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A visually stunning reimagining in the world of Frankenstein, The Bride! centers on female independence and features a fearless performance from Jessie Buckley. Without any planning, the last four months of my film-watching career have included three Frankenstein films. When Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein was released in November of 2025, I watched it and loved…
A science-driven adventure about a lone astronaut trying to save humanity, Project Hail Mary is charming, funny, and genuinely heartfelt, with an exciting story and two deeply lovable characters at its center. I am a huge fan of The Martian. Right after the movie was released in 2015, I read the book by Andy Weir….
A well-paced espionage drama with surreal touches, The Secret Agent is intriguing and creatively constructed, even if it never fully settles into place. With the Academy Awards for 2025 films airing a few days ago, I had a chance to watch a lot of the nominated films, but not all of them. This movie has…
A stark adaptation of William Golding’s novel about boys stranded on an island, Lord Of The Flies is visually striking and faithful to the book, but the tension never quite builds as it should. To say that I didn’t read the books assigned for us in high school English class is an understatement. I believe…
A harrowing dramatized thriller about the real 2008 terror attack in India, Hotel Mumbai is an intensely gripping survival story that highlights the courage of the hotel’s staff. In 2008, a series of twelve coordinated attacks befell Mumbai, India. Executed by a jihadist militant organization, men were sent to different locations to carry out their…
A character-driven dramedy about a struggling publisher who convinces her reclusive author to go on a book tour, Best Sellers is boosted by two strong leads, even if it takes until the last act to fully invest in them. My 20-year-old son and I each discovered Aubrey Plaza in a different way. I first met…
A darkly funny thriller about a chance encounter that spirals into something more complicated, It Was Just An Accident balances mystery, tension, and surprising emotional weight. When I was at university, our theatre department put on a production of Death And The Maiden. I was on the stage crew at that point, working towards being…
A quirky comedy about a controversial experiment testing nature versus nurture, Birthmarked is an enjoyable watch, even if it never fully capitalizes on its clever premise. Films about parenting are incredibly common. It is a hugely relatable topic for many people, and there are all kinds of angles to take. Whether the twins were separated…
A tender science-fiction drama about a household robot who begins to develop human emotions, Bicentennial Man is far sweeter and more profound than I expected. Robin Williams had an incredible career in comedy, but his more serious roles are my favorites. As husband Chris Nielsen in What Dreams May Come, he tugged at our hearts,…
Based on the childhood of food writer Nigel Slater, Toast is an intimate coming-of-age story focused on the bittersweet and delicious moments with his parents and challenging stepmother. My first introduction to Freddie Highmore was in the 2001 miniseries The Mists Of Avalon. Once an adorable and tiny King Arthur, he has grown up on…
A psychological thriller about a woman traveling alone who happens upon what seems like a crime, Dead Of Winter is a slow trudge through the cold, thawing only at the end. I think Emma Thompson is fantastic. With a catalogue of films that range from Peter’s Friends to Love Actually to The Children Act, she…
A dazzling fever dream, Moulin Rouge!, about a poor writer who falls in love with a courtesan in France, is full of amazing music, colors, and style. I watched this movie when it first came out in theaters in 2001, but I only saw it that once. Then, when a version of Moulin Rouge! got…
