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Review by Jonathan Berk  An emotional story about an estranged father and his daughter is always an easy sell. Toss in a crime drama and a dash of a revenge story, and that's a far richer sauce. Director Nick Rowland’s new film She Rides Shotgun takes a significant risk by placing the emotional weight of the story on the shoulders of its young protagonist, Polly, played by the remarkable Ana Sophia Heger (Life in Pieces, Things Heard & Seen). It is a challenge that Heger is not only up for but one that she absolutely excels in. The film opens with Polly waiting for her mother to pick her up from school, but her father, Nate, played by Taron Egerton (Carry-On, Rocketman, Tetris), shows up instead. Recently released from prison, he's a figure of both apprehension and longing for her. While Polly is rightfully cautious about the circumstances of this reunion, she eventually gets in the car as a result of his persistent urging. As they drive, she slowly takes stock of the situation, her initial wariness transforming into a quiet realization of what is really going on. Much of the film is from her perspective, and Heger’s performance is nothing short of captivating. Egerton has been taking on relatively smaller projects since his breakout roles in Rocketman and Kingsman: The Secret Service. While his last two films, Tetris and Carry-On, went straight to streaming services, his performances in both were excellent. His role here as Nate, however, allows him to flex different acting muscles, taking on a darker, more desperate edge than we've seen from him before. He excels at portraying the various emotions of his and Polly's desperate journey, shifting from tender father to hardened fugitive with convincing ease.  For a movie like this to work, the chemistry between the fictional father and his daughter has to click, and Egerton and Heger are excellent together. Their relationship has a rough start, by design, as Polly's distrust is earned, but a pivotal scene on their first night together changes everything. As Nate carefully helps change Polly’s hairstyle, a subtle bond begins to form. It’s in these quiet moments that the film truly shines, making the experience of the two bonding throughout their harrowing road trip all the more affecting as the story takes its twists and turns.
But make no mistake, this is Heger’s film. Her expressive eyes play a huge part in selling her performance. While she gets plenty to do and say throughout the film, it’s the inner struggle she’s able to deliver through looks and silence that is truly impressive. She carries the film with a maturity beyond her years, grounding the high-stakes narrative in a genuine emotional core. One can only hope that if Heger chooses to stay an actor, she has the right people around her to guide her career. It seems very likely that if she wants to act, there is a great future in the industry for her talent. While the film is largely a two-hander, the rest of the cast is also solid. John Carroll Lynch plays the ruthless heavy with his usual quiet menace, and he always delivers. Odessa A'zion gets a few memorable minutes and uses them well. Rob Yang plays a detective looking to bring down the same gang that is chasing Nate and Polly, and their characters’ intersection plays an important role in the film's second half, making it a compelling section. Overall, I found She Rides Shotgun to be an engaging, entertaining, and emotional experience. I had high hopes for Egerton, but I was blown away by Heger. The film opens and closes with her, and for such a young presence to be able to carry this story so effectively is deeply impressive. It’s a road trip with a lot of heart, and a movie that will stick with you long after the credits roll. She Rides Shotgun is in theaters on August 1. Rating: 4/5
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Review by Camden Ferrell  The parody film is one that transcends generations. I still remember my father introducing me to Airplane! and Top Secret! at a young age, and it was one of the most profound ways in which I experienced how the medium of film could bridge two people raised decades apart in completely different worlds. It has been quite some time since we’ve had a mainstream parody movie on the big screen. I partially attribute that travesty to the ungodly inundation of theaters with low effort parody movie knock offs in the 2000’s. When a new installment in The Naked Gun franchise was announced, I was cautiously optimistic about its prospects, but I am pleased with the final product. The Naked Gun is a worthy successor to the original, featuring a committed and hilarious lead performance from Liam Neeson and the rest of the cast. Frank Drebin Jr. is a member of L.A.’s Police Squad, and a bank heist leads him on a journey that sees the world put in peril. But if you’re reading this, you know the plot of the movies in this franchise are secondary to the comedy and absurdity. Written by Dan Gregor, Doug Mand, and Akiva Schaffer, this legacy sequel recaptures the magic of the original with some great gags. It immediately dives headfirst into the slapstick insanity that audiences are expecting. I’m also impressed with how it manages to consistently stay hilarious even when it aims for more earnest character development and plot progression. One of the main critiques I have with the writing is that its pop culture references are more frequent than I’d like, and I fear this might affect how well it ages into the future. It’s a double-edged sword as some of these moments are quite funny, but it does impact the movie’s timelessness when compared to its predecessor. The typically stoic and menacing Liam Neeson gives one of his best performances in years as Drebin Jr. This movie lives and dies by the commitment of its cast, and Neeson clearly came to play ball. His ability to lean into the comedic material is clearly evident when he first appears in a comically small school girl’s skirt, and this is only the tip of the iceberg for the antics the movie has in store for him. He is joined by an ensemble that features Pamela Anderson and Paul Walter Hauser who both have great chemistry with Neeson paired with a fervent understanding of the comedic style their roles require. It may not be career defining for anyone, but they clearly knew what they needed to do to live up to the cast of the original.  Like the previous installments, this movie is overloaded with visual gags, physical comedy, and so-bad-it’s-good wordplay that will keep audiences engaged from start to finish. It might not be one of the all-time greats in the parody genre, but it is still undeniably entertaining. Even when jokes don’t land (several of them don’t), there’s always another joke not too far behind to keep the ball rolling. While I wouldn’t call this movie great, it does feature one bit that is so absurdly hilarious and drawn out, that it may genuinely be the hardest I’ve laughed in a theater in years.
Will this movie revive the parody genre? I’m not sure what the answer will be, but I will say that this movie is the best shot the genre has at a resurgence. As mentioned before, it might be a little too reliant on pop culture at times, but it still works as an all-ages laugh-along. In the same way my dad showed me the classic Abrahams and Zucker movies, I genuinely hope a new generation of fathers use this movie as an opportunity to introduce their kids to this genre. This world needs a laugh, and in a world where we all feel so disconnected, we desperately need a reason to laugh together. The Naked Gun is a fun throwback to the comedies of yesterday while still imbuing a modern touch that is a bit hit or miss at times. Despite its flaws, it’s a tightly-paced comedy under 90 minutes that will definitely have crowds rolling around in laughter enough to justify the cost of a ticket. Neeson is in tip-top shape, and he gives his all to this movie. I can’t say I love the movie, but I love how it transported me back to simpler times with dumb laughs and old-school gags. The Naked Gun is in theaters August 1. Rating: 3.5/5 THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS -- Marvel's First Family is Finally Done Justice on the Big Screen7/23/2025 Review by Camden Ferrell  Marvel’s previous attempts at adapting their first family to the silver screen has been mixed at best and disastrous at worst. It’s a superhero group that has eluded filmmakers for the better part of the century. If we’re to ignore the unreleased 1994 film, Matt Shakman's The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the fourth attempt at bringing these characters to the big screen. Following up his work on Marvel’s WandaVision, Shakman delivers a Fantastic Four film that does justice to its characters with a thrilling story that is full of heart, humor, and charm. This movie introduces us to our core group as an already established superhero team. They live in a retro-futuristic world where they are adored and continue their missions to help others and innovate for mankind. Reed and Sue’s surprise pregnancy is interrupted from this universe’s Silver Surfer. And as the classic story goes, Galactus is coming to annihilate Earth. Now, the Fantastic Four must figure out how to spare the Earth from Galactus’ insatiable hunger for planets. It’s one of the most iconic stories in Fantastic Four lore, but this movie understands the journey is more important than the destination, and this approach allows it to still feel fresh and exciting. Written by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, and Ian Springer, the movie embraces the whimsy and inventiveness that makes this team so compelling to watch. It delicately balances this playful nature with jaw-dropping peril that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It did a great job at highlighting Reed’s insecurities in a way that hasn’t been done in movies before and allows him to feel more three-dimensional. It’s also great to see Sue finally treated with some earnestness and respect that her character desperately needs. With so many writers, the movie can occasionally feel a little clunky like it was written by committee. This flaw is usually compensated by the fact that it’s so fast paced that you never really notice for too long anyway.  One of the most important aspects of this team is their chemistry, and this starts with the actors. While some of the individual performances can be hit or miss at times, it’s easy to see that these actors truly act like a family. Watching these iconic characters interact with such camaraderie, playfulness, and respect was something that made them feel more human and cemented some of the more emotional themes at the film’s center. Pair this with Ralph Ineson as a truly terrifying Galactus, and you have a cast that brings this film to life in exquisite ways.
One of the main concerns going into this was how the powers would look, and the CGI is quite great. There are a few moments that look a little uncanny, but it works far more than it doesn’t. The rest of the movie features great effects, solid cinematography, and an all-time great score. There’s something truly wonderous about watching these iconic powers on screen as Michael Giacchino’s masterful score blares in the background. With this movie, it feels like Marvel has truly embraced the whimsy and wonder that made us fall in love with comics. It uses the character’s powers in playful and inventive ways that are an absolute delight to watch on the big screen. It was hard not to crack a smile watching these beloved characters come to life in such magical ways. It will inspire awe and pure enjoyment from adults, kids, old fans, and new fans alike. Marvel Studios has finally found their first family. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is in theaters July 25. Rating: 4.5/5 Review by Jonathan Berk  House on Eden will inherently draw comparisons to The Blair Witch Project (1999), as every found-footage horror film since that seminal classic does. However, in this case, a multitude of similarities warrant the comparison beyond just the stylistic presentation. Where this could have been a strength, it only serves to highlight every aspect where House on Eden falls short — not just when compared to the 1999 film, but in its very qualification as a movie. Playing fictionalized versions of their real-life personas, Kris Collins, Celina Myers, and Jason-Christopher Mayer operate as paranormal investigators… or perhaps just content creators. The trio finds themselves rerouted to an abandoned house deep in the woods on Eden Street. What follows is a collection of random moments, none of which feel fully fleshed out, and often only seem loosely connected to other elements of the story. While there's no strict definition for what constitutes a "movie", there are some general ideas that come to mind when the word is said. Of course, there are extremes of the form from avant-garde horror like Skinamarink (2022), with its random imagery of elements of the house in the film, to the other end of the spectrum with the meticulously crafted films of Stanley Kubrick, and everything else in-between. Despite this broad definition of what a movie can be, House on Eden's presentation makes one question the very premise. Did Collins make a movie or simply assemble random clips into something that slightly resembles one. The intention here seems to be a coherent story, but it possesses the erratic energy of a rookie improv group on stage. Whether it's the repetitive dialogue, the bad jokes, the uninspired "horror" ideas, or the flimsy quest, nothing about this film feels completely thought out. It’s cliché to talk about throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks, but the "writing" here feels more like a wildly aggressive teenager flinging pasta around a room, genuinely surprised to find that some of it stuck. I've seen many of Collins’s social media videos, and much of her short-form content is genuinely funny. There's even a stronger sense of storytelling in those brief clips than in her directorial film debut. It's tough to know a writer's true intentions, and perhaps this was exactly what she aimed for. However, its piecemeal approach leaves the audience scratching their heads, wondering what exactly is going on.  If only the story and characters were the film's sole shortcomings, perhaps it could be salvaged. Unfortunately, the jokes fall flat, and the "horror" isn't scary. There are a few moments that land, but most of it feels empty. Then there are the bothersome stylistic choices with the camerawork, which, despite being tied to the story, quickly become annoying.
The Blair Witch Project caught flak for its shaky camera, but a rewatch reveals the intentionality behind those moments. Here, it’s as if these characters have never held a camera before, right from the outset. It's already a challenge for found-footage films to justify why we, the audience, are privy to the footage. It becomes even more frustrating when that footage is so incredibly terrible. Adding to the absurdity, it's 2025, and the camera technology available to these characters makes the poor quality even more ridiculous. This genre typically thrives on a sense of authenticity, but the movie quickly loses any semblance of it. While not all found-footage films work, I've certainly enjoyed quite a few of them, which is why I reached out to see House on Eden. I was even more optimistic seeing the talent involved, having fond memories of Kris Collins’s TikTok videos with her "little-handed" character. It brings me no joy to write such a harsh review, but as someone who watches a lot of movies, I found very little to enjoy about this one. House on Eden will be in theaters on July 25. Rating: 1/5 Review by Adam Donato  Where would Ari Aster and A24 be without each other? This beautiful marriage produced two of their biggest hits together, Hereditary and Midsommar. Beau is Afraid was not met with similar success as the story did not connect with mainstream audiences, which was reflected by the pitiful box office. A24 is sticking by their man here with a prime summer release of Eddington. This new school western tackles the hysteria of the pandemic. Joaquin Phoenix plays a local sheriff who decides to contest for the mayor’s office in light of the COVID restrictions put upon his town. With a much more grounded concept and an all star supporting cast, can Eddington assert itself once again as the prize director of the hip studio? The summer of 2020 was a complicated chapter in this country’s history. Eddington seeks to encapsulate the whole experience in one two and a half hour movie. An ambitious feat to say the least. Considering it was a highly divisive time politically, the reaction to this movie is sure to be similarly split down the middle. Aster succeeds here in making a movie that covers the major symptoms of the pandemic, while also being equally critical of both sides of the coin. This makes for an extremely hilarious experience that is equally as cringe inducing. It’s painful to be reminded of a time filled with so much hardship, but time has done its thing and these topics have become ripe for discussion. The movie perfectly showcases how we’re all hypocrites and our efforts for change are fruitless.  Phoenix reteams with Aster here and it’s proven to be a winning combo. His performance and character is reminiscent of Tim Robinson’s in Friendship earlier this year. Two social inept losers whose family hates them as they go on their insane crusade to assert their value. It probably won’t garner any nominations as Phoenix’s reputation is at an all time low after Joker: Folie à Deux was a massive failure and Phoenix didn’t handle the press well. The character here can easily be made two dimensional, but Phoenix plays him as this complex simpleton, who is so easily influenced by social media and the people in his town. He doesn’t actually care about politics. It’s all about reclaiming his masculinity and establishing a legacy.
The movie is littered with great supporting characters and performances. The brightest of all is Pedro Pascal who plays the acting mayor that our protagonist decides to go to war against. Again, the movie had the opportunity to paint things as black and white, but chose to keep things in a more interesting gray area. It’s so difficult watching his character handle the selfish citizens of this town in an attempt to keep people safe. Emma Stone and Austin Butler are featured members of the supporting cast, who don’t get an incredible amount of screen time or things to do. This is a complaint in the sense that their characters were so interesting that audiences will be left. Other standouts include Deidre O’Connell, Michael Ward, and Cameron Mann who brilliantly fill out this ensemble and play pivotal roles when it comes to the themes of the film. Eddington feels like a box office disaster, but hopefully A24 is not short sighted about it. It’s a bonkers wild ride that will keep you guessing at every turn. Nobody is safe and there’s red herrings everywhere. It’s a dense film with plenty to say, but doesn’t sacrifice its entertainment value. Mainstream audiences should connect with this more than Beau Is Afraid, but with how inherently political the context of the film is, it’s doubtful audiences will be rational about the messaging. Definitely worth catching in theaters for an abundance of food for thought. Eddington is in theaters on July 18. Rating: 5/5 |