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Review by Adam Donato  People go to the movies to be entertained. So far the conversation at the cinema in April 2026 is about whether it's okay to have fun with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Is it high art with deep meaning and moving authenticity? No, but for almost two hours, you can escape the real world and have fun with a familiar story. Not every movie has to be challenging to have value. You, Me & Tuscany is a clear example of this. A story that has been told countless times before. An attractive young woman escapes her droll life to a more relaxing environment where she has to choose between two hot guys vying for her affection. The basic recipe for Kraft’s Mac & Cheese hasn’t changed in years and still satisfies millions daily. Everyone in the audience with a brain knows exactly how this movie is going to end before it even starts. While some may find that boring, to others it delivers a certain safety and comfort. As if the target demographic is tuning in for the rapid twists and turns of the narrative. What’s important for movies like these, and multiple movies exactly like this come out every month, is how it delivers the ingredients.  The most obvious and important is the main cast. The love triangle trio in the logline. Lorenzo de Moor’s character is really only there at the beginning to set up the story and then towards the end to make things more complicated. The main relationship of the movie is between the two leads on the poster, Halle Bailey and Rege-Jean Page. Both have had their own stamps on female popular culture this decade, Bailey starred in the live action The Little Mermaid and Page was a lead in Bridgerton. The pair are a winning duo here. Both are obnoxiously attractive and have cute chemistry with one another. Bailey’s character is a good vessel for female audiences to imagine themselves as. She’s fun and funny throughout. Obviously, de Moor’s character is the odd man out. Once his character returns to the story, the narrative goes out of its way to make him as unlikable as possible. This is done in an unnatural and unfunny way. What makes it worse is they attempt to instantly redeem his character at the end. No catharsis, just conveniently forgetting everything so we can wrap this up with happy faces all around.
The supporting characters are a strength for this movie. Aziza Scott is Bailey’s character’s best friend, who mostly chimes in over the phone to react to all the tea, is a hoot every time she pops up. She’s there to echo the audience's sentiments throughout and keep things fun. Marco Calvani plays the eccentric cab driver, who bonds with Bailey’s character as she confides in him. He’s funny in a not too weird kind of way and adds a lot of genuine heart to the movie through his sweetness. Stefania Casini plays the grandmother of de Moor’s character and her whole schtick is that she’s still suspicious of Bailey’s character’s situation. Every time the movie cuts back to her reacting to all the drama with this dead pan, knowing look on her face, it’s hilarious. She was actually a lead in the classic Italian horror film, Suspiria. These characters inject personality into the movie as they support our main character through her romantic adventure. The window dressing is important for movies like this. The setting of the story is key to making the audience feel like they too are transporting away from their boring town and into this heavenly getaway. The movie is set in beautiful Italy and takes advantage of the opportunity. This coupled with the fashion and the food of the area helps to make the audience feel immersed in this destination. Bailey’s character is a pretty princess and all of Italy’s charm is her kingdom. If man babies are allowed to cream their jeans because The Super Mario Galaxy Movie featured a cameo from their favorite childhood video game character, then women are allowed to have their own comfort food entertainment as well. This is a much better version of this movie than the cheap crap that gets thrown on streaming on a regular basis. You, Me & Tuscany delivers exactly what it promises. Nothing more and nothing less. Bailey and Page are easily the hottest movie couple of the year. The movie keeps things light and fun throughout. It’s like a micro European vacation. Audiences deserve and are entitled to watch hot movie stars kiss. That’s what it’s all about. You, Me & Tuscany is in theaters April 10th! Rating: 3/5
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Review by Adam Donato  Now that’s a mouthful of a title. Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is an action comedy about two gangsters who are trying to survive the night when a cannibal hitman is sent after them for being a rat. The film is written and directed by BenDavid Grabinski who previously directed Happily and more notably wrote the Scott Pilgrim Takes Off animated series for Netflix. This film is going straight to Hulu on Disney+ instead of getting a theatrical opportunity. The main trio consists of Vince Vaughn, James Marsden, and Eiza Gonzalez. Can this odd collection of cast members deliver a fun streaming flick? Vince Vaughn is a veteran comedy actor. It’s been a long time since he’s been seen as a bankable leading man. Not that he hasn’t been in some good movies lately, but the days where he’s a box office draw are in the rearview. Here he gets a fun opportunity to play two characters as this action comedy has a sci-fi twist to it. One of his characters is the same guy, but from a few months in the future. Vaughn’s main strength has always been his ability to riff like a fast talking car salesman and that shows in this performance. The story centers around his friendship with Marsden’s character who is trying to get out of this line of work. Marsden has done a lot of family comedy movies during the past decade so it’s refreshing to see him in an adult comedy film. It’s easy to forget just how funny he is. Vaughn and Marsden have decent chemistry together and get a lot of time to develop their relationship as the film keeps things simple. Gonzalez feels like the odd man out here. She’s noticeably younger than the two leading men who act as her romantic options. This type of role is stereotypical for her career. She’s gorgeous, but not much else going on for her in this movie.  The supporting cast is really where the movie nailed the casting. Keith David is one of the most personality fueled actors working today. He’s clearly having a lot of fun as this evil mob boss. Same thing with Jimmy Tatro, whose character kind of subverts expectations here. Other welcome additions are Lewis Tan and Stephen Root, who are both able to make a comedic impression with the little screen time they have. Arturo Castro and Ben Schwartz are the weak spots here.
Despite the sci-fi twist, the story is able to remain grounded in reality for the most part. The only time travel semantics that are really played with is the causality loop (if past me gets stabbed in the leg, will future me have a scar). The movie does a good job of not confusing the audience with time travel logic. The big emotional beats of the story are here thanks to the time travel element. It won’t have the audience in tears, but since the film does the work to develop the relationship between this trio, the ending delivers a satisfying conclusion. The action in the movie is pretty standard. The real draw of the movie is the comedic bickering of this cast as they navigate one hell of a night. Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is an awful title, but a satisfying streaming watch. A nice little movie to flip on, but nothing that will stick with you a week later. It is just the nature of these streaming films to have the ability to just disappear into the void of content. While the box office may have not been significant, this has more to offer than a lot of theatrical releases so far this year. Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice is streaming on Hulu on Disney+ now! Rating: 3/5 Review by Adam Donato  Project Hail Mary is an adaptation of the science fiction book from Andy Weir, who also wrote The Martian. The film is helmed by popular directing duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller, responsible for The Lego Movie and the 21 Jump Street duology. The star headlining it all is Ryan Gosling himself. With a budget of $150 million, Amazon is taking a pretty big swing with this one. It’s got a late march release date with not much competition. It’s got tremendous early word of mouth, but can Project Hail Mary be the Sinners of this year. The non franchise genre film blockbuster spring release by an exciting director and starring a young leading man in a juicy role. It’s a steep ask, but if it comes true then buckle up for a major box office success now and lasting impact enough so that we’re still talking about it come awards season. Ryan Gosling has been one of the hottest leading men in Hollywood for over two decades now. While he definitely has his hits (The Notebook, La La Land, and Barbie), he also has some pretty notable movies that cinephiles loved, but totally flew under the radar at the box office (The Nice Guys, First Man, and Blade Runner 2049). Gosling’s last entry, The Fall Guy, definitely underperformed at the box office and that was in the wake of Barbie’s success. So his name alone, as with most movie stars these days, doesn’t guarantee box office success. His performance in Project Hail Mary carries the movie. Most of the film is just hanging out with him in space along with flashbacks of the events leading up to the mission. He’s so charming and likable. The jokes are funny, but it's his delivery that really sells them. He also sells the dramatic moments in the movie well as his character is put upon with such heavy responsibility. This movie thrives on the undeniable cuteness of Gosling. It may not be an Oscar performance like Michael B. Jordan’s in Sinners, but it’s exactly what this movie needs. All of Gosling’s best scenes are with Rocky, the rock spider looking alien creature that works with Gosling’s character to save their worlds. The design of the creature is refreshingly unique. As stated before, it is spider-like so the ways in which it gets around is visually interesting. There isn’t a clear face on the creature and its appendages come with limitations so it's massively impressive that they were able to convey so much emotion and personality with the character. Rocky is the clear heart of the movie. The bond they form is absolutely touching. In a science fiction blockbuster landscape that is flooded with creature features, Project Hail Mary distinguishes itself from the pack because of how it's able to have audiences connect with Rocky.  Lord and Miller have turned pretty much every movie they’ve directed into gold, besides Solo: A Star Wars Story. It’s funny because they were fired for creative differences, specifically struggling to mesh their comedic tone with what Lucasfilm felt like a Star Wars movie should be. That movie ended up being a massive bomb and halted spinoff Star Wars movies for eight years. There’s a Star Wars movie with a prime memorial day release date that is raising a lot of doubt, meanwhile Project Hail Mary is poised to be a wholesome hit mostly because of its tonal balance, while still being a very funny film throughout. The film is very funny and despite its heavy subject matter, manages to remain hopeful and uplifting. The special effects are gorgeous. Easily an early front runner for Best Visual Effects and is sure to give Dune: Messiah a run for its money in the category. Little world building things are so fascinating here. The design of the ship and the types of technology the alien uses to work and communicate with Gosling are well thought out and interestingly executed.
If there is anything to complain about, it would be the over two hour and thirty minute run time. Not necessarily because it feels like the movie is too long, but more so because of the framing device hampering the pacing of the film. The movie opens with him first waking up in space and as we delve into his interstellar journey, we periodically flashback to how he was recruited and trained for this mission. You’re so invested in Gosling and Rocky that when the film cuts back to awkward Sandra Huller, it feels like we’re halting the momentum. Not that Huller is bad in the movie, she just doesn’t have much purpose once the mission starts and there’s not that much depth to the character that makes it feel necessary to continue cutting back to developing her story throughout. Maybe there’s a ninety minute cut that solely covers the space mission itself. The film is also pretty standard in its narrative. It’s predictable what's going to happen throughout. The only surprise in the film feels like an unnecessary wrinkle. While it is a science fiction movie that will make you think about the science, it’s not necessarily one that will have you chewing on the themes days after the release. These are just a few nitpicks in an otherwise hit of a film. Some have been throwing around the term ‘masterpiece’, which is a bit strong. It’s a cool space movie that’s likable and optimistic. Definitely accessible to families and schools. Gosling and Rocky combine for maximum cuteness. While it’s not quite the defining movie of the year like Sinners, it’s possible that the film persists come awards season to snatch up a few nominations. Project Hail Mary is a faithful adaptation that is sure to delight all audiences. Project Hail Mary is in theaters March 20th! Rating: 4/5 Review by Adam Donato  For some, it’s the destination. For many, it’s the journey. For most, it’s the company you keep. Matt Johnson is one of the most exciting young filmmakers, but has yet to establish mainstream success. Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is the Canadian filmmaker’s fourth feature and it’s a movie spinoff of the niche web series and television show. Johnson’s self-titled character is paired with his best friend Jay McCarrol as they set out to accomplish their lifelong goal: to perform a show at the Rivoli (a restaurant/bar/performance space). The show covers the insane plans cooked up by Matt and the pure friendship that he shares with Jay. Neon has done a great job as of late producing quality films, even winning Best Picture with Anora just a year ago. Johnson certainly has his fans and as the box office saw from Iron Lung, amazing things can be done when fans love a movie. The question then becomes if Johnson can land the plane by successfully transitioning his show into movie form. Sometimes bringing a story and characters back after so much time has passed can be depressing. Luckily, Nirvanna the Band the Show has always operated with its own sense of reality. Our two best friends are still doing the same old bit as always so it’s as if we’re just stepping into another episode of the show. While it remains in that comfortable place, the movie justifies its existence with great ambition. The first plan alone is far bigger than anything ever attempted on the show. A large element of the story is connecting these characters to their past selves. Time travel can sometimes be a patch that saves everything together or a rabbit hole that takes the train off the rails. Every episode of the show acts as some kind of movie/television parody, so having the movie be a Back to the Future spoof is appropriate and takes full advantage of the opportunity to deliver as emotional of a punch as possible for something as unabashedly goofy as this.  One of the more interesting aspects of Nirvanna the Band the Show is discerning how real what’s happening on screen is. How they are able to pull off some of these stunts is truly remarkable. If it is just movie magic, then the level of skill and practice necessary to pull off the illusion is downright impressive. It’s not like Borat where the point is to get the random people to say outlandish things, but more so the art of keeping the bit going. There’s a clear and present love for Canada that lives through all of Johnson’s work and this might be the most glowing example. Enough so that certain pranks/scenes would’ve ruined by recognizing the main characters. This just further highlights how impressive it is that they’re able to pull all of this off.
The true heart of this movie, and the show as well, is the true friendship between these two characters. It almost plays as a romance. Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol slip right back into their roles after a decade of absence. Their chemistry together is through the roof. It adds to the history of these characters if you’ve seen the show, but not entirely necessary. The character arcs the pair go through are hilariously poignant and the end of their journey is one of the most satisfying moments in recent memory. They’re not winning an Oscar or anything, but they’re up there with the best of comedic duos. The uninitiated may feel alienated, but fans of the show will be more than satisfying. The humor is silly and the characters are overtly goofy, but that’s all part of the charm. It’s clear Matt Johnson has done justice to what is clearly his baby. It will be extremely exciting to see his career progress forward from here and hopefully more people are encouraged to go check out his work. Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is a hoot and a half. Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie is in theaters February 13th! Rating: 4/5 Review by Adam Donato  Luc Besson made two classics back in the nineties and has failed to truly connect with audiences since then. It’s crazy the posters for his movies still flex his involvement. “From the director of The Fifth Element, The Professional, and Lucy” doesn’t hold that much weight anymore. Lucy getting grouped in there is so cute. His latest feature is a Dracula remake because lord knows there’s not enough of those. This is his second straight film with Caleb Landry Jones in the lead as the two just previously did DogMan together. Not to be confused with the recent animated Dog Man. The big get here is Christoph Waltz who plays a priest determined to track down the bloodlust monster. 2026 turned in a great showing for January. Now Dracula has to compete with the epic finale to The Strangers trilogy and Angel Studios’ latest film Solo Mio to start February off right. Can Besson’s Dracula stand above the extremely weak box office slate this weekend? The focus of this Dracula adaptation is on a tragic backstory and a hopeless romance. An eternal curse is put upon a prince after the death of his beloved wife. He spends the rest of the movie in pursuit of the reincarnation of his late wife. The movie being released a week before Valentine’s Day may not have been a coincidence. This angle seldom lands as even the human looking form of Dracula is more creepy in a gross way than he is Edward Cullen type dreamy.  The look of this film is a mixed bag. On the one hand, the film does commit to the two time periods it’s predominantly trying to portray with its production design and costumes. The special effects on the other end leave more to be desired. Dracula has a bunch of mini gargoyle henchmen that look good, but come across as goofy in an otherwise serious flick. There’s a beheading that is particularly unconvincing and lame. It’s not gross out scary, spookily creepy, or thrillingly action heavy. It’s trying to capture all these things along with the romance, but none of it really lands in the way the film wants it to.
Of the cast, Zoe Bleu is the standout of the bunch as she plays Elisabeta and Mina. Her character is the most interesting and she is given the most to do. Waltz is just a watered down Van Helsing and his scenes feel disconnected from the rest of the story. While he has a respect for the vampires, it’s not a personal endeavor for his character to overcome. It’s interesting to see him in two classic movie monster adaptations over the course of the last few months. Landry Jones is most known for his ability to play creepy characters. He’s at a disadvantage as there have been many iconic performances in the role and he doesn’t really do anything to stand out. Besson’s Dracula fails to bite into the audience's necks. A romance that fails to capture the heart. It’s difficult when there was just an amazing Nosferatu remake just over a year ago. Besson just isn’t that dude anymore. January delivered on the horror so fans may want to look backwards for their scare fix. While not terribly bad, Dracula just fails to leave an impression this time around. Dracula is in theaters February 6th! Rating: 2/5 |