Review by Camden Ferrell

​Jimmy Warden is a name you might be familiar with as he was the writer of Cocaine Bear, which became a bit of a cultural phenomenon and box office success in 2023 due to its absurd premise. Now, it seems he has earned himself a shot in the director’s chair with his newest movie Borderline, which he also wrote. He doesn’t break any new ground as far as horror stories about celebrity obsession go, but he does infuse his own brand of eccentricity and outlandish humor to mixed effects.
 
Sofia is a pop superstar, and Duerson is a dangerous and delusional stalker who thinks they’re in love. When he breaks out of his mental institution in order to put on the wedding of his dreams, Sofia finds herself in an intense fight for survival with a man who is as unpredictable as he is passionate. Immediately, comparisons to Misery and other works may come to mind, but Warden definitely has a unique tone that he brings to help differentiate the story beneath its surface.
 
Warden’s script is probably what I found weakest about this movie even though I would say it worked more than it didn’t. It feels incredibly conventional in its narrative, and while it has a few curveballs, it doesn’t feel daring or unpredictable enough for a film in this genre. On top of that, it gets very close to diving deeper into its cast of characters, but he always seems to pull back before anything substantial can emerge. It’s a short movie, and I think a few more minutes of character development could have done wonders for the final product.

One thing that I can say about the performances is that they are committed for better or worse. Samara Weaving is a reliable horror protagonist, and this movie is no different. She has natural charisma for this type of role even if it isn’t much different than what she’s done in other films. Ray Nicholson co-leads as Duerson, and he definitely gives maximum effort in his role. It teeters between caricature and genuine insanity in a way that is messy but ultimately quite interesting to see. It’s hard not to watch him and think of his dad, but it’s clear he’s trying to forge a unique and bold niche for himself in this film.
 
The aspect I was most impressed with was Duerson’s direction and the surprisingly gorgeous cinematography of Michael Alden Lloyd. There are multiple scenes, shots, sequences, etc. where these two artists work together to achieve their vision, which is quite captivating. It seems like there was love and care in the way they visually crafted this story, and it helps overcome to movie’s flaws occasionally. I think Warden’s direction in this movie proves that he has something special inside of him and that even if it’s not fully developed yet, he’s someone we should keep an eye on.
 
Borderline may not be the best its genre has to offer, but there are inklings of brilliance shining throughout in various aspects. It may be occasionally inconsistent in tone, and it may also adhere to strongly to narrative convention, but this movie cannot be accused of being passionless. It’s very clear that everyone working on this truly gave it their all, and it’s a bit of a beautiful mess in that regard.
 
Borderline is in theaters and on VOD March 14.
 
Rating: 3/5

Review by Camden Ferrell

Steven Soderbergh is one of the most prolific American directors working today, and it’s no surprise considering how vast and frequent his output is. Black Bag is his second wide theatrical release of 2025 (even though we’re not even a quarter of the way through the year), and it’s yet another notch in his ever-growing belt of filmmaking prowess. This thriller film boasts a steady hand from Soderberg, strong and committed performances, and one of the best scripts of David Koepp’s illustrious career.
 
George works for a high-profile intelligence agency, and he is tasked with finding a leak in the agency. The people in question are colleagues, friends, and even his wife Kathryn. What ensues is an intense and riveting story with twists, turns, betrayal, deception, and romance all twisted together. The plot itself isn’t anything new and borders on relatively basic narrative surrounding a McGuffin-y device that is being sought after by Russian agents. However, where this movie really shines is by diving deep into the interpersonal relationships and emotions that drive the cast of characters throughout the movie.
 
Koepp has made a name for himself writing for some of the most iconic franchises in film history like Indiana Jones, Spider-Man, and Jurassic Park. One might look at his resume and assume his best years are behind him, but his two most recent efforts with Soderbergh prove that he is far from finished and has exciting ideas and characters to share with the world. This movie seamlessly blends espionage thrills with great character studies sprinkled throughout, and it makes the film much more engaging and gripping. In addition to the character development, Koepp has some undeniably witty and insightful dialogue that serves as the engine to this steadily powered train of a movie.

This movie’s ensemble is a definite highlight in a movie where so much already works. Michael Fassbender leads the film as George, and he brings a very calculated and smooth energy to his character. It’s such a steady and stoic performance that makes his brief moments of catharsis (even in the slightest sense) so much more tangible and impressive. Kathryn is played by Cate Blanchett who could probably have phoned it in and still been exquisite, but she definitely brings her A-game yet again. She plays well off Fassbender and is exactly what balances out their interesting dynamic. The rest of the ensemble is rounded out with players like Tom Burke, Marisa Abela, Regé-Jean Page, and Naomie Harris who are all equally impressive in their respective roles.
 
Soderbergh once again wears different hats as director, editor, and cinematographer, and it never feels like he’s spread thin. It’s a cleverly shot movie (although the aggressive washed-out lighting was hit-or-miss), and it’s such a meticulously blocked film in a way that feels distinct to his sensibilities. It’s not as innovative as his other movies, but he still makes it feel like something you haven’t seen before.
 
Black Bag is a gripping film that breezes past you in an instant. It grabs you from the start and doesn’t loosen its grip until its final moments. It’s a raw glimpse into a group of deeply flawed and human individuals in the midst of a high-stakes situation. It’s also another stark reminder that this writer/director duo are still putting out some of their best work.
 
Black Bag is in theaters March 14.
 
Rating: 4.5/5 

​Flying Lotus has more than earned the title of visionary. Having Coltrane blood undeniably helps, yet Lotus has carved his own path from musician to filmmaker, offering his own brand of creations along the way. Sometimes, however, being a visionary is a two-edged sword. In the case of his latest directorial feature Ash, some of the worst tendencies of his creative genius shine through.

Ash is filled with moments that want to defy convention. Every moment looks to warrant a reaction, whether it be repulsion, scares, or aural and visual confusion. Up for debate though is how much context it all adds. With most of the opening sequences building up to jump scares, the effect becomes old quick. The blistering sound design keeps most dialogue muted, while the visual palette sways between too few creative ideas and uninspired imagery.

To say it is a disappointment is a massive understatement. From what has come to be expected from Flying Lotus, Ash curiously feels like a film that was reeled in from its bolder creative ideas. Its main character Rya (Eiza González) is the lone survivor of a space mission to planet Ash. After an introduction filled with gory clips, the film cuts to Rya lying on the floor, covered in bruises and blood. Something terrible has happened, yet Rya has a tough time remembering what has happened. Clues are afforded by bloody bodies and flashbacks Rya experiences as she investigates her surroundings.

The film’s plot revolves around Rya piecing together what happened. Given that the results are already known via the gory remnants, Ash struggles to make any of it compelling. The action has already happened, making it a challenge to patiently wait for a not so surprising reveal while an obnoxiously loud soundtrack threatens to rupture eardrums. It isn’t until a mysterious visitor named Brion (Aaron Paul) arrives that something interesting looks like it may be stirring the pot.  Even then, the results are lackluster.

Review by Camden Ferrell

After the long and illustrious history of Looney Tunes, it’s quite surprising that they had previously never had a fully animated film released theatrically until this year. The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie was released last year in order to meet 2024 awards eligibility criteria but is now getting a proper wide release in theaters across the country. This animated movie is a fun story full of enjoyable animation and visual gags even if it doesn’t feel particularly inventive or always worthy of a feature-length runtime.
 
Porky Pig and Daffy Duck are in dire need of money to fix their roof to prevent their property from being condemned. On top of this, they find themselves faced with the threat of an alien invasion. What ensues are wacky hijinks that aim to revitalize these timeless characters while staying true to the charm that made them successes in the first place. As mentioned before, even though it sounds like a fun premise, it doesn’t feel like it’s one that needs to be fleshed out in a full-length movie.
 
This film serves as the feature-film debut of writer/director Peter Browngardt who wrote this alongside Kevin Costello and Alex Kirwan. The script has some great moments of comedy sprinkled steadily throughout the film, but the narrative does feel like it can drag at times. One can celebrate its attempts at meta humor and its attempts at comedy aimed at a newer generation even if it doesn’t always land the way it wants to. The jokes can miss, but when they land, they land greatly.

One thing that I can completely commend is Eric Bauza’s voice performance as both Daffy Duck and Porky Pig. He brings so much life and energy to these characters, and his comedic timing and delivery truly elevate the funny moments in this film. Candi Milo also lends her voice very well as Petunia Pig.
 
When compared to previous Looney Tunes works, I can testify that this newest movie features some of the best animation the franchise has had to date. It feels very traditional while refreshingly innovative in its execution. Even when the script can feel a bit thin at times, the animation never fails to feel cinematic without losing the old-school charm the characters naturally bring.
 
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie may be far from perfect, but it’s entirely adequate as an animated film based on beloved characters. I think that longtime fans and new viewers alike will find something to enjoy about this movie. Even if it has flaws and shortcomings, at the very least, it’s good for its fair share of laughs. And while I wouldn’t call this a movie that needs to be seen on the big screen, I will always advocate for that experience, and it’s not every day we get to see a true fully animated celebration of these characters in theaters.
 
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie is in theaters March 14.
 
Rating: 3/5

Review by Jonathan Berk

Review by Jonathan Berk

Review by Camden Ferrell

Netflix’s Daredevil series aired its final episode in the Fall of 2018, and in 2025, Matt Murdock is back in a continuation of the hit series. While the previous series was always part of the official MCU canon, Daredevil: Born Again feels like the character’s unofficial welcome to this larger universe. Viewers who are concerned about a dip in quality after the long break and new streaming home, can relax peacefully. This follow-up series carries on the legacy of its predecessor quite effectively, delivering strong writing, great performances, and some pretty gripping action at times.
 
This show follows Matt Murdock, one of comic industry’s most beloved lawyers turned superhero, and it picks up nicely from where we left off. Elsewhere, Kingpin (who has been having other MCU shenanigans as well) is pursuing his own political endeavors. Like always, these two men are on a collision course with each other while they deal with their own personal turmoil and new challenges, characters, and threats that come in their way.
 
One thing to commend off the bat is that the show feels very new-viewer friendly. Whether it’s your first time watching the show, or if you just might have forgotten what happened before, this show is mostly forgiving. There are a handful of callbacks and some of the backstories are more fleshed out with prior knowledge, but the writers do a great job of making sure this new series stands on its own if need be. On the topic of writing, I’d argue that you would have a hard time believing this show had a 6-year break since its most recent season because the style of dialogue and storytelling feel very consistent. This should ease viewers who are worried this show would be a disaster.

Once again, this show is led by the talented and entertaining Charlie Cox. More and more, this feels like a role he was made for, and he continues to flex his acting and action chops as the Man Without Fear. Alongside him, Vincent D’Onofrio delivers another reliably menacing and nuanced portrayal of Wilson Fisk. While it’s not among their best performances as these characters, it’s still gripping to see them back in action together.
 
While the show is known for its legal elements (and this new series has plenty of that), people also tune in for its stylish action. This season delivers its fair share of heart-pumping action, full of blood and bone-breaking. I will say that the middle episodes aren’t nearly as gripping as the bookend episodes which deliver the most captivating action of the season, but this is a shortcoming that is made up for by good quality storytelling throughout. For those worried this show would go soft on Disney+, I think Episode 1 will put those concerns to rest quite quickly.
 
Daredevil: Born Again delivers a solid first season that acknowledges its past while paving a sturdy future for itself. There are a handful of characters and cameos that people will be excited to see no matter how inconsequential it might seem in the grand scheme of things. It feels like the Netflix series never ended, and it has me excited for what’s in store next season.
 
Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 begins streaming its first two episodes on Disney+ March 4 with episodes premiering subsequent Tuesdays. All episodes have been reviewed.

​Rating: 4/5

Review by Daniel Lima

Review by Daniel Lima

No surprise that this cannot be as boundary pushing as those earlier films, but there is only the most cursory attempt to even capture a consistent mood. Jade swaps between a lighthearted, self-aware romp where characters reference Bruce Leroy and Wesley Snipes movies, and a dark and gritty underworld tale. In the hands of a filmmaker like Tarantino (though I am loathe to praise him too much), this balancing act is possible.

Here, there is a smug satisfaction underlying all the lame gags, the tame violence, the empty exposition, that makes it even more aggravating. Simply referencing other works isn’t particularly funny, and none of the characters are fleshed out enough to even be likeable, so it fails on that front. Most scenes amount to just characters repeating their goals and desires back at each other ad nauseam, with no time spent building out the world and the familiar DTV lack of a specific visual style, so it never feels particularly grimy or dangerous. Ultimately, the film never does more that gesture towards the vague form of a certain kind of film, and so the attempts at postmodern comedy and brooding crime drama have exactly the same texture. Which is to say, none at all.

The one potential saving grace is the action, as Bamford is an experience stunt professional who often casts stunt professionals in his films. Star Shaina West is, to her credit, a good physical presence, and there is a fight scene with Marcus Vinicios Maciel that displays a sense of rhythm and purpose that the rest of the film otherwise lacks. Unfortunately, most of what passes for action in the film is lame, static gunfights where no one gets hit; the amount of time that West spends standing straight up and looking around as Aftereffects bullet impacts fill the frame is truly ludicrous.

The fight choreography is decent enough, but undoubtedly budgetary constraints limit the ability to shoot in interesting spaces, and time to craft truly impressive brawls. The climax of the film is an agonizingly long set piece that has West walking down what seems to be the same stretch of barren hallway for an eternity, gunning and cutting down nameless mooks practically sauntering over to be killed. At first, it seems ambitious; within a minute, the scene outstays its welcome. No challenge is presented, no modulating rhythm that creates narrative tension. Things just happen, then it ends.

That’s a good encapsulation of Jade itself, as its lack of any sense of direction or conviction proves its own undoing. Towards the end of the film, after that tiresome final set piece, a scorecard appears reading “Jade: 37 | Thugz: 0”. This joins the likes of Bush’s “Mission Accomplished” photoshoot in misguided, undeserving, self-aggrandizing praise for a job not well done.  

Jade is available on digital February 18.

Rating: 1/5

Review by Adam Donato

Antonio Banderas also feels reminiscent of Hugh Grant’s character. Almost as if they divided up his qualities among Banderas and Colman. There’s an interesting aspect of Banderas’s inner conflict that’s shown in a visually interesting way. This is done very little with and doesn’t maximize the narrative and comedic aspects available. He plays a ship captain who is obsessed with finding this lost gold, but struggles to balance that desire with the love he has for his daughter. This also carries very little personal weight in regards to our heroes and feels like an ancillary problem. His performance is hammy and goofy, but in a fun way.

A lackluster area in this installment is the special effects. While the Paddington films were never the peak of special effects, they were always more than serviceable. This was a lot easier to accomplish when it’s just a computer generated bear in a simple London setting, but now we’re in the jungles of Peru. There’s a much heavier reliance on CGI in this film, which is just now starting to expose flaws. Maybe animating this film would’ve been an ambitious avenue to take the franchise. Do it in the style of the Peanuts movie where it’s computer generated to look like 2D animation, which would take the franchise back to its storybook roots. This would also help mask the director change and recasting in the film. Maybe Sally Hawkins didn’t have time to be on set, but could go to a recording studio when she’s available. Emily Mortimer does a good job filling the role of Mrs. Brown, but especially during flashback scenes it’s a reminder that this installment is missing something.

The interesting thing about Paddington’s story in these films is not his past, but how he impacts people in the present. Having this film set in Peru really limits the amount of fun side characters that Paddington gets to interact with. There’s a lot of solo time and his mission is devoid of nuance. The story and general quality of the film is reminiscent of Kung Fu Panda 3. Our panda main character has to discover the mystery of where they came from and reunite with their true people. It’s the classic trilogy dynamic where the first movie is great, then the second is even better, and the third one is certainly the lesser of the three. Hard to put blame on King’s departure or franchise fatigue. 

Paddington in Peru only feels like a disappointment because the first two movies were so perfect. This film on its own is an absolute delight for all ages. Audiences are so privileged to be disappointed by a movie that is this good. Luckily, fans came in with adjusted expectations and the film does its best to meet those expectations. The franchise fatigue is nothing compared to the Marvel mess Paddington has to compete with at the box office this weekend. While Captain America will succeed more at home, Paddington will continue to see the majority of its success internationally. It’s a good time at the movies. Classic family fun adventure. Be sure to check this one out in theaters. 

Paddington in Peru is in theaters on February 14. 

Rating: 4/5