Browsing: movies

Summary of Movie: Ambition Meets Abuse in Elite ChoirA haunting Czech coming-of-age drama following 13-year-old Karolína joining prestigious girls choir under demanding choirmaster Vít Mácha, where pursuit of musical excellence reveals disturbing power dynamics and psychological manipulation beneath beautiful harmonies.Catchy Concept: Young singer’s dreams of choral glory darken as elite music world’s “undercurrents” expose how ambition and authority create toxic environments where talent becomes exploitationContent Overview: Ondrej Provaznik’s debut feature examines Karolína joining sister Lucie in competitive choir environment, where choirmaster’s intense methods and pursuit of recognition gradually reveal abuse patterns hidden behind artistic excellenceMovie Trend: Part of “institutional abuse examination” using competitive…

It is a film critic’s pleasure and privilege to make a list of the ten best movies every year. (I enjoy it so much, I make a list of 20 favorites.) Some disagree with me, but I think it’s also the film critic’s responsibility to make a list of the worst movies as well. (I do not enjoy this one quite as much, so this list will just be 12 titles, thank you very much.)Writing 2024’s worst-of list, I wrote “hopefully 2025 will bring better-looking movies, if not more entertaining ones. That doesn’t seem like too much to ask.” What the batch of films below…

Summary Collider’s Hannah Hunt chats with Aryan Simhadri, Dior Goodjohn, and Charlie Bushnell for Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2. Season 2 of the Disney+ adaptation series deepens Grover, Luke, and Clarisse’s characters with morally gray, emotionally layered arcs. In this interview, the trio discuss Clarisse’s guarded vulnerability, Luke’s tragic and sympathetic arc, and how Grover’s quest reshapes his bond with Percy and Pan. Season 2 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians deepens the emotional landscape of its supporting cast, giving Grover (Aryan Simhadri), Luke (Charlie Bushnell), and Clarisse (Dior Goodjohn) some of their most layered material yet. From…

There are few anime that capture the same energy and style of the late 2000s quite like Soul Eater has. Its gothic, stylized visuals, unforgettable soundtrack, and bold approach to storytelling effectively created a world that balanced dark fantasy with playful chaos, allowing the series to carve out a place for itself in anime history. Years later, Soul Eater continues to resonate with fans, and it remains a unique work that nothing else seems to match. Its popularity remains strong, with many longtime fans revisiting the series a decade later. Soul Eater is more than an iconic series, and bringing…

That this exchange takes place within the feminine domain of the department store – the doll counter, no less – clearly places the film within the world of women. While men hover at the periphery, their attempts to insert themselves into Carol and Therese’s intimate shared world are rightfully experienced by both women as unwelcome intrusions. In contrast, both Therese’s boyfriend, Richard (Jake Lacy) and Carol’s husband, Harge (Kyle Chandler) are baffled by the women’s quick affinity for and deepening attachment to one another. Their confusion is partially the result of masculine ego – how could a woman be their romantic rival?…

Summary of Movie: Body Horror Reimagines AIDS-Era TraumaJulia Ducournau’s daring evolution into poetic body horror following 13-year-old Alpha whose tattoo triggers 1980s HIV hysteria, transforming disease stigma into visceral art through the director’s signature surreal style that challenges conventions while honoring those silenced by fear.Catchy Concept: One tattoo ignites AIDS-panic paranoia in 1980s France, transforming teenager into social ghost as Ducournau channels collective trauma through haunting body horror poetryContent Overview: Ducournau’s boldest artistic leap follows 13-year-old Alpha whose innocent tattoo becomes presumed death sentence during AIDS crisis, examining how fear kills before disease through increasingly dreamlike narrative honoring trauma’s fragmented realityMovie Trend: Pioneering…

Movie studios milk their cinematic cash cows to death, pumping out sequel after sequel even for films where a follow-up isn’t truly warranted. In turn, these otherwise great series sometimes go out not with a bang, but with a whimper.In many cases these films are dragged out through decades, usually in the name of nostalgia, as studios attempt to capitalize on a movie’s lasting title familiarity, pop culture impact and fan enthusiasm. Take the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, for instance.Loosely based on their classic Disneyland theme park ride of the same name, Disney struck pirate gold with 2003’s The Curse…

Dwayne Johnson on the red carpetImage via Carlos Tischler/EyePix/INSTARimages A year after Red One debuted with one of the most chaotic release cycles of Dwayne Johnson’s career, the film has finally found the audience it was searching for. The action-fantasy holiday adventure is now the number 3 movie on Prime Video, a victory for a project that made headlines for behind-the-scenes tension, budget disputes, and a theatrical performance that fell far short of studio expectations. But streaming tends to be kind to maligned blockbusters, and Red One appears to be the latest example. The movie has surged on Prime Video leading…

The cast of Summer House is back for a steamy 10th season on Bravo. The trailer for the vital season dropped on December 7, showing new faces, shocking storylines, and resurfaced romances. What started as a playful reality TV show about a group of friends spending the summer in Montauk turned into a 10-season stint that altered the group’s reality, becoming one of Bravo’s best reality shows. The series’s notoriety launched the group’s careers and personal relationships. Now, Bravo’s favorite group of friends is back for another summer. And thanks to the trailer, it looks like it could be Summer…

Itto (Oumaïma Barid) is alienated. After a series of elegantly composed shots of a house’s opulent if empty interiors, she is shown in there but out of place. She goes to the kitchen to help the maids prepare dinner (“Like us, she sure is a Berber!” one of them comments), only to be regarded with contempt by Hajar (Souad Khouyi), who thinks it unbecoming for her new daughter-in-law to be mixing with the staff. Not only is Itto having to transition from her lowly Berber background (“a hick who’s nobody’s daughter”, as she herself puts it) to become part of this affluent, Francophone…