May 30, 2025
With the arrival of Memorial Day weekend, it’s (unofficially) summer season, which means the biggest time of the year for the movie box-office. Studios and theaters desperately need a lot of big titles to earn a large portion of their annual revenue during the summer months. So, they are carefully watching the daily activity to ensure enough people are coming to their theaters. With the industry disruption over the last five years, they can’t afford too many misses.
After a very hot April with Sinners and A Minecraft Movie, the momentum has continued with solid results from the old reliable genres – Marvel (Thunderbolts), horror (Final Destination: Bloodlines), kids movies (Lilo & Stitch), and the final entry in a terrific action series (Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning). Needless to say, there is strong momentum as the summer movie season accelerates.
Speaking of which, I celebrated the opening of summer movie season last weekend with Jaws, the only way to truly kick off beach season. This choice was inspired by one of my favorite movie podcasts, which just completed a series on the early works of Steven Spielberg. Blank Check takes a look at director filmographies, with each episode dedicated to a single movie. The hosts (Griffin and David) are very silly and always bring some quality film analysis in addition to their bits of humor. I decided to revisit a number of Spielberg’s best movies before I listen to the podcast episode dedicated to the specific film and Jaws was first on the list.
I am actually making my way through the filmographies of a number of directors – in fact I have way too many on my list, but I am a glutton for punishment and there is a motivation behind this effort. I am planning an ambitious look at the greatest directors of all-time for a future blog series. But that’s a story for another day (probably another year – I still have way too much research and film watching to do before I roll that one out.) OK, moving on to this month’s movie report.
Marvel is (Kinda? Sorta?) Back – Thunderbolts
It’s no secret that it’s been a rollercoaster five years for the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame was released. That film made over $2 billion at the box-office and was the culmination of a decade of storytelling that began with Robert Downey, Jr. donning the Iron Man suit. Since then there have been a couple of highs, several lows, but mostly a lot of “meh.” The general apathy towards these movies seemed to be driven by three main causes. First, a lack of major stars at the front of the movies, deeming them “not as important” to see immediately. Second, the introduction of a multiverse, which came across as gimmicky to most viewers (this one, in particular) because there didn’t seem to be any real stakes in the plotlines of the movies. If a character could jump from one timeline to another, actions lacked consequences. Lastly (and what I think was the biggest cause) was Disney’s decision to turbo charge the content output with several television series with interconnected plotlines and characters to help launch Disney+. Suddenly, you needed to watch eight hours of a television series (in other words, do your homework) to follow the storyline of the next movie.
Fortunately, Disney has come to their senses, scaling back (in a big way) the connected television series and reducing their film output to only a few per year. February’s Captain America: Brave New World was a mild hit at the box-office, but savaged by critics. It didn’t interest me enough to spend the time to see it. In fact, I haven’t watched the last several television series and have only dabbled in the MCU films over the last few years. I just didn’t have the energy to do the homework. Marvel will be kicking off the next phase of their storytelling with The Fantastic Four: The First Steps (which looks good) coming on July 25th, leading to Avengers: Doomsday, and the fourth Spider-Man movie with Tom Holland, both coming in 2026. Those films will likely be huge hits. But before we get ahead of ourselves, Marvel is wrapping up the uneven “phase five” with Thunderbolts, which was released earlier this month.
I’m happy to report that this is actually a good movie with a real story behind it, and not just meaningless special-effects laden battles between the superheroes and the villains. Granted, it has plenty of action, but the primary reason Thunderbolts works is that there are well-developed characters played by very strong actors in the primary roles. Florence Pugh is one of the best actresses working today and she is the de facto leader of the ragtag group of second-rate superheroes, who adopt the name Thunderbolts. Speaking of which, there is an asterisk at the end of their name in the title of the movie, which is intentional. The reason for that is revealed at the end of the film, as well as an extended scene after the credits roll. I won’t spoil it here.
Pugh plays Yelena, a Russian assassin, still mourning the death of her sister, Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson in the early MCU movies). Yelena was featured prominently in 2021’s Black Widow, where Pugh showed that she has the chops to be successful in these types of movies. In Thunderbolts, she teams up with her estranged father (played by David Harbour of Stranger Things), Bucky Barnes (the always terrific Sebastian Stan), John Walker (played by Wyatt Russell), and Taskmaster (Oleg Kurylenko), who was also briefly featured in Black Widow. The group band together to stop Valentina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), the CIA Director who is simultaneously trying to bury her nefarious past deeds, while creating a new super soldier, played by Lewis Pullman.
The group of actors at the center of the movie have terrific chemistry as they each struggle with their own past problems while trying to prevent the next global catastrophe. Yes, there is family trauma (an overused plot line these days), but it’s handled in a tasteful way, especially as we see each character dealing with their problems. The story shows that everyone needs help in dealing with their shit and it doesn’t just “go away” because they saved the world. If you like the Marvel movies, but have grown tired of the MCU the last few years, give this one a shot. It’s worth noting that you do not need to “do the homework” to follow the plot of Thunderbolts. There is enough background exposition shared in the early portions of the movie to get the gist of what is going on, especially the motivations of the characters, so you won’t be lost if you haven’t kept up with all of the Disney output. Thunderbolts is now playing in theaters.
Male Unbonding – Friendship
Craig is an annoying and awkward executive at a software company. He just can’t seem to fit in anywhere. Even his wife and son seem to be giving him the side-eye every time he cracks a dad joke. But things turn around when he becomes friends with Austin, his new neighbor and local weatherman. He’s the exact opposite of Craig – he’s got the cool job, plays in a rock band, has friends, and exudes confidence. Craig starts hanging out with Austin and his buddies and seems on the upward trajectory. That is, until a poor decision one night leads Austin to break up with his friend. Craig has a very hard time dealing with the rejection and will do anything to get back into the good graces of his idol.
Friendship is a terrific cringe-comedy that works so well because of the fantastic performance by Tim Robinson, who plays Craig in a tone that will make you want to cover your eyes. Not because it’s scary, but because he is such an annoying idiot. Picture a combination of Greg Focker (Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents) and Michael Scott (Steve Carell in The Office) and you’ll get a feel for his temperament.
I’ve been reading glowing reviews of Friendship for several months, but I was still hesitant if it would work for me. Robinson is best known for his television show I Think You Should Leave, which I have never watched. As I understand it, that show has a similar “awkward comedy” feel to it, and those can be hit or miss to me. But this one worked, primarily because the screenplay by director Andrew DeYoung is a perfect fit for Robinson’s comedy style. It also helps that he has great chemistry with Paul Rudd (as Austin) and Kate Mara (as his wife Tami) in their scenes together. There were a couple of plot choices that didn’t quite work for me, but this is a very creative comedy that will make you laugh, all while feeling uncomfortable embarrassment for Craig’s lonely journey through life, just trying to connect with someone. Friendship is now playing in theaters.
This Year’s WTF Movie – Bring Her Back
In September of last year, I texted my sister-in-law and her husband, who are big horror fans, after I saw a very depraved film. My text read “I saw this movie today. It may be the most disgusting, demented movie I’ve ever seen. Some bold filmmaking choices, a clever premise and terrific acting. It’s definitely not for everyone but it’s so disturbing at times that I naturally thought of you two.” I know they are horror sickos like me. A week later, he texted me, “WTF did I just watch?” That film was The Substance, which was nominated for five Oscars earlier this year. Why am I bringing this up? Because I recently saw a movie that might be just as disturbing.
Bring Her Back is the second feature film from Danny and Michael Philippou, Australian filmmakers who got their start as YouTubers. Their 2022 debut, Talk to Me, was one of the best horror movies in recent years and the brothers are reportedly working on a sequel. But before that, they wrote and directed Bring Her Back, a horror movie centered on a stepbrother and stepsister mourning the loss of their father and forced to live with a foster mom and her foster son.
At first, things seem just a little odd for Andy and Piper when they move in with Laura. Sure, she’s a little eccentric and wacky. And her son Oliver is mute and seems a little strange, but they’ll be ok, right? Well….Andy starts to notice some strange behavior and Piper can only observe so much – she’s visually impaired, which Laura uses to her advantage. I won’t spoil too much of the plot as it’s best to watch the events at the house unfold as the film progresses. Needless to say, Laura has some horrific intentions, the basis of which is glossed over a little too quickly in my opinion. But the real magic with this film is the writing and directing by the Philippou brothers. They create wonderful tension throughout the picture, enhanced by a terrific score that sets the mood perfectly.
Now, I compared Bring Her Back to The Substance because of its disturbing sequences, but that is where the comparison ends. The Substance was comically gross, especially during the last act. Bring Her Back is downright disturbing, especially as the tension escalates and we learn of Laura’s true intentions and just what the heck is wrong with Oliver. Hint – A LOT. His actions cement him as one of the scariest child characters on film since a precocious kid named Damien caused a little trouble for his new family almost fifty years ago. Make no mistake about it – if you watch Bring Her Back, you will jump out of your seat, be grossed out to the point of covering your eyes, and say “What the fuck?” out loud multiple times. At least, that’s what this viewer did during my screening. This one is for sickos only. Bring Her Back is now playing in theaters.
Lightning Round
Before we get to this month’s main course, let’s have a few appetizers by playing a game of “See it or Skip it.”
- Another Simple Favor The sequel to 2018’s A Simple Favor (a film I liked) sees Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively reuniting for another murder-comedy-drama that is a big drop-off from the original. And that’s saying something because it’s not like the original was The Godfather. Another Simple Favor wastes a talented cast with a plot that has way too many preposterous twists to be believable or enjoyable. One positive quality is the production design is impeccable, as they shot on location in Italy. I hope the cast and crew had a good time burning Amazon’s money on this trip. I just wish they spent some of it on a better script. SKIP IT.
- Fountain of Youth Another example of a streaming service (Apple TV+, in this case) throwing money at a talented director (Guy Ritchie) and big movie stars (John Krasinski and Natalie Portman), but wasting them in a lackluster story bogged down by sloppy CGI and lazy storytelling. This is billed as an action-adventure with a premise that sounds like 2004’s fun National Treasure with Nicolas Cage. But it fails in so many ways, primarily because of what appears to be a script written for “second-screen consumption.” This is the phenomenon where movies and television shows for streaming services have characters explain (and over explain) everything that is going on for those viewers who are casually paying attention to what is on the TV while they scroll on their phones. Next time you watch a “Made for Netflix” movie or show, you’ll probably notice this practice. It’s not that I’m offended – it’s just lazy storytelling. I’d rather have a movie with some nuance that makes me think about what I am watching, not just consume it like a bag of chips. Matt Zoller Seitz, a film critic I follow, wrote in his review on RogerEbert.com that “Fountain of Youth is the Citizen Kane of second-screen entertainment. Every frame rewards inattention.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Watch National Treasure instead. As for Fountain of Youth? SKIP IT.
- Warfare A visceral war film now available to rent on demand that was co-directed by Alex Garland (Civil War) and Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza, the story centers on a group of soldiers who are trapped inside a building in Iraq after they come under attack. While this film is expertly-made and features incredible acting, production design and sound, it can be a difficult movie to watch. A credit to Mendoza for bringing his experience to life for the big screen in tribute to his fellow veterans. This one reminded me of Black Hawk Down – a war movie that I admired but will likely never watch again. If you can handle the intensity, SEE IT.
- One to One: John & Yoko I am as big a fan of The Beatles as most people, so I was intrigued by this documentary about the 18 months John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent in Greenwich Village in the early 1970s. The film is centered around a benefit concert they held at Madison Square Garden during this time. While the concert footage is terrific and some of the interviews conducted during this timeframe are interesting, I found the filmmaking style frenetic and distracting as the directors jammed too many snippets of real-life events into the finished product. If you see this one as an option to rent on demand, my recommendation is to SKIP IT.
- Nonnas A wholesome and heartwarming comedy-drama that is sometimes too sweet for its own good, but I had a good time watching it. And that is entirely due to the top-notch cast assembled to tell this inspiring true story. Vince Vaughn plays a New Yorker who decides to pay tribute to his recently deceased mother by opening an Italian restaurant. Here’s the hitch – he wants the authentic food to be cooked by Italian grandmothers (“nonnas”) serving their favorite dishes. Vaughn is terrific as a charming everyman, very different from his Swingers and Old School troublemakers (granted those movies were a long time ago). But the real stars are the nonnas, played by acting legends Lorraine Bracco, Brenda Vaccaro, Susan Sarandon, and Talia Shire. This one is on Netflix and it’s a nice way to spend a Friday night. SEE IT.
- Bob Trevino Likes It Another heartwarming family story written and directed by Tracie Laymon based on her own experience becoming friends with a stranger on Facebook. Barbie Ferreira (Euphoria) plays Lily Trevino, a twentysomething woman who is struggling with all aspects of her life, primarily driven by the emotional abuse her father inflicted on her throughout her life. While trying to connect with him on Facebook, Lily sends a friend request to Bob Trevino, thinking it’s her dad. In fact, he’s just a married contractor with the same name (played by John Leguizamo), but also someone in need of a connection. The two become fast friends and share some touching moments together, filling in the emotional gaps that each one is missing. Bob Trevino Likes It can feel a little schmaltzy at times, but boy did it hit all the heartstrings by the time the credits rolled. You can rent this one on demand. SEE IT.
Thank You for Your Service, Tom Cruise – Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
It’s been almost thirty years since Tom Cruise partnered with director Brian De Palma for 1996’s Mission: Impossible, based on the 1960s spy-based television show. Since then, Cruise has continued to push the limits on the action sequences and stunts with each subsequent film in the series, leading audiences to wonder “What will he do next?” when they sit down in the theater. With the eighth and (reportedly) final installment, The Final Reckoning, he has certainly made me question, “How did he not die performing that stunt?” a few times, but is it a great movie? Well….
The Final Reckoning serves as a direct sequel to 2023’s Dead Reckoning, a film that I liked a lot more than most viewers. That movie was a little bloated, but featured a constant barrage of fun action sequences, interspersed with funny moments and enough exposition to move the plot along without feeling burdensome. My one quibble with that movie was the silliness of the AI villain (dubbed “The Entity). I wasn’t so much opposed to an artificial intelligence threatening the world, it was more the gravity with which everyone said “The Entity,” which became comical after a while.
Unfortunately, The Final Reckoning dials up the stakes with The Entity, as it has taken over the nuclear capabilities of several countries around the world and threatens to start a global annihilation. Enter Ethan Hunt, the only man in the world who can save the day. He partners up with his team from the last few movies to accomplish his mission, which he (of course) chooses to accept.
Cruise is first and foremost the biggest movie star we have today. So, put him in an action movie that is expertly made by director Christopher McQuarrie in his fourth time behind the camera in this franchise, and I’m game. And when I sit down for a Mission movie, I don’t concern myself too much with the plot. While the action sequences are incredible (I literally felt my palms sweating during the climactic sequence aboard the bi-plane – you’ve seen it in the trailer), there were just too few of them in this installment. The first half of the almost three-hour picture takes a long time setting up the premise, and features a number of flashbacks and a few curious retcon decisions that felt unnecessary. Now, I have seen all of these movies multiple times, so for the casual viewer, it might be nice to get a refresher. But it weighed down the first half of the movie for me and I was anxious to get to the second half, which does deliver. I was also hoping for more humor – the last few movies seemed to have more of the witty banter among the IMF team members, but I felt like this installment was missing the subtle laughs that typically release the tension in the story.
So, is it a bad movie? Absolutely not – it’s very good, just not the best in the series, which is a high bar to clear. I may grow to like it even more as the years move on and I see it again, but for now it’s in the middle of the pack for my ranking of the movies in this series. The Final Reckoning is exactly what you want in a summer blockbuster, as long as you don’t take the contrived plot (which feels very messy at times) too seriously. The film is a fitting end to the Mission saga and I look forward to what Cruise does next now that he has (maybe?) put Ethan Hunt in the rearview mirror. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is now playing in theaters.
That’s all for this week. I hope you found some movies to add to your watch list. I’ll be back next month with my thoughts on more new releases, including the new picture from Wes Anderson (The Phoenician Scheme), the John Wick spinoff Ballerina, the apocalyptic horror sequel 28 Years Later, Brad Pitt in a racecar (F1) and much more. It’s summer and that means the movie season is heating up – get out to the theater! Thanks for reading and if you’d like to be notified of future posts, you can subscribe below.