FOLLOWING FILMS

THE WOMAN IN THE YARD  lingers in the space between psychological drama and supernatural horror, weaving a tale that is as much about the fragile human psyche as it is about eerie apparitions. Running a lean 87 minutes, Jaume Collet-Serra’s film teams a tight directorial focus with Danielle Deadwyler’s committed lead performance to deliver an experience that feels both intimate and unnerving. Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler) is a young widow reckoning with the aftermath of a terrible car accident that claimed her husband’s life and left her physically scarred. She and her two children, preteen Taylor and spirited Annie, have relocated to a remote farmhouse. Their isolation, intended as a balm for trauma, instead becomes the stage for a chilling encounter: a tall, silent woman in a flowing black dress who stands day after day in their front yard, motionless and unblinking. At first, the family presumes she’s just an odd local who’s lost her way. But as the woman edges ever closer—sometim...

Steven Soderbergh’s Presence is not just a ghost story—it’s a deeply personal, introspective, and stylistically daring supernatural thriller that stands out for its bold use of perspective and moral depth. Shot entirely from the first-person point of view of a spirit, the film immerses the viewer into the consciousness of an unseen entity navigating a family’s domestic unraveling. It’s not only a technical experiment, but a story with emotional weight, subtle revelations, and a chilling undercurrent of tragedy. Premiering at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and released by Neon in early 2025, Presence has become a sleeper hit, earning $10.5 million on a modest $2 million budget. Directed, shot, and edited by Soderbergh, with a script from veteran screenwriter David Koepp, the film offers an experience that is simultaneously eerie, emotionally nuanced, and structurally inventive. From the very first frame, Presence makes its unique perspective clear. The camera doesn’t merely observ...

Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag arrives like a breath of fresh, espionage-laced air in a cinematic landscape dominated by superhero showdowns and CGI spectacle. Tense, cerebral, and exquisitely acted, this modern-day spy thriller plays like a classy throwback to an era when intrigue, dialogue, and adult complexities carried more weight than explosions. “They don’t make them like this anymore,” is a sentiment that rings especially true here. Black Bag is proof that you can deliver a gripping, edge-of-your-seat experience not with gunfights and gadgets, but with wine glasses, cold stares, and the eerie quiet of a dinner party where every guest might be a traitor. Michael Fassbender leads the film as George Woodhouse, a composed yet quietly intense British intelligence officer tasked with uncovering the source of a devastating security leak. He has just seven days to unearth the mole—or face the deaths of tens of thousands. The suspects form a claustrophobic circle: his own wife and fell...

Are you ready to journey across the multiverse like never before? Rick and Morty: The Anime is officially available to own today on Blu-ray and DVD, thanks to Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment. Visionary director Takashi Sano expands the beloved franchise with a bold new Japanese anime twist. Featuring 10 episodes of interdimensional chaos, this spin on the cult phenomenon reintroduces the Smith family in unexpected and visually dazzling ways. For fans new and old, this fresh take is a wild ride worth checking out. From the moment the opening credits hit the screen, it’s clear this version of Rick and Morty is doing something different. Backed by a frenetic J-pop theme from Otone titled “Love is Entropy,” the title sequence bursts with energy, strange creatures, and kaleidoscopic visuals. It captures the unpredictable essence of the franchise while reimagining it through the lens of anime—bold colors, rapid cuts, and surreal imagery abound. Right away, it feels like a new dim...

The name’s Bond—James Bond. A character so iconic that even uttering the line evokes tuxedos, gadgets, Aston Martins, and the suave charm of generations past. With over six decades of cinematic history behind him, 007 remains one of the most enduring figures in pop culture. The documentary series Icons Unearthed: James Bond aims to unmask the myth, bringing viewers behind the velvet curtain to examine the evolution, triumphs, and turbulence behind the world’s most famous spy. Spread across six episodes, this installment of the Icons Unearthed series—helmed by Brian Volk-Weiss, known for his nostalgic deep-dives in The Toys That Made Us—dives headfirst into the shadowy, stylish world of Bond. The series presents an engaging chronicle of how a fictional British secret agent became a global cinematic titan, weaving in stories of creative vision, casting gambles, studio politics, and the occasional scandal. Where the series truly shines is in its access to firsthand perspectives. Interview...

  DreamWorks Animation has once again brought a beloved children’s book series to life with Dog Man (2025), a high-energy adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s wildly popular graphic novels. Directed by Peter Hastings (Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie), the film delivers a zany, action-packed adventure filled with humor, heart, and a touch of unexpected depth. While it clearly targets younger audiences, Dog Man is an enjoyable romp that has enough cleverness to entertain parents and animation enthusiasts alike. The film follows Dog Man, a crime-fighting hero who is half-dog, half-man—the result of an emergency surgical procedure that combined the head of a brave police dog with the body of his human partner. As a result, Dog Man possesses heightened canine instincts and unshakable loyalty but struggles with basic human activities like following orders and resisting the urge to chase balls. In his latest adventure, Dog Man must foil the latest dastardly scheme of Petey the Cat (voiced ...

Monster from the Ocean Floor is a 1954 science fiction-horror film directed by Wyott Ordung and produced by Roger Corman in one of his earliest ventures into low-budget filmmaking. The movie presents a blend of science fiction, suspense, and classic monster horror, though it never quite achieves greatness in any particular category. However, it remains a fascinating piece of genre history, particularly as an example of early independent filmmaking in the 1950s. The film follows Julie Blair (Anne Kimbell), a young American woman vacationing in Mexico. While enjoying her time on the coast, she hears local rumors about a monstrous sea creature lurking beneath the ocean surface, one that is said to have terrorized the local population for years. Intrigued, Julie sets out to investigate, despite warnings from the locals and even some scientific-minded individuals who dismiss the legend as superstition. Julie soon encounters Steve Dunning (Stuart Wade), a marine biologist conducting research...

Men of War (1994) is a fast-paced action film directed by Perry Lang and starring Dolph Lundgren in one of his more nuanced roles. Set on a lush Caribbean island, the film mixes intense warfare action with a moral examination of the mercenary lifestyle. Though it may seem like just another 90s action movie on the surface, it adds layers of complexity by exploring the psychological toll of war and the question of loyalty.  The film’s premise centers around a group of mercenaries led by the experienced but emotionally distant Nick (Dolph Lundgren). A corporation hires mercenaries to forcibly take control of a Caribbean island and neutralize the indigenous resistance. The islanders fiercely protect their land from exploitation by an outside corporation seeking to mine the island’s valuable resources. However, what begins as a straightforward mission of corporate greed soon spirals into an internal conflict for Nick as he is confronted with the ethics of his actions. Nick, a battle-har...

Conclave, the 2024 adaptation of Robert Harris’ 2016 novel, is a tense and cerebral thriller that trades action for atmosphere, set against the cloistered, hallowed halls of the Vatican. Directed by Edward Berger, the film marks a bold departure from the splashy spectacles that dominate contemporary cinema, opting instead for tightly wound intrigue, intellectual sparring, and hushed suspense. Featuring a restrained yet magnetic performance from Ralph Fiennes and a supporting cast of veteran character actors, Conclave navigates questions of faith, power, and morality with an impressive sense of gravitas. It’s a film as much about the fragility of institutions as it is about the men who uphold them. The story unfolds in the wake of the sudden death of the Pope, an event that sends shockwaves through the Catholic Church and sets in motion the secretive process of electing his successor. Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lomeli, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, tasked with overseeing the conc...

Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest (1959) is a breathless concoction of thrills, romance, and wry humor, deftly blended into one of the most exhilarating specimens of Hollywood’s Golden Age. This stylish caper stands out as a quintessential exercise in controlled chaos in a filmography rife with masterful suspense. Starring Cary Grant at his debonair best, alongside Eva Marie Saint and James Mason, Hitchcock crafts a cat-and-mouse game that careens from Manhattan’s concrete jungle to the windswept plains of South Dakota. From its kaleidoscopic Saul Bass opening titles to Bernard Herrmann’s pulsating score, North by Northwest announces itself as a film in perpetual motion. The screenplay, penned with razor-sharp wit by Ernest Lehman, is an ingenious series of escapades sparked by mistaken identity. Grant’s Roger Thornhill, a Manhattan ad man in perpetual command of quippy rejoinders and martini orders, is mistaken for George Kaplan, a non-existent government agent, by a cabal of sua...

  This is part 3 of my dive into the much-anticipated Shawscope Volume 3, a Limited-Edition Blu-ray box set poised to thrill martial arts aficionados and cinephiles alike. Today we'll be looking at Jade Tiger, Sentimental Swordsman, The Avenging Eagle, Killer Constable, Buddha’s Palm, and Bastard Swordsman. Jade Tiger (Disc 6) Jade Tiger (1977), directed by the legendary Chu Yuan and produced by Shaw Brothers, is a compelling blend of martial arts action and intrigue, offering a visually stunning and thematically rich story. Starring the charismatic David Chiang, Jade Tiger delivers an intense and atmospheric journey filled with betrayal, vengeance, and the unrelenting pursuit of justice. While the plot may seem like a familiar tale of revenge, the execution—driven by strong performances and meticulously choreographed fight sequences—elevates the film, making it an underrated gem in the wuxia genre. The film follows the story of a skilled swordsman, Mu Ren (David Chiang), whos...

  This is part 2 of my dive into the much-anticipated Shawscope Volume 3, a Limited-Edition Blu-ray box set poised to thrill martial arts aficionados and cinephiles alike. Today we'll be looking at The Lady Hermit, Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan, The 14 Amazons, The Magic Blade, and Clans of Intrigue. The Lady Hermit (Disc 3) The Lady Hermit, directed by Ho Meng-hua and released by Shaw Brothers Studio in 1971, is a refreshing entry in the wuxia genre, spotlighting powerful female leads in an era often dominated by male-centric martial arts narratives. This action-packed tale centers on a skilled swordswoman in hiding, her quest for vengeance, and the eager young protégé who insists on following in her footsteps. With top-notch performances from Cheng Pei-pei and Shih Szu, The Lady Hermit combines rich character development with intense fight sequences, offering audiences a wuxia classic that brings an intriguing mix of strength, mentorship, and revenge. The story foll...

Over the next three days, I’ll dive into the much-anticipated Shawscope Volume 3, a Limited-Edition Blu-ray box set poised to thrill martial arts aficionados and cinephiles alike. This collection packs a punch with 14 classic titles pulled straight from the vaults of Hong Kong’s legendary Shaw Brothers Studio, including fan-favorites The One-Armed Swordsman, Return of the One-Armed Swordsman, The New One-Armed Swordsman, The Lady Hermit, Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan, The 14 Amazons, The Magic Blade, Clans of Intrigue, Jade Tiger, Sentimental Swordsman, The Avenging Eagle, Killer Constable, Buddha’s Palm, and Bastard Swordsman. The One-Armed Swordsman (Disc 1) The One-Armed Swordsman, directed by Chang Cheh and released in 1967, is an iconic Hong Kong martial arts film that reshaped the genre and established Shaw Brothers Studio as a leader in wuxia and kung fu cinema. This film tells the story of Fang Gang, a young swordsman who, after losing his arm, must find the will ...