Dallas Fisher

    Tag: Movie Review

    • FYC 2025 Part 3

      Shelby Oaks

      A video game cut scene of a movie, where every moment moves the plot backwards. You can definitely tell this was directed by a Youtuber and it hurts. It’s like Chris wanted to throw bits and pieces of every horror movie he liked into one. All that crowdfunded money made for one of the blandest stories and worst looking horror films of the decade.

      0.4/5

      No Other Choice

      You know how chaotic Horrible Bosses is? Well take that to a whole nother level where Park Chan-wook masterfully breaks open what it feels like to be on a job hunt in today’s working world. This is cartoonish, offbeat, rare, and his transitions that will blow your mind in all the best ways.

      4.3/5

      The Secret Agent

      Reverting back to high school math for this review. Imagine a bell curve on a graph and then flip it upside down. The first portion is so intriguing, and it quickly turns into something so uninteresting and bizarre. Wagner Moura is quietly impressive and I’m thrilled that the end of the movie turns everything around.

      3/5

      Nuremberg

      I was very scared this entire movie would be a courtroom drama, but luckily it’s only some of it. This film is so fascinating because of its history and hard truths. Rami Malek is likeable and fierce, Russell Crowe can play a Nazi too well, and everyone else is a killer. Should be contender for many things but will be forgotten in the ether of 2025 releases, which is a real shame.

      3.4/5

      Keeper

      Sleeper. Osbad Perkins. Whatever funny pun you want to use, works here. It was trying so hard to be original that it felt too familiar, and familiar here actually means second-rate.

      1/5

      K-POP Demon Hunters

      The movie itself is very very average, but I could feel the phenomena behind it from the jump. A majority of the songs are bangers and some actually gave me goosebumps. I loved the mix in animation style that was used and the main characters are a lot of fun to live with for the runtime as it exists. I wouldn’t hate seeing more movies like this, but for once the songs overshadowed the message.

      3.3/5

      Springsteen

      A complete nothing of a biopic. It’s never exciting or interesting and it chose a time in Bruce’s life that either felt like 1 month or 10 years, but it was impossible to tell. This also felt like a story of a man who wasn’t famous at the time of this story, or ever, so I was unsure why this was even told, espcially now. (I know he is very famous but this movie doesn’t convey that in the slightest)

      2.6/5

      Jay Kelly

      A movie where George Clooney is basically playing himself should have felt so felt hoity-toity,  instead it is one of the most endearing sotires of the year. Noah Baumbach deliciously unfolds a journey that had every ounce of my attention. It is one of the few films this year that made me chuckle, cry, and drop my jaw throughout. The screenplay is tremendous and the ensemble cast is a sight to behold.

      I will add that I’m thrilled to see Adam Sandler in more dramatic roles, but we’ve got to calm down on the Best Supporting Actor train.

      4.2/5


      Song Sung Blue

      Hugh Jackson and Kate Hudson are the most impressive actors that can sing, well with each other, that we have this year. Outside of their singing, they did feel a little out of place in these roles. For something that was a biopic, it felt like much more of a fantasy when it clearly wanted to tell a more down to earth story. If I was a Neil Diamond fan, I would have loved this movie, I think.

      2.4/5

      The Testament of Ann Lee

      Amanda, Fucking. Seyfried. WOW her voice is so incredible and whatever type of singing you want to call this, is her wheelhouse for sure. There were moments that gave me chills and I was wrapped up in the symmetrical displays of cinematography. I do my best to care when it comes to religion in any form of a story, but here it comes off as a little posturing (even if it’s historically accurate). The repetitive nature was overstimulating to say the least.

      In the words of my finance “I can admire a movie without liking it”

      2.9/5

    • FYC 2025 Part 1

      Blue Moon

      Do not steer clear of Ethan Hawke’s performance as Lorenz Hart. He not only transforms into a different person, he is also the most inviting character on the year. Hawke cloaks his real persona while pinning down a role that is so professional and passionate. He also proves more and more that he is irreplaceable. I was only mildly interested in the story but Richard Linklater once again gets away with enchanting an audience by delivering dialogue that you can’t help but fall in love with. Even though they won’t get mentioned in the long run, Margaret Qualley and Bobby Cannavale deserve to be a part of the celebration here too. Ehtan Hawke is perfect and every line of dialogue elevates a pretty uninspired movie, for my taste at least.

      3.5/5


      Hedda

      This very much falls into the -not for me- category of movies this year. While Tessa Thompson as the titular character is a strong contender for one of the better performances of the year, her range is a little wrongheaded and overshadowed by others around her. If emotion was the preferred outcome, I couldn’t seem to find any. Manuscript must have been the word of the year when this story is set and I hope I never have to hear it again, as it was said a profuse amount of times to no regard. I know it’s a film, a drama at that, but this story could have been avoided by everyone just going home and things could have been less dramatic and forced.

      2.4/5


      Die My Love

      WOW. Never did I think I could dislike Jennifer Lawrence as much as I did in Die My Love. This is an agonizing watch (on purpose) but still brought me to the angriest point I have been watching a movie all year. Having talented actors just do crazy things on camera for no reason made for a horrible time. Every word spoken and every movement of the actors’ bodies drove me nuts. I can’t relate to this movie because I’ve never gone through postpartum depression, but I can’t relate to 99% of other movies either. At least they aren’t trying their hardest to be experimental when everyone involved has evolved past that point. It’s like if a tenured professor went to work at Wendy’s, they can do the job but you have to ask yourself, why the fuck would you? Every aspect is a rough time. The lighting is brutal, the direction is a headache, and it made J. Law and Robert Pattison annoying to no end. I guess if you want to see hot people naked, here you go. Just put it on mute so you don’t have to think to yourself “SHUT UP” the whole time like I did.

      0.7/5



      The Legend of the Ochi

      The ugliest movie I have seen in a very long time. I hate to be so blunt, but oh my goodness was this hard to look at. I’m not sure if the production budget was razor thin or if this was intentional, either way it is painful on the eyes. The costumes are created with the flair of a Wes Anderson adventure, while simultaneously having the effect of a high school drama. I have also never been so off put by sounds in a film, as the noise the creature makes is atrocious and in no way cute. There’s times where the sound design is pulling in so many different directions that I wanted to plug my ears. The Legend of Ochi is an unpleasant experience for two of the five senses, which are arguably the two most important. What should have felt like a new aged E.T., ultimately turned out to be an annoying turn of misadventure and failed design from all angles.

      1.4/5

      Ballad of a Small Player

      Edward Berger really fell off a short cliff after Conclave. Gambling movies are a tough pill to swallow for me, sure you have great gambling scenes in movies like Oceans 11 and Casino Royale, but those are a small part in the scheme of greater things. I don’t feel bad for people that do this type of thing to themselves, so maybe that’s why it is hard for me to buy in. It just felt like Eddy was trying to show off his camera skills without bringing anything new to the table. The color design is off the walls cool, but when the substance isn’t there, it’s hard to see it as anything more than performative. I like seeing Colin Farrell attempt to show off his range, but his skills work so much better when there’s at least a little humor involved.

      1.7/5



      Nouvelle Vague


      Richard Linklater’s second outing in one month plays like a very well made documentary (without talking heads or narration) that might not be all that interesting for the uninformed (me). I might be the worst cinephile in the world after having no interest in watching how one of the most important films in French cinema history came to be. The casting is perfect for people I’ve never heard of, but you can just tell. The set design of the Paris streets is so realistic that I do have to admit I was a little in love with that more than the people. Zoey Deutch feels like she’s speaking a made up language at times, but still stands out in a mostly good way. It felt too hand fed and if I had to applaud, it would be scattered.

      2.7/5


      Baltimorons

      I usually LOVE anything a Duplass brother touches, so I’m disappointed I didn’t have much of a positive reaction to this one. I was so uncomfortable watching these people do such weird and unfunny things throughout the film. The tow yard scene had my attention but after that scene ended it was such a repetitive drag of dullness. I easily understand why I’ve never seen these actors in a movie before.

      2/5

      Train Dreams

      An under talked about film that hasn’t really even been released yet, but I know how these things go. Joel Edgerton is subtle, yet so important in his stature and emotion. When beautiful cinematography and soothing narration come together, it usually leads to an enchanting film, and Train Dreams is no different. This immediately became one of my favorite films of the year and presented me with hope and wonder for my ancestors.

      4.5/5

    • The Lost Bus

      Paul Greengrass perfected a genre in directing with what he did on a few of the Bourne films. Bringing that same style to a movie where a bus driver is operating a vehicle while talking on the phone doesn’t quite hit on the same level. Now listen, The Lost Bus absolutely has its place in front of the right audience. I might not be that audience.

      Matthew McConaughey came out of a 5+ year leading man retirement to act against a cell phone, that is the most disappointing aspect of this entire project. You had two pretty great actors in Matthew and his cohort America Ferrera, but neither one of them got the opportunity to do much outside of those phone calls and shooing faceless children along. As you can tell, I don’t like movies where the main character is on the phone for a majority of their screen time. Maybe this story just wasn’t meant to be told in this format, because drama and disaster are shoved to the side in an attempt to give big names for screen time.

      Aside from the acting from our leads, this movie is a disaster movie that repeatedly hits you over the head with tragedy. A lot of the runtime it’s things that do little to nothing to move the plot forward or to give our leads exposition. It’s more of a trauma dump than anything. Dialogue is too explanatory and over the top C-level acting from the surrounding cast fills the air. I’m glad both sides are portrayed, but the responsibility of everyone involved is muddled with movie logic (especially with the kids) that made me want to step into the fires instead of away from them.

      Circling back to Mr. Greengrass. His direction was all over the place. On the positives, some choices made this feel like a found footage film that brings you into the realism of the situations. If a camera crew was on site for this type of disaster, I’d be more invested in the stakes. His camera movements also made it feel like a zombie war film, which did not fit the vibes. There were shots that felt stolen or unfinished, all while some POV shots reminded me of the black smoke from LOST, and all of that resulted in more of a comedic effect.

      Suffocating nightmarish situations are absolutely portrayed here, but they felt more like fiction in a non fiction world with the intermediate levels of acting and direction.

      5/10

    • One Battle After Another

      In a world where resistance and the idea of a revolution is more prevalent than ever, One Battle After Another is a movie that solidifies PTA as a mainstay in the fight for film supremacy.

      Speaking of a revolution, there will need to be a new one started against the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences if Sean Penn does not win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. His nasty, yet brilliant work as Col. Steven J. Lockjaw in this movie is the best acting to come from this man’s mind and body in his entire career, and maybe anyone’s career. As a painfully menacing force, Penn forces you to look around every corner whether he is on screen or not. Penn does not work in this film if he didn’t have the scope of PTA’s vision or the other fantastic players to bounce off of though, so let’s get to them.

      If Penn wasn’t in this, we would exclusively be talking about Leonardo DiCaprio as Bob. Channeling his inner Jeff Lebowski, Leo turns in a performance that only expands on his role as Rick Dalton from the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood trailer scene. Bringing almost a laugh per minute, he brings levity to a pretty serious role as a father figure doing everything he can to protect his daughter. Said daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti) turns in a child performance that is far from the annoyance that she could have been. Can you even call this a child performance when she’s 25 in real life though? Either way, the multiple layers of her performance are not to be ignored. Benicio Del Toro and Teyana Taylor only bring those layers deeper and deeper to add an uncontrolled electricity to every scene. Regina Hall is in this movie too, sorry I’m not saying more, I wish you did more <3.

      Many things are clear within this and that includes showing off that not only is PTA a perfect director, but also a writer. Taking you up and down hills of circumstances that will not only have you laughing from absurd truths, it will feed you non stop energy through disbelief in what you’re witnessing. I wish I knew more about the technical aspect of films, as all I can say the scale of everything brought to screen is simply put, beautiful. You could be in a car, a karate studio, or a mountain road and you’ll be lost in the freedom of every shot. This film is important for many many reasons as it digs a tunnel deep into your brain with its strides and details. Everyone and everything is running circles around anyone who dares try to come close.

      I could get nitpicky with the small details I found to be expected, but I won’t be a prick. The social commentary is important, the performances are on another level, and the direction had me losing my mind. OBAA is a highlight from the big screen as the seasons change.

      9/10

    • Roofman

      Talk about a bait and switch, but in a good way for once!

      Roofman is a tale mostly set in the nostalgic setting of a Toys “R” Us that should have been exclusively goofy, but it became much more than that. Channing Tatum plays a real life career criminal (Jeffrey) that made his living by robbing McMillions from a place no one ever thought to look, up. With Tatum’s range he was able to play the role of Buddy the Elf mixed with Tom Hanks from Cast Away, and let’s just say isolation did him well. I could go on and on about how impressed I constantly am with Channing and what he does with the roles he chooses, or is chosen for. Here he is resourceful, romantic, and a genius idiot all wrapped up in one. Safe to say, he’s a jack of all trades.

      This movie does something that 99% fail to do, and that’s surprising the audience. It’s pretending to exclusively be a comedy, but in reality it’s all encompassing. Without spoiling specifics, it heavily becomes a family oriented film where dumb choices can easily ruin it all. The opposite of a mistake was made when casting Kirsten Dunst as the potential love interest, as Dunst’s kind heart and romantic nature really brings you into the story even further. There’s a realism to how relationships work here that always makes me a sucker for what I’m watching. I can’t go much further without mentioning the heck of a supporting cast around them too. Peter Dinklage is perfect at playing a dick (Peter Dicklage), with Lakeith Stanfield and Ben Mendelsohn adding the finishing touches.

      As Jeffrey pushes his luck with every aspect of his life, your heart will race, and there’s quite a few hold your breath moments that will keep your eyes glued to the screen. I keep dancing around it, but there is a comedic edge that is hard to deny. Within the seriousness of this, it’s super funny. Lines are delivered with a sneaky ease, especially as mistakes are made throughout. At first you might think things are played safe, and sure you have to suspend some disbelief but this is one of the surprises of the year.

      You’d be a fool to count on Tatum failing.

      7.8/10

    • Caught Stealing

      I don’t know if Aronofsky movies are supposed to be fun, but that was the most fun I’ve had in a theater all year. From the opening sequence, I knew I was in for a treat. Now I don’t read, so I’ll never be able to compare movies to the books they’re adapted from but, what I can say is that the writing in this had me hooked from beginning to end. 

      Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, The Wrestler) lays out this world perfectly, it’s NYC used in a way that is resourceful and punk rock. Aronofsky still uses addiction and broken protagonists at the forefront of his story, but plants them in a much larger world. Elements of his direction are some of the most precise I’ve seen so far from him. There’s emotion behind the way the camera shows the characters that felt like a character in its own right. I wish I could describe in detail one scene involving Butler and Kravitz, but you’ll just have to see it for yourself and experience the impact the direction had on me. 

      Austin Butler is the star of this show. His emotional acting shines and shows off his range with the best performance of his career. Playing an innocent (or not so) character thrown into the mix up of a crime world, was the perfect role for him. He got to be a wild card, for the audience and the other characters within the story. Butler shines on screen in almost every scene and every key aspect of the film. 

      It would be a mistake not to mention the rest of this stacked cast, because the lineup is a home run. Zoe Kravitz is a smooth talking and intellectual paramedic that also happens to be the love interest. Bad Bunny is a menace that absolutely has a place as a legitimate player in this realm. Matt Smith and his ridiculously spot on accent just adds to the punk rockiness at the core. Everyone else has their spot in this game as well. The cat who gives the best cat performance since Inside Llewyn Davis, Regina King playing right into the foil, and Liev Schreiber and Vincent D’Onofrio as the big bad. Ensemble of the year right here. 

      I was so addicted to this film, whether it was the costume design, the murder, movie stars, and the laughs that will make you cry. It’s a chaotic mix that is a thrill throughout. There’s WTF moments that will have you thinking about jumping out of your seat and some of the most quotable moments from a movie this decade. It’s a crime drama that is one of my favorite movies of the year. Even if it isn’t iconic or super straight forward, it’s still a hit. 

      How can you not be romantic about Aronofsky?

      8.9/10

    • The Pickup

      Look at Eddie and Pete’s expressions in the photo above, that is what I looked like watching the entirety of this movie.

      Knowing this is from the guy (Tim Story) that directed Ride Along 2, I shouldn’t have had super high expectations, but I was still underwhelmed. A veteran armored truck worker (Murphy) teams up with an immature rookie (Davidson) and things go a little off routine. This is a heist movie and a comedy, but I’ll get to the latter later.. If you compare this to other heist movies, you won’t have anything new to take away. The action is mainly involving a long Fury Road-like car chase that is shot like it was meant for a canceled network TV show. So, if you like to watch poorly shot car wrecks, you’ll be into this movie.

      I’ve always kind of liked Pete Davidson, his demeanor and humor have always been appealing in a cynical and endearing way. Those strengths are mostly played here, except when they aren’t. When you have the comedic genius of Eddie Murphy to go head to head with, it’s hard to stay in the fight. Murphy on the other hand, is still at the top of his game. Everything he said is perfectly delivered and it feels like it was written specifically for him. Both of them together was a bit of a generational mismatch.

      The antagonist group led by Keke Palmer was quite the group of generic bad guys. All the effort was put into the duo so that this aspect fell completely flat. Keke as a voice has a strong presence, but as a character with an unsure approach she isn’t fully understandable. This movie struggled to decide which side of a few genres it wanted to fall on, and ultimately fails at most of them.

      I grew very tired of what this was trying to do very quickly, that I know I could have slept through the second act and not missed a beat. It’s not as clever as it thinks it is, and its setting even adds to it feeling like Ocean’s 3, because that’s how many brain cells you need to enjoy it. I’m so glad Eddie Murphy is back on our screens making us laugh, but I wish there was a little more around him to make it substantial.

      4/10

    • She Rides Shotgun

      2025 finally has its small time, gritty crime thriller.

      Taron Egerton and Ana Sophia Heger play a father-daughter role that has been missing after Leave No Trace. She Rides Shotgun jumps right into the aftermath of a double murder, where Nathan (Egerton) is the culprit from many respects, and he brings his daughter (Heger) along with him. In a movie where everyone is out to get you, you know situations are going to get hairy. 

      The heightened intensity is felt in its most important moments, and it perfectly lays the crumbs without giving too much away. Weaving in and out of the main story with the detective aspect was almost unnecessary though because of its addition of too many characters and cheesy code names. Deeper corruption is always welcome in a story like this. The violence is handled wonderfully, but might not feel the most cinematic.

      What will be talked about from this movie are the performances. Everyone will tell you how fantastic Heger is, which she is, and she’s the first child actor of the year to not be utterly annoying. Her performance doesn’t outshine the film but instead, shares the load and talent of everyone around her. Egerton really transforms himself into a role I never thought I would see him in, he’s spectacularly intense, yet pleasantly soft. Not to be forgotten though, John Carroll Lynch. The character actor who has shown a darker side before, but nothing like this. His commitment and harshness is what really stuck out in a movie with two other solid roles. If only he was given more screentime. 

      The dynamic of the father-daughter relationship may feel like a replay but the duo holds itself together. In quiet moments you can even feel a real life connection to this, hopefully non-fictional story. You might as well be watching this through a child’s POV with how lost you felt throughout and with the musical choices. I really loved the inclusion of what felt like a song played in its entirety, it was like the scene was filmed in one shot but in post. I was not a fan of the other music that at times, felt like i was watching the X-files. 

      Thrilled to say this treats its characters and situations like real life. Sad to say it pulls a lot from multiple Ryan Gosling movies without doing too much to feel original. The struggle brought me empathy for the characters as it struggled to satisfy me in the end. Strong performances, lapse of judgement from the writing, and violently bad wigs had me feeling like this would have worked better as a streaming film. 

      5.9/10

    • Oh, Hi!

      Oh, Hi!

      Sophie Brook’s new film is a smart romantic comedy that will seep into your brain and keep you guessing throughout.

      Iris (Molly Gordon) and Isaac (Logan Lerman) have a refreshing chemistry that kicks you right into gear with their relationship. Starting off as a weekend getaway movie, you can only speculate that this will turn into something more sinister. Not only does the speculation last the entire runtime, it lasts the ENTIRE runtime… That might be my only major complaint about the movie, well, and Lerman’s restrained performance. The speculation is tons of fun but can be super disappointing when it doesn’t fully lead to the climax you were hoping for. But, if you look at this movie from a different point of view, it was always about the ride.

      Gordon in this movie is scary good, and her performance is one of the best of the year. She’s unhinged in the best ways which makes it feel beyond realistic. There’s a look in her eyes where she knows she’s stolen the show from the inside and out. Playing off of what Lerman has to do really showcases her obsessive strengths. Special shootouts to David Cross and John Reynolds for making an impact in their own ways. 

      This being a romantic comedy with a “twist” aspect put it in the discussion with movies like Barbarian and Fresh. I was thoroughly impressed with the way it danced around the complications of relationships and their opposing perspectives. It doesn’t waste time showing how they feel about each other with each changing moment. The unknown keeps it interesting, and you notice fine details about characters and can really feel the innocence in the air.

      Oh, Hi! is edited and shot with professionalism; it’s steamy and hilarious (as long as you don’t have PTSD about your exes). It’s an attractive movie with the best soundtrack of the year. A perfect date night film for anyone at any point in their relationship.

      7/10

    • M3GAN 2.0

      The bitch is back, but maybe she should have stayed dead. 

      A self aware sequel to the 2023 “hit” that attempts to bring us to the likes of T2 but fails by making things overly complicated. This franchise has a campiness that tends to work best when it follows the Evil Dead route, but instead we added almost a full other movie within itself. 

      I’ll start out with the things I loved, or at least enjoyed. Allison Williams is so likeable that it’s easy to look past the fact she’s kind of stale and not given a lot to do in the original or the first half of this movie. The action is pretty well done but would have benifited from a rated-R bump. The movie made me laugh, well Jemaine Clement did. Also, Megan as a character is so sassy that I couldn’t help but be entertained. And, that’s about it. 

      Why did they remove the horror aspect from this completely?? I get leaning into the comedy a little more, but this removes it so much that you forget what this was originally about (besides the fact they mention the plot of the first quite a few times). If you want to be a cross genre, that’s fine, but you can’t poorly execute half a dozen of them and expect it to fully work. 

      If you looked up the word panic in the dictionary, I think you’d find 80% of this movie playing on a loop. It’s mainly the characters planning and talking about what they’re going to do, and by the time we get to see those things play out, I don’t care anymore. There’s seriously so much talking to the point where it feels like most characters are trying so hard to be someone else. The family melodrama aspects couldn’t have been less interesting or important to the story. 

      As far as pacing goes, 2.0 almost makes a full arc that ends in a climatic setting. That setting is sadly only half way into the film. To no one’s surprise, there’s misdirectics that were there for the sake of having them and added no real stakes to the story. If the first half wasn’t spent in brash situations, we could have had time to focus on a little more of Megan and Co.

      M3GAN 2.0 feels unoriginal while also trying so much that it felt lost. You’ll have the smallest amount of fun if you buy in, but for me I couldn’t get past the message of the movie putting itself down. 

      2.6/10