Category Archives: Science Fiction

05.27.26
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Backrooms

Psychologist Mary Kline must enter a mysterious dimension beyond our own in search of Clark, a furniture store owner and troubled patient of hers.

Backrooms never satisfies with easy answers and clear meaning, and that’s what resonates the most about it. It evolves throughout its runtime, from a perspective, scope, and thematic lens. Expanding on its titular concept with mystery and curiosity as it continues, the movie is always fully aware of its roots within its characters and human nature. It blends claustrophobic and sweeping spaces very well along with found footage moments that are used wisely. The threats aren’t often in frame, but when they are, one in particular reveals itself as one of the most terrifying horror villains in recent memory.

Renate Reinsve is particularly excellent, and the film thrives most when we’re experiencing its events from her character’s eyes. The production design is incredibly impressive and the weird, almost random nature of the titular dimension keeps building more and more intrigue. Setting it during the 90s was also a clever way to address its satire on capitalism and consumerism, and their isolating nature that eats away at the individual’s ambition with the facade of excess and glamour. Beyond that, there’s some dark backstories to our main characters that informs the unusual choices they make, and some images will haunt you long after the credits roll. While the first half is engaging, the second half becomes seriously captivating and subverts all expectations. It never lets you decrypt anything too easily, avoiding straightforward messages and classic three-act structure, but that’s exactly what the unknown of the backrooms are all about, too.

05.23.26
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Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

In the age of the New Republic hunting down the remnants of the fallen Empire after the events of Return of the Jedi, Mandalorian Din Djarin and his adopted son Grogu embark on an exciting new Star Wars adventure.

The Mandalorian’s big-screen debut isn’t his most dramatic or revealing, but honestly, it’s refreshing that the stakes are changed up from “fate of the galaxy” level to focused more on crime syndicates and bounty hunters. The Neo-Imperial and Mandalore stories from the series aren’t revisited or touched on much, but that’s honestly a breath of fresh air to see Mando go in a new direction this time. The visuals are splendid, as always with Star Wars, and the action is expertly choreographed. Grogu is absolutely adorable and everything he does is a standout here, and Ludwig Goransson’s excellent score elevates the whole movie.

Jeremy Allen White also stands out in a motion capture role, playing Rotta the Hutt, who’s far gentler than any of the other Hutts we’ve met in Star Wars lore. Sigourney Weaver is no stranger to space action, and is yet again a delightful badass who gives much heart and authority to her character of Ward.

The Mandalorian and Grogu might not end up changing the game for the franchise, but it’s got just enough fun visuals and action, as well as the touching father-son dynamic at its center, to be worth a watch for action/sci-fi/fantasy fans and those who are invested in the galaxy far, far away.

04.02.26
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Project Hail Mary

Ryland Grace awakens on the spaceship Hail Mary far, from Earth, and attempts to piece together how he got there and what his mission may be, realizing how much really lies in his hands.

A space epic as urgent in its stakes as Interstellar, Project Hail Mary is a stunning experience that makes use of every minute to move you. Ryan Gosling proves on an even larger scale his charming leading man skills, imbuing Ryland Grace with a deep cowardice, yet a purity and longing that coexists within his apparent weakness is what makes this one of his most lovable performances yet. He is not the only magic at the center of the film — the puppeteering behind Grace’s alien companion Rocky is magnificent and creates a beautiful connection between the creature and the audience. Sandra Hüller is excellent as well and her presence as the authoritative and calculated Eva Stratt, in charge of Project Hail Mary, a global effort to send an expedition to a solar system beyond ours to save Earth from impending extinction, gives the film so much. Hüller takes on something so unexpected yet essential by stripping Stratt of the coldness felt from the character in the novel, which here feels like a necessity rather than a foundation to her being, making the character not just a figure of control but of empathy.

The visual effects, cinematography, and production design are spellbinding and maintain grand scale while conveying the character’s sense of isolation and his dire circumstances. The film also has a loose and unpredictable sense of humor while maintaining its serious through line of stakes and objectives throughout its epic runtime. Despite the seriousness and tension at the center, there’s something life-affirming that Project Hail Mary discovers was always at its heart: from fear and uncertainty come the most powerful and beautiful forces in the galaxy. The film hits all the right notes, whether the buddy humor, sweeping space journey, or effortless direction from Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who create something universal (no pun intended), hopeful, and impossible to miss on the big screen: one of the most resonant, wondrous, and flat out perfect blockbusters of the last few years that you might not want to end.

02.17.26
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Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die

A mysterious man (Sam Rockwell) claiming to be from the future steps into a bar looking for recruits to fight the impending apocalypse with him, but who will be the right group of heroes to survive the night? And is making it to the finish line even possible?

Gore Verbinski assembles what truly feels like a dream cast for a sci-fi action comedy that’s absolutely nuts and isn’t ashamed of it. Sam Rockwell often does a great job of playing guys who seem insane but are actually the only one in the room who’s right, and here is no exception. Haley Lu Richardson and Juno Temple are additional standouts and anchor the film emotionally as well. Though the future hints to be bleak in the story, the clever non-linear narrative pulls down the curtain on a seemingly grounded diner in the present, to reveal that this world and its past is nothing like our own, only it could be. The satire is very unsubtle but also truer than we’d like to admit; we’re often so glued to our phones and so overly reliant on social media and virtual/artificial creations for everyday tasks, and worse, gratification and comfort, that we miss the world around us and forget to use basic common sense and human decency.

At some point, the movie gives up on trying to explain itself and just starts throwing things at the wall to see what sticks, but Verbinski’s imagination make this feel like a large-scale film with scale and a ridiculous self-awareness that’s less concerned with making sense and more so with big excitement that very much succeeds at violent and endearing yet cleverly structured irreverence.

12.22.25
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Avatar: Fire and Ash

James Cameron succeeds yet again in teleporting the audience from their seats into the lands, airs, and seas of Pandora and anyone who buys a ticket for Avatar: Fire and Ash may experience one of the most visually arresting things they’ve ever seen. The complexity of the water, the Na’vi people themselves, and the incredible settings are so detailed and breathtaking to look at, immersing you into an action sci-fi saga with epic scale that only Star Wars and Dune have reached recently. Every character is challenged to the brink to make the most difficult choices, and the child characters from the last film are even stronger here. Jake and Neytiri’s son Lo’ak earns a lot of spotlight he’s given, and Jack Champion’s performance has definitely improved. Zoe Saldaña is again a highlight as Neytiri and given much more to do, while Sigourney Weaver impresses in her strong performance as Kiri. Stephen Lang eats up the scenery as the ruthless and vengeful Quaritch. It’s interesting to examine his grievance against Jake, as they’re both once-human military men now in Na’vi bodies, but even more interesting is the dichotomy between Neytiri and new antagonist Varang, played fantastically by Oona Chaplin. She’s the leader of the Ash People, who reject the Na’vi belief in the goddess Eywa and is hellbent on spreading chaos.

The action sequences are brought to life with such a might and grandeur that it truly feels like the culmination of decades of blockbuster filmmaking. The journey is so stunning that you may not want it to end, but if anything holds the film back, is action set pieces feeling recycled from the last film. The similarities to The Way of Water, especially in the final act, are glaring, including numerous character dynamics/arcs and action scenes. The human characters get a lot of screen time and are rather annoying, especially Giovanni Ribisi, who is needlessly brought back from the first film. However, it looks so gorgeous, particularly a jaw-dropping final battle, and the emotional stakes are so high that the immersive adventure forgives much of its unoriginality and some narrative shortcomings. Those looking for another thrilling experience will be amazed by the sheer beauty of what may be one of the most intricate and astounding CGI achievements of all time. If you can forgive some familiarity, Fire and Ash will lift you out of your seat and take you to worlds away that feel so tangible that watching it in big formats like IMAX and 3D is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

11.15.25
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The Running Man

In a future ruled by an authoritarian government, Ben Richards joins a deadly game show to win money to support his family. There’s one catch: to win, he has to survive one month on the run from expert assassins who are trying to kill him.

The Running Man is not the first film adaptation of the Stephen King novel, but it’s also the rare reimagining that not only justifies its existence by taking a completely different and more faithful direction, but also tops the original film by far. Edgar Wright’s love of filmmaking shines through in all of his projects, no matter the scale or setting. This one is a lot more self-serious than his other works, but still enough irreverence and humor shines through to balance that out. Glen Powell’s action star material gives the film much flare and entertainment, making Ben Richards a fun character to root for, even when some of his characteristics don’t always add up (a subplot about his anger issues becomes rather irrelevant after the opening minutes). Colman Domingo is also a riveting standout as the host of the titular game show, giving the dialogue and performance his all. His scenes of commentary and theatrics elevate much of the film.

Though its themes have been explored in other films, including many recent ones, it still very intriguingly explores how capitalism and consumerism enslave the working class through sadistic entertainment. It hits both close to home while evoking something different from our reality. The pace is just fast enough for the audience to root for our hero and be interested in its vibrant world-building and energy. The action is bloody and creative without feeling overly cartoonish and fitting within the world of the film, and the directions it takes are thrilling while the humor and dark satire work perfectly together. This modern adaptation not only works far better than its predecessor, but it’s a winning ride for action fans and for the always charismatic Powell.

11.10.25
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Predator: Badlands

A young outcast Predator named Dek finds himself stranded on an unfamiliar planet, and must band together with android Thia in order to face some new threats and survive.

Predator: Badlands proves that for some franchises, the standalone spinoff method can certainly hold better than trying to directly recapture the essence of the original. Badlands starts off a bit rocky, with the stunts team’s work impressing but the characterization of the Yautja feeling too distant to connect with Dek as a protagonist. Once Elle Fanning’s character is introduced to the mix in the first act, we’re finally able to feel for what’s going on, thanks to her bond with Dek, and Fanning’s wonderful performance as not one but two androids.

The action ranges from forgettable earlier on in the runtime to exciting later. Thankfully, the story and fights get better and better as the film goes along and not the other way around, and manages to stay interesting with relatively low stakes. Maybe the Predator himself makes for a cooler villain than hero, but this story works well because of Fanning and the intricate stunt performances and visual look.

10.10.25
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Tron: Ares

Ares, the most intelligent artificial being in the world, is sent from the virtual world of Tron into the real world on a dangerous mission that could determine the future of AI and the world.

The virtual worlds and objects that come out into the real world in Tron: Ares are eye-popping and a must in 3D. The immersive scenery within the film invite you in with the gorgeous cyberpunk look, and the score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is also a highlight of the experience of watching the film. Just like its predecessor Tron: Legacy, Ares is a perfectly middle-of-the-road film with out-of-this-world visuals yet an underwhelming screenplay. Thankfully, the human protagonist is far more interesting this time around, with Greta Lee giving an engaging performance that’s fun to follow and has some heart. That said, Jared Leto’s performance is hit-or-miss, with the intentional soullessness of the titular character Ares feeling excessive and even cold when he’s supposed to start connecting with the audience and human characters. Evan Peters’ performance does the best with a cliche tech billionaire character, while Jodie Turner-Smith does a great job with a character who’s not as fleshed out as she needed to be.

The film also doesn’t quite explore its themes of altruism vs greed and war with technological advances quite in depth, but the objective the two sides of the coin are both after is engaging, as are a few standout action sequences. If only the film better explored the potential stakes and consequences of the antagonists’ goals. Even if it doesn’t quite manage to form a deep bond with any of its characters, the film is so stunning to look at that the frames leap off the screen. Only a format such as IMAX 3D justifies this watch, but if you can find a screen big enough, it’ll be quite the 2 hours of amazing, if forgettable, eye candy.

07.25.25
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps

It seems like the third time’s the charm for Marvel’s first family — after three different iterations on screen, the Fantastic Four finally get a film that’s not only watchable, but irresistible. Since this film is set in a parallel universe to the 36 films preceding it in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it gets to build a new world from scratch. The eye-popping visuals will leave you in awe, including extraordinary costume and production design. The retrofuturistic approach to this new world recaptures that feeling of wonder of humanity embarking into space for the first time, while imagining a reality where all of humanity rallied together behind reason, morality, and science. This idealism and dream-like wonder bring a beautiful look and excitement that’s distinct from Marvel’s other outings that are set in a world with undertones much more like ours. Pedro Pascal gives his star-like charisma to Reed Richards, but the film wisely gives Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm much of the film’s emotional weight. Kirby is given a journey unique to Marvel and the screen, and she and Joseph Quinn fit their roles like a glove. Ebon Moss-Bachrach is a highlight as the deeply heartfelt and lovable Ben Grimm, and the family’s dynamic together is sweetly reminiscent of a team like The Incredibles.

The action-packed pace wastes no time, even when it sometimes skips time with detailed character arcs, their relations with one another, their world, and their roles in it drive the film very well, even when the conflict may be priority. The only shame is that talented supporting players Sarah Niles and Natasha Lyonne weren’t given a little more screen time. The effects and action always entertain, and even the world-devouring giant Galactus is given a serviceable motivation to give his presence weight, including Ralph Ineson’s powerful voice. Meanwhile, his herald Shalla-Bal, the Silver Surfer, is given an interesting portrayal by Julia Garner. The Fantastic Four: First Steps doesn’t set out to surprise, but it certainly wows and stands out among the MCU, finally giving the characters a great outing and vivacious portrayals with a gorgeous aesthetic that takes a life of its own and gives the film a stunning feeling of enjoyment throughout.

07.11.25
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Superman (2025)

James Gunn’s reboot of one of the most recognizable and beloved stories and characters in pop culture history wisely ditches the origin story and hits the ground running, and the momentum never quite slows down. We’re thrown into a world where Clark is already Superman, dating Lois, and surrounded by Metahumans, and the movie greatly benefits for it. David Corenswet, first and foremost, is wonderful as the titular hero, giving us someone more tangible and relatable to aspire to, while actors like Christopher Reeve and Henry Cavill played the character as larger-than-life figures bigger than any normal person could ever imagine to understand. This story is all about Superman’s flaws and embracing of his unique identity, as well as his immovable faith in humanity, even we can’t see it in ourselves or continue to turn on the guy. Corenswet’s performance is oozing with superstar levels of charm while bringing the character down to earth — no pun intended — while the script does the audience many favors by not making us feel like Superman is invincible; he can be defeated with wit and even technology, and that’s what raises the stakes here.

Rachel Brosnahan is probably the best Lois Lane we’ve yet to see, who’s naturally funny, brave, and feels like her own character, while we also care greatly for her relationship with Clark moments into being introduced to it. Nicholas Hoult is outstanding as Lex Luthor, chewing up the scenery while providing a villain that hits far too close to home — a tech billionaire with a God complex and Emperor Nero-like ambitions, who feels like he exists in his own world beyond just a terrific adversary to Superman. Gunn always shines in making his supporting cast feel close to us, like a wondrous family we’re getting to know, and everyone gets to stand out, from Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, and Anthony Carrigan as other metahumans to Skyler Gisondo who is hysterical and irresistible as reporter Jimmy Olsen. Most importantly, Superman’s dog Krypto is an adorable scene-stealing standout.

Gunn’s visuals also stand out here, feeling colorful in a comic book nature and often morphing around our actors. The action is dynamic and exciting, and the excitement that’s both playful and grand. Beyond his singular and unpredictable filmmaking, Gunn’s skills as a writer shine, with conflicts that balance the gripping and the over-the-top, and a genuine heart that seeks out to represent what Superman’s been about all along — optimism, hope, and shared humanity. Gunn never feels restrained, however, by what’s defined past iterations of the character, and still makes this Superman his own. The film delivers on every promise while standing out from recent superhero outings and being perhaps the most thrilling, lovable, and worthy Superman movie yet.