Monthly Archives: June 2026

06.19.26
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Toy Story 5

When Bonnie brings home Lilypad, a new device she uses to connect and spend time with her friends, the toys must fight to stay relevant and pave the best future for Bonnie they can.

Just when we thought the Toy Story journey concluded and there was nowhere else exciting the franchise could go, this movie series knocks it out of the park for the fifth time in a row, offering a story that feels essential yet expansive, and one that can create some very important conversations between parents and children. The film wisely makes Jessie the protagonist this time around, shifting the focus away from Woody and Buzz’s central friendship and emphasizing Jessie’s position as a leader and confronting her fears of abandonment. It’s also noteworthy that for the first time in the franchise, the female characters are the ones front and center thematically: Jessie and Lilypad’s conflict on how to best help Bonnie adjust to growing up, as well as Bonnie and another key human character the toys come across. Greta Lee is a huge standout as Lily, offering us the best of her comedic and dramatic talents. Conan O’Brien is also delightful as a character whose mere existence is hysterical but his role in the film goes far beyond the initial joke.

Toy Story 5 perfectly uses callbacks to earlier films that feel earned and even expand on the franchise’s arcs in emotional ways, even if Woody overstays his return, considering his powerful conclusion in Toy Story 4. Here, he’s serving as a mentor to the other toys on their journey with Bonnie. A B-plot about a herd of other Buzz Lightyear toys is also hilarious, and overall, every character in the ensemble is in their right place and a joy to have around. It’s always exciting, sweet, and will create important discussions about technology’s ability to help our lives, but also when tech can be too much, and when we need to remember the value of real-life friendships and outdoor activities. It’ll also resonate with audiences of all ages when it comes to the importance of not letting others reshape who you are, and proudly being yourself without feeling ashamed of your interests and personality.

After more than thirty years, the world of Toy Story keeps creating magical memories, conversations, emotions, and stories for all ages, whether old audiences to the Pixar world or new, not just because of the splendid characters and animation, but because of the storytellers behind the adventures, who remind us the importance of the child inside of us, and the most beautiful parts of ourselves that we hold close even as we grow up and change.

06.13.26
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Disclosure Day

Nearly fifty years after Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Steven Spielberg returns to explore the simple idea, how would we react if we learned we weren’t alone? If all we understood about humanity, the universe, and our place in it, changed in an instant? Emily Blunt is giving it her all as a weather reporter whose world — and the way she sees it — is suddenly upended by a new gift. Josh O’Connor is proving himself yet again as a series movie star, allowing us to connect with the darker and more heroic sides of his character. Colman Domingo is a standout as the film’s moral compass and source of charm and brilliance, and Eve Hewson gives her best performance since Flora and Son, with her character adding a theological perspective and debate to the speculation of extraterrestrial life. Colin Firth also gives a complexity to a force that would seem ruthless and antagonistic anywhere else, but Spielberg refuses to carve out traditional villains for us here, at least not the ones we can tangibly perceive.

Boasting the best elements of conspiracy and fugitive thrillers, Disclosure Day exercises restraint very well with how slowly it reveals the scope of information and stakes to us. We’re left somewhat guessing and in the dark for much of the film’s first two acts in a very refreshing way. What makes this film so Spielberg-esque is his relentless optimism, a real and moving kind that shakes the film’s final moments. In a world that’s more plagued with cynicism, today’s generation can finally understand what it was like when Close Encounters arrived, the curiosity about making contact with life from beyond our planet, the wonder of their arrival, and the empathy that’s key to our connection and survival.

06.06.26
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I Love Boosters

A terrific cast is pivotal for a film to entertain at this level, and I Love Boosters boosts a dream cast as well as Boots Riley’s signature critiques of capitalist systems and surrealist imagery. Far less haunting and just as glowing and fun as Sorry to Bother You, the film follows a group of shoplifters decide to take aim at a renowned fashion mogul’s empire, and chaos soon ensues. Riley’s films never obey others’ rules of typical visual storytelling, and his dialogue is hilarious. Keke Palmer continues to shine as a terrific leading star throughout cinema in the last few years, while her dynamics with her group of “booster” friends, played by Taylour Paige and Naomi Ackie, make the film. Paige always stands out, even when she isn’t center frame, she’s always bringing something really entertaining to the performance. Poppy Liu is a huge standout as a character who comes in and shakes things up greatly for the lead characters, and Eiza González is another great addition to the mix. Though Demi Moore’s character occasionally dives into a caricature of conceited affluent fashion voices, Moore’s performance is great and makes what could’ve been a one-note antagonist very interesting.

One other thing that personifies the film’s identity is the stunning costume design. Every setting and scene becomes unique through the stories the costumes tell and the work there is honestly awards-worthy. The film’s twists and turns are engaging, and while some more ambitious scenes get a little confusing when it comes to editing spatially, the surrealism all works and elevates the themes of the abuse of the workforce, and the voice taken from a majority of the population to make the few richest even richer. Riley’s films deconstruct our society with an irreverence but still retain an optimistic heroism at their center. Even when the characters are deeply flawed, they’re so likable, and the ride holds nothing back to create something really original and certainly worth everyone’s time and takes, no matter whether they vary.