them for not being exhilarating, they also aren’t particularly effective at setting up slapstick humor situations.

There are still some funny moments to be found in Axel F. Some of the funniest jokes are tongue-in-cheek, poking fun at the franchise, or even Murphy himself. However, these witty moments are only enough to get a passive chuckle out of the viewer. It never ascends to the laugh-out-loud level of the original, feeling more like a nostalgic imitation than an actual successor to the comedy classic.

The rest of the returning cast is also mostly underwhelming. Judge Reinhold is barely in the film, and when he is present, it feels like he’s sleepwalking through his role. Other familiar faces tend to pop up in a “Hey, remember this guy?” way rather than meaningfully progressing the plot forward.

Of course, as with any legacy sequel, there’s some new blood added to the mix. The best addition is Taylour Page, who surprisingly holds her own against the comedic veteran she shares the screen with. Page brings a spunky, almost defiant personality to the role that, while a bit on the conventional side, plays well to the role she is being asked to perform. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Kevin Bacon aren’t bad, but it constantly feels like they are just happy to be there. Granted, as much of this may be due to how poorly written both of their characters are as to their unimpassioned performances.

Yet, for all of its problems, it’s hard not to get at least a little swept away in the nostalgia of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. It’s not exactly a good movie, and it’s nowhere near as good as the original. However, it is just — and only just — reminiscent enough of the 1984 movie’s success to be worth the time for fans of the franchise. 

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F streams on Netflix beginning July 3.

Rating: 3/5

Review by Adam Donato

The Minions subplot has nothing to do with the film's main plotline. It's an entirely separate mission from what Gru and the family have going on. This does give Steve Coogan more of a role to shine. His character is turning the minions into Mega Minions. The most memorable thing about his character is that his name is a butt joke. This is the level of humor we're working with here. There were just as many adults laughing during the movie as there were kids. It's got mass appeal. 

One thing the Despicable Me movies have always been known for is the music in their films. Pharrell Williams, who has a LEGO biopic coming out later this year, always brings it with good original songs for these movies. Double Life is a fun bop that sets the stage at the beginning of the film. The soundtrack usually has characters singing popular throwback hits. At the end of the day, it's a funny twist on a good song.

Illumination goes back to the well, extending the franchise to a fourth film. Recent news came out saying they're taking The Simpsons model by not aging up their characters. With how sure of a success this film is destined to be at the box office, one may wonder if there will ever be a movie one day named Despicable Me 8. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. It's working enough. Despicable Me 4 is mildly entertaining and entirely unspecial. ​

Despicable Me 4 hits theaters on July 3.

Rating: 3/5

Review by Sean Boelman

Don’t let the title fool you — Angel Studios’s latest release, Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot, has no relation to the Christian distributor’s 2023 summer smash hit, Sound of Freedom. Instead, it’s a clever marketing tactic to convince that film’s audience to come out again in the same holiday corridor to see an inspiring movie about kids being saved (literally and figuratively) by the church’s most faithful. However, that might be a misstep, as this crowd-pleaser is more than likable enough to have breakout appeal beyond its core audience of churchgoers.

The film tells the true story of a small-town reverend and his wife as they inspire the families in their church to open their hearts and homes to adopt foster children, especially those who have been abandoned by the system. Of course, the movie provides the audience with plenty of statistics about the foster care system — both then and now — to reinforce the urgency of its message.

Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot is the type of movie that effectively conveys its point in the first hour or so. Yet, although Joshua and Rebekah Weigel’s script is melodramatic and incredibly clear about how it wants the audience to feel, it never feels like a blatant tear-jerker. The emotional beats all feel earned and build towards the overall arc and message.

The best faith-based films are not proselytizing or fear-mongering but show genuine compassion, empathy, and kindness; this is where Possum Trot thrives. Yes, the characters are devoted, faithful churchgoers, but that is secondary to the fact that they are just decent human beings. The movie is (rightfully) far more concerned about showing the urgency of the foster crisis that still rages today — even though this story took place decades ago — than it is “converting” the audience.

There are a few moments of poor filmmaking sprinkled throughout. The editing is often a little off, such as in one scene where an insert shot of someone walking interrupts a line. Other aspects of the film are overproduced and maudlin, like the oversaturated cinematography and overbearing score.

Sound of Hope also makes a few missteps regarding its characters. The portrayal of one of the foster children who is particularly troubled and struggles with mental health feels incredibly reductive. Unfortunately, Joshua Weigel seems to have had difficulty getting strong performances out of his youngest actors, directing them in an overwrought and exaggerated way.
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Thankfully, the adult actors mostly overcome this iffy direction, bringing genuine emotion to their roles. Nika King’s turn is powerful and vulnerable, and she is accented well by supporting actor Demetrius Grosse. Although Grosse’s turn is predominantly flashier, he has a few quieter moments in which he unexpectedly commands the screen. Elizabeth Mitchell makes less of an impression in her supporting role but is acceptable.

Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot isn’t without flaws, most of which can be blamed on missteps by Joshua Weigel as director. However, the story itself is so moving that it speaks for itself, and it’s hard to hate what this crowd-pleasing family drama stands for. It’s a rare faith-based film with something positive to say regardless of your faith, and it deserves points for that.

Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot hits theaters on July 4.

​Rating: 3/5

Review by Sean Boelman

Catherine Breillat is a French filmmaker known for her provocative work, which focuses on themes like sexuality. Her latest movie (her first in a decade), Last Summer, seems on paper like it would be incredibly provocative. However, this drama takes such a unique, unexpectedly nuanced approach to its subject matter that it is impossible to ignore.

Last Summer is a remake of the Danish film Queen of Hearts, following a successful woman who finds her life thrown into disarray when she begins an affair with her stepson. Its subject matter seems destined to be incredibly controversial, especially considering the sexuality of many of Breillat’s past movies, but Last Summer is far less salacious than one might fear.

it never feels like Breillat is simply trying to instigate, much less titillate. Although there are sex scenes, they are shot with such coldness and near clinicality that they don’t feel passionate or even carnal. It’s the same type of feeling you would get from watching animals mate on the Discovery Channel — voyeuristic and unsettling — which prompts viewers to question their assumptions. 

However, Breillat is also careful not to give easy answers. She doesn’t simply point the finger at the stepmom as a predator or the teenager as opportunistic. It’s clearly not endorsing or fetishizing this relationship, but it also has empathy for its characters. Breillat understands that this is not just some fantasy. Although the film may be heightened, this type of manipulation can happen in real life, and it is careful not to look down on the victims.

A significant part of the movie’s success is its cast, especially the powerful leading turn by Léa Drucker. The acclaimed actress takes a role that could have easily been overly melodramatic and uses it to make your skin crawl in subtle ways. Young actor Samuel Kircher (who is the brother of equally talented young actor Paul Kircher, of Winter Boy fame) also impresses, showing unexpected vulnerability for someone who is in their first role.

Breillat also effectively utilizes tools like juxtaposition to convey the film’s message. The cinematography and settings are beautiful, contrasting with the upsetting action of the story. In many ways, Breillat uses the grammar typical of the summer romance/coming-of-age movie and spins it on its head in a way that catches the audience off-guard. This type of subversion isn’t exactly new, but it is refreshing in a genre that’s become increasingly prevalent since Call Me By Your Name.

Yet, although the approach does feel mostly rich and fresh, Breillat conveys her point pretty effectively in the first act of the movie. The runtime isn’t even an hour and forty-five minutes, but it struggles with its pacing because it feels like it’s treading narrative water — especially in the third act. The coupling of a film that feels slow and a story that’s very bleak is a difficult duo to work with.

Last Summer isn’t perfect, but it’s much more effective and nuanced than one would expect from a movie with this material. In different hands, this easily could have been a trainwreck, but strong performances and genuinely deep character development allow it to be consistently engaging and effective.

Last Summer is now playing in theaters.

​Rating: 3.5/5

Review by Camden Ferrell

Regardless of one’s opinion of the movie, nobody can deny that Adrien Beau’s debut feature, The Vourdalak, is anything less than an ambitious swing. Adapting a 19th century Aleksei Tolstoy novella, this is a vampire story that even predates Bram Stoker’s Dracula. This visually intriguing tale had its premiere last year at the Venice Film Festival. While the movie’s boasts gorgeous visuals, costumes, and production design, it isn’t always enough to compensate for the meandering pace and less than cohesive vision.
 
Marquis Jacques Antoine is an emissary of the King of France, and he finds himself stranded in the countryside after a robbery. He searches for refuge with a peculiar family who behave oddly as they await the return of the patriarch, Gorcha. What starts out as a simple tale of a man seeking shelter quickly devolves into a tense and puzzling vampire story. This is a rather interesting and culturally rich story that has the promise of exploring multiple genres while also getting a chance to adapt a seminal vampire story.
 
Written by Beau and Hadrien Bouvier, the movie’s writing is more or less passable. Expositional dialogue feels engaging enough, but the lore can sometimes be so intensive that it can stall the momentum of the movie. Even though it follows narrative beats closely, it sometimes feels like a story that might not be the best fit for a feature length film. As a result, scenes feel drawn out and overly long, and this can undermine the eeriness and tension the movie builds throughout.

The performances are decent but nothing remarkable. The movie is led by Kacey Mottet Klein as Jacques Antoine. Despite the meandering pace of the movie, he does a decent job of trying to infuse the movie with energy with his performance. It’s an interesting outsider role, and he’s able to play into this dynamic well. The rest of the ensemble plays well enough into the absurdity and creepiness of the premise. Ariane Labed, Yorgos Lanthimos’ strange actress of choice, has the most interesting role in the film as Sdenka. It’s an enigmatic role, but she also contributes heavily to the overall vibe of the movie. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it is paramount to the movie’s success.
 
While the writing and overall execution leaves something to be desired, this movie excels in all of its technical departments. Shot on Super 16mm film, this movie feels like an homage to older horror movies from a purely visual standpoint. In addition to this, the costumes and sets are all superb and there’s some puppet work in this movie that is this film’s highlight.
 
The Vourdalak has some impressive craft on display, but it doesn’t always work from a narrative standpoint. It’s an ambitious story to adapt for one’s feature debut, but it felt a little directionless at times. Fans of horror and especially fans of vampires should definitely give this a shot since this seems like a movie where mileage will vary greatly from person to person.
 
The Vourdalak is in theaters June 28.
 
Rating: 3/5

Review by Adam Donato

Kidman is as solid in the film as she can be. She has decent chemistry with Efron, but her soiled connection with her daughter is not given the dramatic weight to feel like there are any real stakes. Efron's comedic chops are the highlight of the film. His character is very funny as an exaggeratedly rude and out-of-touch celebrity, but his energy drops entirely once his relationship with Kidman starts. It's as if he turned into a whole new person, which makes it harder to feel for King's struggle to cope with their relationship. King is comedic enough, but mostly just annoying to follow. Her conflict is so unreasonable and predictable. Bates is good for some solid scenes of advice. Koshy's skillset is much more suited for the stage as she's so animated and overly expressive. She has social media fans, but some find her content to be cringe and annoying. She has a dramatic scene with King that comes out of nowhere, and she feels like a different person. 

There's definitely an audience for films like A Family Affair. With an endless combination of hot actors and actresses, this formula is a perpetual goldmine. It's got a good sense of humor but fails to connect on an emotional level. Even with the high pedigree of actors at play, this one definitely belongs on a streaming service. Netflix makes some of the best movies of the year on a regular basis, but this is not trying to be one of those. It's the same movie but with different actors in a different setting. Nicole Kidman was nominated for an Oscar two years ago. Don't lose sight of that, despite what this movie may have you believe. ​

A Family Affair streams on Netflix beginning June 28.

Rating: 2/5