Latest news with #BrettArnold
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See '28 Years Later' in theaters, rent 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' and 'Friendship,' stream 'A Minecraft Movie' on Max, plus more movies to watch this weekend
Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! Brett Arnold here, and I'm back with another edition of Trust Me, I Watch Everything. As a film critic who hosts a podcast called Roger (Ebert) & Me, I watch it all so I can bring you recommendations you can trust, and this week there are tons of movies to put on your radar. 28 Years Later, the highly anticipated sequel to 2003's 28 Days Later (which, hot tip, is available to stream on Pluto TV) arrives in theaters alongside Elio, the latest from Disney-Pixar in the kiddie sci-fi adventure genre. At home, recent hits like Final Destination: Bloodlines and A24's Friendship are now available to rent. On streaming, A Minecraft Movie comes to HBO Max, and a couple of indie flicks worth your time land on Shudder and Paramount+ with Showtime. Read on because there's something for everyone. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies debuting on streaming services you may already have Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: First things first: 28 Years Later is the start of a planned trilogy, a fact you'd never know unless you're extremely plugged into reading about movies online. The sequel is already shot and has a January 2026 release date. The third film has not yet been produced. The movie, disappointingly, is very much part one of three, feeling like an act one more than a cohesive and fully satisfying whole. An out-of-the-blue tonal shift button at the end is the only real indicator that there's more on the way, as the story of this movie pretty much ends, and there's an extra scene that teases something entirely different to come. There's plenty to praise here, though, despite that inherent disappointment in expecting a finished product and getting merely the start of one. The creative team behind the original film returns, with Danny Boyle in the director's chair, Alex Garland penning the script and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle doing incredible work and keeping up with the digital aesthetic that became synonymous with 28 Days Later by shooting the movie on modified iPhone 15s. The film takes place, well, 28 years after the rage virus began, and in that time the infected have evolved, but I won't spoil the sheer fun and horror of discovering these new variants. Like all good zombie flicks, it reflects on the era in which it was made, and there are obvious parallels here to real-world events like Brexit. It's hard to not think of the film as a response to the mass death we all experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's a more thoughtful and somber film than some may be expecting, lighter on zombie action than its predecessors and more focused on domestic drama and acceptance of circumstances. It's surprisingly emotionally affecting by the third act, once Ralph Fiennes, the film's MVP, enters. Protagonist Alfie Williams, a child actor making his debut, is terrific too. Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson both feel more like plot conveniences than characters. It's a shame that the movie is undercut by the 'this is the start of a trilogy' of it all, because when it works, it's damned good, and Boyle is really back in top form. It's a terrific showcase for his heightened, damn-near experimental style. In short, it's still good but may not be the movie audiences are expecting. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics are big fans of it. AP's Jake Coyle writes, "Buried in here are some tender reflections on mortality and misguided exceptionalism, and even the hint of those ideas make 28 Years Later a more thoughtful movie than you're likely to find at the multiplex this time of year." William Bibbiani at TheWrap agrees, writing that "the filmmakers haven't redefined the zombie genre, but they've refocused their own culturally significant riff into a lush, fascinating epic that has way more to say about being human than it does about (re-)killing the dead." 👀 How to watch: 28 Years Later is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets 🤔 If that's not for you... : The latest from Disney-Pixar arrives after a yearlong delay and a new creative team taking over the project, and the movie does show signs of tinkering. It's a story about a boy with dead parents who doesn't feel like he belongs on Earth, so he hopes to be abducted by aliens, which then happens. They mistake him for the leader of Earth, which he runs with. Despite the messiness that rears its head, mostly in the form of too many characters and subplots, it's imaginative and sweet in the way we've come to expect from Pixar, and it's fun to see the storied animation studio trafficking in sci-fi tropes that adults will recognize as references to classic films and kids will find new and exciting. It's a solid effort, but definitely not up there with the best of them. — Get tickets. :Another week, another Die Hard variant, this time it's a comedy-focused spin on the material starring Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Anna Chlumsky and recent Oscar winner Da'Vine Joy Randolph. The premise here is 'Die Hard meets Bridesmaids,' with the action scenario unfolding at a wedding and the maid of honor being a secret agent, much to the surprise of the rest of the wedding party. It's not without a few laughs, but it's largely uninspired, and your mileage will vary depending on how funny you find Wilson. — Get tickets. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Final Destination: Bloodlines was a box office success, making more than $273 million worldwide. Now that it's available to rent or buy at home, I hope even more people tune in. This movie is an absolute blast and finds a clever and fun way to retool the concept of the series. As I previously wrote, the bread and butter of the franchise, cruelly funny Rube Goldberg-style death sequences that have a lot of fun teasing the audience with misdirects before landing on the ultimate mode of demise, is in top form here, one-upping itself as it goes with some truly jaw-dropping set pieces. Formula can really be such a comfort, even if it's disgustingly gruesome! It also features an unexpectedly emotional send-off to the late Tony Todd, as it becomes clear that the scene was written with the knowledge that he didn't have much time left. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's the highest-rated entry in the series with 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Radheyan Simonpillai at the Guardian raved that it 'breathes new life' into the franchise, and Jacob Oller at the AV Club says it 'honors a legacy of unrepentant silliness and gleeful gore with a knowing wink.' 👀 How to watch: Final Destination: Bloodlines is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' 🤔 If those aren't for you... I first recommended this movie when it hit theaters and now that it's available to watch at home, I stand by what I previously wrote: It's a silly movie that knows it, and it has a lot of fun getting as bloody as possible. — Rent or buy. A good old-fashioned horror flick — no irony to be found here, just pure commitment to its own spooky aesthetic — that mashes up A Nightmare on Elm Street with a more generic supernatural 'urban legend' flick. It's a cheap indie, but it has a great creature design, the backstory they've come up with is compelling, and there are several unsettling images throughout. It's solid!— Rent or buy. The comedy of Tim Robinson is definitely not for everyone, but those who do appreciate his sense of humor rabidly anticipate his work. It's about a suburban dad (Robinson) with an unsatisfied wife (Kata Mara) and a kid who thinks he's a loser befriending his super cool neighbor (Rudd) and becoming a little too into him. It's funny throughout — if you find Robinson's antics amusing — and likely aggravating if you don't. It also features probably the funniest drug trip sequence of all time. — Rent or buy. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: This documentary about astronaut Sally Ride delves into an aspect of her life that was once hidden from public view. It's about her life with Tam O'Shaughnessy, her life partner of 27 years whose existence was only made known after Ride's death from cancer in 2012. The dramatizations of their relationship that occur in the film feel a bit off, but once you realize they're doing it because there's no documented evidence of their relationship, the tactic hits home. It's an enlightening doc about a fascinating subject. 🍿 What critics are saying: Lisa Kennedy at Variety notes that O'Shaughnessy's "candor here marries a spectacular professional saga with the personal love story convincingly." Caryn James at the Hollywood Reporter sums it up well: "Sally stands perfectly well without any fussy touches, as an important addition to the record of what we know about a pioneering cultural figure — in all her complexity, ambition and guardedness." .👀 How to watch: Sally is now streaming on Hulu. Stream 'Sally' My recommendation: Why you should maybe watch it: I previously recommended A Minecraft Movie and what I thought then still stands: I am not the target demographic so I did not enjoy it but the movie is a huge hit and kids are going absolutely feral for it. Helmed by director Jared Hess, the man behind Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, it feels like a movie made by the guy who made those, and that's fun, but there's just something ironic about the idea of making a movie about the power of creativity and imagination that's indistinguishable from similar formulaic fare about characters chasing a glowing orb. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics gave it a 48%, according to Rotten Tomatoes, but the audience score is 85%. The Atlantic's David Sims wrote that it's "the first genuine smash hit of the floundering 2025 movie season, and I exult in anything that's bringing young people to cineplexes, even if the film occasionally made me want to pop an Advil." Mark Kennedy at the Associated Press, however, liked it and praised Jason Momoa's performance in particular. .👀 How to watch: A Minecraft Movie is now streaming on HBO Max. Stream 'A Minecraft Movie' 🤔 If that's not for you... Musician turned filmmaker Flying Lotus directed this derivative sci-fi horror flick that's all style over substance. If you've seen genre classics like The Thing, Alien or Solaris, or even something like Event Horizon, you've seen this movie, which plays like a mash-up of all of those films and more. It never transcends the fact that it's a love letter to other films to become its own movie, even if it has some striking visuals. Starring Eiza Gonzáles and Aaron Paul. — Now streaming on Shudder. Love Me couldn't be stranger: It's a love story set in a post-apocalyptic, human-free future, between a buoy and a satellite. The story spans billions of years as they learn what life was like on Earth, and the two sentient beings discover themselves and what it means to be alive and in love. It's easier to watch than it is to explain, and it stars Kirsten Stewart and Steven Yuen. — Now streaming on Paramount+ w/ Showtime. That's all for this week — see you next Friday at the movies!
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See '28 Years Later' in theaters, rent 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' and 'Friendship,' stream 'A Minecraft Movie' on Max, plus more movies to watch this weekend
Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! Brett Arnold here, and I'm back with another edition of Trust Me, I Watch Everything. As a film critic who hosts a podcast called Roger (Ebert) & Me, I watch it all so I can bring you recommendations you can trust, and this week there are tons of movies to put on your radar. 28 Years Later, the highly anticipated sequel to 2003's 28 Days Later (which, hot tip, is available to stream on Pluto TV) arrives in theaters alongside Elio, the latest from Disney-Pixar in the kiddie sci-fi adventure genre. At home, recent hits like Final Destination: Bloodlines and A24's Friendship are now available to rent. On streaming, A Minecraft Movie comes to HBO Max, and a couple of indie flicks worth your time land on Shudder and Paramount+ with Showtime. Read on because there's something for everyone. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies debuting on streaming services you may already have Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: First things first: 28 Years Later is the start of a planned trilogy, a fact you'd never know unless you're extremely plugged into reading about movies online. The sequel is already shot and has a January 2026 release date. The third film has not yet been produced. The movie, disappointingly, is very much part one of three, feeling like an act one more than a cohesive and fully satisfying whole. An out-of-the-blue tonal shift button at the end is the only real indicator that there's more on the way, as the story of this movie pretty much ends, and there's an extra scene that teases something entirely different to come. There's plenty to praise here, though, despite that inherent disappointment in expecting a finished product and getting merely the start of one. The creative team behind the original film returns, with Danny Boyle in the director's chair, Alex Garland penning the script and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle doing incredible work and keeping up with the digital aesthetic that became synonymous with 28 Days Later by shooting the movie on modified iPhone 15s. The film takes place, well, 28 years after the rage virus began, and in that time the infected have evolved, but I won't spoil the sheer fun and horror of discovering these new variants. Like all good zombie flicks, it reflects on the era in which it was made, and there are obvious parallels here to real-world events like Brexit. It's hard to not think of the film as a response to the mass death we all experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's a more thoughtful and somber film than some may be expecting, lighter on zombie action than its predecessors and more focused on domestic drama and acceptance of circumstances. It's surprisingly emotionally affecting by the third act, once Ralph Fiennes, the film's MVP, enters. Protagonist Alfie Williams, a child actor making his debut, is terrific too. Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson both feel more like plot conveniences than characters. It's a shame that the movie is undercut by the 'this is the start of a trilogy' of it all, because when it works, it's damned good, and Boyle is really back in top form. It's a terrific showcase for his heightened, damn-near experimental style. In short, it's still good but may not be the movie audiences are expecting. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics are big fans of it. AP's Jake Coyle writes, "Buried in here are some tender reflections on mortality and misguided exceptionalism, and even the hint of those ideas make 28 Years Later a more thoughtful movie than you're likely to find at the multiplex this time of year." William Bibbiani at TheWrap agrees, writing that "the filmmakers haven't redefined the zombie genre, but they've refocused their own culturally significant riff into a lush, fascinating epic that has way more to say about being human than it does about (re-)killing the dead." 👀 How to watch: 28 Years Later is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets 🤔 If that's not for you... : The latest from Disney-Pixar arrives after a yearlong delay and a new creative team taking over the project, and the movie does show signs of tinkering. It's a story about a boy with dead parents who doesn't feel like he belongs on Earth, so he hopes to be abducted by aliens, which then happens. They mistake him for the leader of Earth, which he runs with. Despite the messiness that rears its head, mostly in the form of too many characters and subplots, it's imaginative and sweet in the way we've come to expect from Pixar, and it's fun to see the storied animation studio trafficking in sci-fi tropes that adults will recognize as references to classic films and kids will find new and exciting. It's a solid effort, but definitely not up there with the best of them. — Get tickets. :Another week, another Die Hard variant, this time it's a comedy-focused spin on the material starring Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Anna Chlumsky and recent Oscar winner Da'Vine Joy Randolph. The premise here is 'Die Hard meets Bridesmaids,' with the action scenario unfolding at a wedding and the maid of honor being a secret agent, much to the surprise of the rest of the wedding party. It's not without a few laughs, but it's largely uninspired, and your mileage will vary depending on how funny you find Wilson. — Get tickets. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Final Destination: Bloodlines was a box office success, making more than $273 million worldwide. Now that it's available to rent or buy at home, I hope even more people tune in. This movie is an absolute blast and finds a clever and fun way to retool the concept of the series. As I previously wrote, the bread and butter of the franchise, cruelly funny Rube Goldberg-style death sequences that have a lot of fun teasing the audience with misdirects before landing on the ultimate mode of demise, is in top form here, one-upping itself as it goes with some truly jaw-dropping set pieces. Formula can really be such a comfort, even if it's disgustingly gruesome! It also features an unexpectedly emotional send-off to the late Tony Todd, as it becomes clear that the scene was written with the knowledge that he didn't have much time left. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's the highest-rated entry in the series with 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Radheyan Simonpillai at the Guardian raved that it 'breathes new life' into the franchise, and Jacob Oller at the AV Club says it 'honors a legacy of unrepentant silliness and gleeful gore with a knowing wink.' 👀 How to watch: Final Destination: Bloodlines is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' 🤔 If those aren't for you... I first recommended this movie when it hit theaters and now that it's available to watch at home, I stand by what I previously wrote: It's a silly movie that knows it, and it has a lot of fun getting as bloody as possible. — Rent or buy. A good old-fashioned horror flick — no irony to be found here, just pure commitment to its own spooky aesthetic — that mashes up A Nightmare on Elm Street with a more generic supernatural 'urban legend' flick. It's a cheap indie, but it has a great creature design, the backstory they've come up with is compelling, and there are several unsettling images throughout. It's solid!— Rent or buy. The comedy of Tim Robinson is definitely not for everyone, but those who do appreciate his sense of humor rabidly anticipate his work. It's about a suburban dad (Robinson) with an unsatisfied wife (Kata Mara) and a kid who thinks he's a loser befriending his super cool neighbor (Rudd) and becoming a little too into him. It's funny throughout — if you find Robinson's antics amusing — and likely aggravating if you don't. It also features probably the funniest drug trip sequence of all time. — Rent or buy. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: This documentary about astronaut Sally Ride delves into an aspect of her life that was once hidden from public view. It's about her life with Tam O'Shaughnessy, her life partner of 27 years whose existence was only made known after Ride's death from cancer in 2012. The dramatizations of their relationship that occur in the film feel a bit off, but once you realize they're doing it because there's no documented evidence of their relationship, the tactic hits home. It's an enlightening doc about a fascinating subject. 🍿 What critics are saying: Lisa Kennedy at Variety notes that O'Shaughnessy's "candor here marries a spectacular professional saga with the personal love story convincingly." Caryn James at the Hollywood Reporter sums it up well: "Sally stands perfectly well without any fussy touches, as an important addition to the record of what we know about a pioneering cultural figure — in all her complexity, ambition and guardedness." .👀 How to watch: Sally is now streaming on Hulu. Stream 'Sally' My recommendation: Why you should maybe watch it: I previously recommended A Minecraft Movie and what I thought then still stands: I am not the target demographic so I did not enjoy it but the movie is a huge hit and kids are going absolutely feral for it. Helmed by director Jared Hess, the man behind Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, it feels like a movie made by the guy who made those, and that's fun, but there's just something ironic about the idea of making a movie about the power of creativity and imagination that's indistinguishable from similar formulaic fare about characters chasing a glowing orb. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics gave it a 48%, according to Rotten Tomatoes, but the audience score is 85%. The Atlantic's David Sims wrote that it's "the first genuine smash hit of the floundering 2025 movie season, and I exult in anything that's bringing young people to cineplexes, even if the film occasionally made me want to pop an Advil." Mark Kennedy at the Associated Press, however, liked it and praised Jason Momoa's performance in particular. .👀 How to watch: A Minecraft Movie is now streaming on HBO Max. Stream 'A Minecraft Movie' 🤔 If that's not for you... Musician turned filmmaker Flying Lotus directed this derivative sci-fi horror flick that's all style over substance. If you've seen genre classics like The Thing, Alien or Solaris, or even something like Event Horizon, you've seen this movie, which plays like a mash-up of all of those films and more. It never transcends the fact that it's a love letter to other films to become its own movie, even if it has some striking visuals. Starring Eiza Gonzáles and Aaron Paul. — Now streaming on Shudder. Love Me couldn't be stranger: It's a love story set in a post-apocalyptic, human-free future, between a buoy and a satellite. The story spans billions of years as they learn what life was like on Earth, and the two sentient beings discover themselves and what it means to be alive and in love. It's easier to watch than it is to explain, and it stars Kirsten Stewart and Steven Yuen. — Now streaming on Paramount+ w/ Showtime. That's all for this week — see you next Friday at the movies!
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See '28 Years Later' in theaters, rent 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' and 'Friendship,' stream 'A Minecraft Movie' on Max
Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! Brett Arnold here, and I'm back with another edition of Trust Me, I Watch Everything. I'm a film critic who hosts a weekly 'Siskel & Ebert'-inspired podcast called 'Roger (Ebert) & Me' covering all new releases, and this week there are tons of movies to put on your radar. The highly anticipated sequel 28 Years Later arrives in theaters alongside the latest from Disney-Pixar in the kiddie sci-fi adventure Elio. At home, recent hits like Final Destination: Bloodlines and A24's Friendship are now available to rent. On streaming, A Minecraft Movie comes to HBO Max, and a couple indie flicks worth discussing land on Shudder and Paramount+ w/ Showtime. Read on for all the details! What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies debuting on streaming services you may already have Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: First things first: 28 Years Later is the start of a planned trilogy, a fact you'd never know unless you're extremely plugged into reading about movies online. The sequel is already shot and has a release date — 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is currently slated to come out January 2026, though the planned third film has not yet been produced. The movie, disappointingly, is very much part one of three, feeling like an Act 1 more than a cohesive and fully satisfying whole. An out-of-the-blue tonal shift button at the end is the only real indicator that there's more on the way, as the story of this movie pretty much ends, and there's an extra scene that teases something entirely different to come. There's plenty to praise here, though, despite that inherent disappointment in expecting a finished product and getting merely the start of one. The creative team behind the original film returns here, with Danny Boyle in the director's chair, Alex Garland penning the script, and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle doing incredible work and keeping up with the digital aesthetic that became synonymous with 28 Days Later by shooting the movie on modified iPhone 15s. The film takes place, well, 28 years after the rage virus began, and in that time the infected have evolved, but I won't spoil the sheer fun and horror of discovering these new variants. Like all good zombie flicks, it reflects the era in which it was made, and there are obvious parallels here to real-world events like Brexit, and it's hard to not think of the film as a response to the mass death we all experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's a more thoughtful and somber film than some may be expecting, lighter on zombie action than its predecessors and more focused on domestic drama and acceptance of circumstances. It's surprisingly emotionally affecting by the third act, once Ralph Fiennes, the film's MVP, enters. Alfie Williams, the film's lead — a child actor making his debut — is terrific too. Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson both feel more like plot conveniences than characters. It's a shame that the movie is undercut by the 'this is the start of a trilogy' of it all, because when it works, it's damned good, and Boyle is really back in top form, a terrific showcase for his heightened, damn-near experimental style. In short, it's still good but may not be the movie audiences are expecting. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics are big fans of it. AP's Jake Coyle writes, "Buried in here are some tender reflections on mortality and misguided exceptionalism, and even the hint of those ideas make 28 Years Later a more thoughtful movie than you're likely to find at the multiplex this time of year." William Bibbiani at TheWrap agrees, writing that "the filmmakers haven't redefined the zombie genre, but they've refocused their own culturally significant riff into a lush, fascinating epic that has way more to say about being human than it does about (re-)killing the dead." 👀 How to watch: 28 Years Later is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets 🤔 If that's not for you... : The latest from Disney-Pixar arrives after a yearlong delay and a new creative team taking over the project, and the movie does show signs of tinkering. It's a story about a boy with dead parents who doesn't feel like he belongs on Earth, so he hopes to be abducted by aliens, which then happens. They mistake him for the leader of Earth, which he runs with. Despite the messiness that rears its head, mostly in the form of too many characters and subplots, it's imaginative and sweet in the way we've come to expect from Pixar, and it's fun to see the storied animation studio trafficking in sci-fi tropes that adults will recognize as references to classic films and kids will find new and exciting. It's a solid effort, but definitely not up there with the best of them. Get tickets. :Another week, another Die Hard variant, this time it's a comedy-focused spin on the material starring Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Anna Chlumsky and recent Oscar winner D'Vine Joy Randolph. The premise here is 'Die Hard meets Bridesmaids,' with the action scenario unfolding at a wedding and the maid of honor being a secret agent, much to the surprise of the rest of the wedding party. It's not without a few laughs, but it's largely uninspired, and your mileage will vary depending on how funny you find Rebel Wilson. Get tickets. You've probably heard of Marlee Matlin, the Academy Award-winning deaf actress, but you probably don't know her incredible story, and she's something of a hero to the deaf community. The movie is an informative profile of her career and activism, showing how she was instrumental in making the U.S. more inclusive of deaf people, including by starting the conversation that led to eventual congressional action that mandates all TVs and TV programming require the inclusion of closed captioning subtitling technology. That's just one example among many, and it's an honest and moving documentary, one that pairs nicely with another recent doc on Apple TV+, called Deaf President Now, which is also worth a watch if you found this compelling. Get tickets. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: It has been 14 years since the surprisingly good Final Destination 5, and thankfully Final Destination: Bloodlines more than makes up for lost time with what has to be the most crowd-pleasing and ambitious entry yet. This movie got a sold-out crowd to cheer the death of a child in its opening scene, which is quite an impressive feat. It's an absolute blast, as nihilistic as it is laugh-out-loud hilarious, and finds a clever and fun way into slightly retooling its concept, which might've felt lame in any other franchise, but due to the premise, it works great here. Let me explain: In the franchise thus far, death always comes for a group of unrelated strangers after they survive some sort of freak accident, but in this entry, it's hereditary. It takes this idea a step further by incorporating a period-set element and suggesting that not only is everybody who survived the opening incident marked for death, so are their families, since they should technically never have been born, according to "death's design," to use Final Destination parlance. That '60s-set extended opening sequence in a high-rise Seattle Space Needle-esque structure isn't just a highlight of the movie, by the way, but also one of the best of the entire series. The bread and butter of the franchise, cruelly funny Rube Goldberg-style death sequences that have a lot of fun teasing the audience with misdirects before landing on the ultimate mode of demise, is in top form here, one-upping itself as it goes with some truly jaw-dropping set pieces. Formula can really be such a comfort, even if it's disgustingly gruesome! It also features an unexpectedly affecting send-off to the late Tony Todd, as it becomes clear that the scene was written with the knowledge that he didn't have much time left. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's the highest-rated entry in the series with 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Radheyan Simonpillai at the Guardian raved that it 'breathes new life' into the franchise, and Jacob Oller at the AV Club says it 'honors a legacy of unrepentant silliness and gleeful gore with a knowing wink.' 👀 How to watch: Final Destination: Bloodlines is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 'Final Destination: Bloodlines' ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: The comedy of Tim Robinson is definitely not for everyone, but those that do appreciate his sense of humor rabidly anticipate his work, and his beloved Netflix sketch comedy series I Think You Should Leave has become something of an obsession for its devotees. If you've ever watched that show and wondered, 'Could one of these deranged characters ever anchor a feature-length film?" we now have an answer, and it's, quite surprisingly, a yes. Everybody's comparing Friendship to I Love You, Man, which makes sense given the premise and the fact that Paul Rudd costars in both, but a better point of comparison might be The Cable Guy. It's about a suburban dad (Robinson) with an unsatisfied wife (Kata Mara) and a kid who thinks he's a loser befriending his super cool neighbor (Rudd) and becoming a little too into him, alienating him and his other pals along the way. It's funny throughout if you find Robinson's antics amusing and likely aggravating if you don't. It also features probably the funniest drug trip sequence of all time, a wonderful subversion of the comedy trope. 🍿 What critics are saying: Critics love it, with 88% on Rotten Tomatoes; Chase Hutchinson at TheWrap goes so far as calling it 'the year's best comedy.' Robinson's brand of humor, though, is definitely divisive, with Time's Stephanie Zacharek aptly summarizing the average nonbeliever view: 'How much Tim Robinson is too much? Maybe the exact amount you get in Friendship.' 👀 How to watch: Friendship is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 'Friendship' 🤔 If those aren't for you... When Die Hard came out in 1988, it set the template for the next decade of action movies. For a while, every flick in that genre could easily be described as 'Die Hard on a ...' John Wick is the modern Die Hard in that sense, and damn near every action flick since has the 'John Wick on a ...' or 'John Wick but ...' feel, and Fight or Flight is no exception. Delightfully, though, it is 'John Wick, but specifically that one part where every hitman is out to get him, on a plane,' which rocks. Josh Hartnett continues his recent resurgence, and he appears to be doing his own stunts here, which adds a lot to the very well-choreographed close-quarters combat. It's a silly movie that knows it, and it has a lot of fun getting as bloody as possible. Now available to rent or buy. A good old-fashioned horror flick — no irony to be found here, just pure commitment to its own spooky aesthetic — that mashes up A Nightmare on Elm Street with a more generic supernatural 'urban legend' flick. It's a cheap indie, but it has a great creature design, the backstory they've come up with is compelling, and there are several unsettling images throughout. It's solid!Now available to rent or buy. A horror-comedy mockumentary that essentially plays like, 'What if The Blair Witch Project was about bigfoot, and it was funny?' It's no Christopher Guest film, but it's funnier than you'd expect from a fairly tired premise, with just enough hilarious jokes thrown in to make up for the familiar stuff. Now available to rent or buy. Ethan Embry stars in this strange and hard-to-classify horror-adjacent movie that plays around in a few too many genres and never really finds control of its tone. After a violent animal attack, paranoia spreads through Spiral Creek. But when Deputy Ren Accord gets too close, his son vanishes, and reality begins to fracture. It's a compelling journey until the third act, where it peters out. Now available to rent or buy. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: This documentary about astronaut Sally Ride delves into an aspect of her life that was once hidden from public view. It's about Sally Ride's life with Tam O'Shaughnessy, her life partner of 27 years whose existence was only made known after Ride's death from cancer in 2012. The dramatizations of their relationship that occur in the film feel a bit off, but once you realize they're doing it because there's no documented evidence of their relationship, the tactic hits home. It's an enlightening doc about a fascinating subject. 🍿 What critics are saying: Lisa Kennedy at Variety notes that the film is "a consequential work because of her insights," referring to O'Shaughnessy, adding that "her candor here marries a spectacular professional saga with the personal love story convincingly." Caryn James at the Hollywood Reporter sums it up well here: "Sally stands perfectly well without any fussy touches, as an important addition to the record of what we know about a pioneering cultural figure — in all her complexity, ambition and guardedness." .👀 How to watch: Sally is now streaming on Hulu. Stream 'Sally' My recommendation: Why you should maybe watch it: I am not the target demographic for A Minecraft Movie. As such, I did not enjoy it, despite appreciating how much personality director Jared Hess, the man behind the cultural phenomenon that was Napoleon Dynamite and also the less successful Nacho Libre, manages to sneak into it. It absolutely feels like a movie made by the guy who made those, and that's fun, but there's just something ironic to the idea of making a movie about the power of creativity and imagination that's indistinguishable from similar formulaic fare about characters chasing a glowing orb. All you need to make a mega-budget movie these days is Jack Black and a green screen! Despite feeling this way, I must acknowledge the movie is a colossal hit and that kids are going absolutely feral for it, so if you managed to avoid taking your children to a 'chicken jockey' screening, renting or buying it at home may be the most cost-effective way to endure it. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's no surprise that critics felt similarly, with a 48% 'rotten' designation on Rotten Tomatoes — again, this is a movie for children, not critics. I echo the sentiment of the Atlantic's David Sims, who agreed it's good that kids are going to movie theaters, even if 'the film occasionally made me want to pop an Advil.' Mark Kennedy at the Associated Press, however, liked it and praised Jason Momoa's performance in particular. .👀 How to watch: A Minecraft Movie is now streaming on HBO Max. Stream 'A Minecraft Movie' 🤔 If that's not for you... Musician turned filmmaker Flying Lotus directed this derivative sci-fi horror flick that's all style over substance. If you've seen genre classics like The Thing, Alien or Solaris, or even something like Event Horizon, you've seen this movie, which plays like a mash-up of all of those films and more. It never transcends the fact that it's a love letter to other films to become its own movie, even if it has some striking visuals. Starring Eiza Gonzáles and Aaron Paul. Now streaming on Shudder. Love Me couldn't be stranger — it's a love story set in a post-apocalyptic, human-free future, between a buoy and a satellite. The story spans billions of years as they learn what life was like on Earth, and the two sentient beings discover themselves and what it means to be alive and in love. It's easier to watch than it is to explain, and it stars Kirsten Stewart and Steven Yuen. Now streaming on Paramount+ w/ Showtime. That's all for this week — see you next Friday at the movies! For a look back at picks from previous weeks, see below.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See Stephen King's 'The Life of Chuck' in theaters, rent 'The Amateur,' stream 'Cleaner' on HBO Max, plus more movies to watch this weekend
Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! Brett Arnold here, and I'm back with another edition of Trust Me, I Watch Everything. This week I was on vacation and still managed to see a bunch of movies — that's real dedication to this service I provide. I liked a lot of what I watched and think you will too, including The Life of Chuck, a new Stephen King flick with Oscar ambitions hitting theaters nationwide and the action flick Diablo, which is available to rent or buy at home. There's also not just one but two new movies worth watching that are debuting on streaming services you may already have: Echo Valley on Apple TV+ and Deep Cover on Amazon Prime Video. But that's not all — keep reading for more recommendations because there's something for everyone. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies debuting on streaming services you may already have Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: The Life of Chuck isn't your average Stephen King adaptation. Based on a short story in the 2020 collection If It Bleeds, the film is a perfect match of filmmaker and material. and Written and directed by Mike Flanagan, who previously adapted King's Gerald's Game and Shining sequel Doctor Sleep, his work — notably Netflix's popular The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor — often gets dinged for his saccharine approach and flowery dialogue. However, they feel like an asset here, honed to great effect. The gimmick of the story is that it follows an ordinary man's life but in reverse order, from act three to act one. In the process, we learn about his life, as well as the life he didn't live but might have enjoyed more. It may sound corny, but by the time act two hits, I was fully in the palm of the movie's hand and openly weeping, both in a sad way and in a revelatory, beautiful, life-affirming way. Saying any more would be a disservice to this very special and quietly powerful film, which is equally inspiring as it is deeply sad and depressing. It features Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan and Jacob Tremblay. 🍿 What critics are saying: They (mostly) love it! Shirley Li at The Atlantic wrote, "I fell for the film's earnest insistence that each of us has access to an inner world no one else can ever fully know; that message, as trite as it may be, is particularly touching because of its pointed delivery." Even a detractor like Time's Stephanie Zacharek said of the film's best scene that when in motion, The Life of Chuck "really is transcendent." 👀 How to watch: The Life of Chuck is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets 🤔 If that's not for you... Celine Song, in her sophomore effort following the critically acclaimed Past Lives, ups the star power with Dakota Johnson in a love triangle, of sorts, with Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans. The movie doesn't live up to the emotional highs of her debut film and the message sticks to standard rom-com platitudes. After a wild tonal shift in the second act, the movie never recovers. Also, I expected a subversive element or a twist, but it never came. However, the cast makes the cost of a movie ticket worth it. I enjoyed seeing Evans act in a real movie again after years of Marvel and streaming fare and Johnson turned in one of her best performances. Pascal, as per usual, is effortlessly good. Ultimately, the script lets the actors down. — Get tickets. The trend of live-action remakes of animated classics continues, this time with Dreamworks's 15-year-old computer-animated How to Train Your Dragon, a franchise that is so successful it's spawned multiple sequels, a TV series and a section at Universal's new theme park. The main issue with this movie is that there's no real reason to do this particular story in live-action, save for the fact that it will make a boatload of money. It lacks the color and visual imagination on display in the animated version and looks way darker and murkier than it should. It's otherwise totally serviceable redux that's identical to the original storywise, yet somehow a full 30 minutes longer. Kids will love it. — Get tickets. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: If the names Scott Adkins or Marko Zaror mean anything to you, you're well-versed in direct-to-video action and martial arts movies, in which case I don't need to sell you on this. If you're not: keep reading. Diablo has brutal hand-to-hand combat in which you feel every blow, exciting camerawork, kick-ass fight choreography and just enough of an engaging (but generic) story upon which the action can hang its hat. This doesn't seem like it's going to be the kind of movie that features a guy with a giant metal fist that's also a knife, and yet, there he is, killing a ton of people. It's insanely violent and over-the-top in the best way, a throwback to '80s action flicks, though it may go too far for some. 🍿 What critics are saying: Reviews are pretty split. Travis Hopson agrees that "it does what it promises to do and that's deliver intense martial arts action from two of the best in the game." Robert Brian Taylor over at Collider pointed out that "it's surprisingly dark undertones stop it from rising much above" the baseline of fun you get from the fight scenes. 👀 How to watch: Diablo is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 🤔 If that's not for you... : French filmmaker François Ozon, the man behind several notable films including 2003's Swimming Pool, directed this engrossing and darkly comedic thriller. It's quiet until it's not, packing quite a few surprises and sneaking up on you in the best way. — Rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video. Bonjour Tristesse: This new adaptation of playwright and novelist Françoise Sagan's iconic 1954 novel, which was previously adapted in 1958, stars Lily McInerny and Chloë Sevigny. What else do you need to know?! — Rent or buy on Apple TV+. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney elevate a script that, shockingly enough, isn't based on a mass-market paperback. The actresses play mother and daughter, with Moore's character exploring how far she'll go to protect her drug-addicted child. Their acting is quite emotionally affecting and tragic and the relationship dynamics on display are potent. The movie prioritizes lurid thrills over the stellar performances, including Domhnall Gleeson playing against type, yet it's still entertaining enough to recommend, even though it really fizzles out in the third act when it becomes a much dumber and different movie than what preceded it. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's an even split. Variety's Peter Debruge wrote, "In the well-cast if frequently illogical offering from Apple TV+, Moore slyly elevates what could have been a routine protective-mama drama." William Bibbiani at The Wrap said that "it adds up to a potpourri of general genre genericness, never making enough noise to rattle, or even produce an echo." 👀 How to watch: Echo Valley is now streaming on Apple TV+. Stream on Apple TV+ ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: The premise of Deep Cover is "what if the CIA recruited comedians who specialize in improv instead of actual secret agents due to their unique set of skills?" It's a great set-up that provides plenty of fodder for comedy and the movie takes advantage of it, even if it lacks the energy and actual improvisational comedy you might expect from a movie about improv comedy. Orlando Bloom is hilarious here and absolutely steals the show playing a method actor whose overzealousness gets him into deeper and deeper trouble. Bryce Dallas Howard and Ted Lasso's Nick Mohammed score their fair share of laughs, too. The action is less interesting than the comedy, which is often true of these types of flicks, but thankfully, it's funny enough not to be a problem at all. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's a rare unanimous 100% on Rotten Tomatoes as of publication time. Guy Lodge of Variety correctly noted that it's "shakiest, however, when it dips into straight-up action territory, often with a degree of violence that sits uneasily with the cheery comedy elsewhere." Peter Bradshaw at the Guardian said that "there are some laughs and it's always likable." 👀 How to watch: Deep Cover is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Stream on Prime Video My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Cleaner is another great example of the Die Hard but on a ... phenomenon, which I pontificated in a past entry. It's, hilariously, just "Die Hard in a high-rise building, but from the perspective of somebody cleaning the windows outside." As dumb as it sounds, the movie justifies these very silly circumstances well enough. Daisy Ridley in the lead really helps, as does Clive Owen in the Hans Gruber role. The stakes feel particularly high due to the bad guys' motivations, a group of environmental extremists taking matters into their own hands and there are some clever tricks deployed to maintain tension. Veteran action filmmaker Martin Campbell, whose credits include Pierce Brosnan's Goldeneye and Daniel Craig's first foray as James Bond in Casino Royale, directs with workmanlike efficiency. It's a sturdy and entertaining action that uses the familiarity of its story to its advantage. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's a mixed bag. Tomris Laffly at Variety said that "the main attraction is Ridley, whose vigor and charisma are unmissable on a screen of any size. The force is strong with her." William Bibbiani at The Wrap gives it to us straight: "The long and short of it is, Cleaner is just OK. It's a three-star trip down 'Been There, Done That' lane, and it's reasonably entertaining." 👀 How to watch: Cleaner is now streaming on HBO Max. Stream on HBO Max 🤔 If that's not for you... There's some infectious energy and charm here, almost entirely thanks to star Rachel Zegler, who appears alongside many very ugly CGI creatures, hideous backgrounds and all the usual stuff you see in modern blockbusters. She does a ton to elevate the material and it's cute in its best moments. The CGI dwarves sounded like a bad idea on paper but work well in context and their lengthier rendition of 'Heigh-Ho' is a highlight. —Now streaming on Disney+. Liam Neeson has been on autopilot as of late, churning out old-guy action flicks at the same frequent pace that he has since Taken changed his career trajectory, but on a smaller scale, with lower budgets. They're easy to formulate: Liam Neeson is an aging [insert CRIMINAL or COP here] dealing with [debilitating and terminal memory-based illness]. That descriptor absolutely describes Neeson's 2022 flick Memory and it also fits perfectly here. It's pretty forgettable stuff. —Now streaming on Hulu. That's all for this week — see you next Friday at the movies!
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See Stephen King's 'The Life of Chuck' in theaters, rent 'The Amateur,' stream 'Cleaner' on HBO Max, plus more movies to watch this weekend
Hello, Yahoo Entertainment readers! Brett Arnold here, and I'm back with another edition of Trust Me, I Watch Everything. This week I was on vacation and still managed to see a bunch of movies — that's real dedication to this service I provide. I liked a lot of what I watched and think you will too, including The Life of Chuck, a new Stephen King flick with Oscar ambitions hitting theaters nationwide and the action flick Diablo, which is available to rent or buy at home. There's also not just one but two new movies worth watching that are debuting on streaming services you may already have: Echo Valley on Apple TV+ and Deep Cover on Amazon Prime Video. But that's not all — keep reading for more recommendations because there's something for everyone. What to watch in theaters Movies newly available to rent or buy Movies debuting on streaming services you may already have Movies newly available on streaming services you may already have My recommendation: Why you should watch it: The Life of Chuck isn't your average Stephen King adaptation. Based on a short story in the 2020 collection If It Bleeds, the film is a perfect match of filmmaker and material. and Written and directed by Mike Flanagan, who previously adapted King's Gerald's Game and Shining sequel Doctor Sleep, his work — notably Netflix's popular The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor — often gets dinged for his saccharine approach and flowery dialogue. However, they feel like an asset here, honed to great effect. The gimmick of the story is that it follows an ordinary man's life but in reverse order, from act three to act one. In the process, we learn about his life, as well as the life he didn't live but might have enjoyed more. It may sound corny, but by the time act two hits, I was fully in the palm of the movie's hand and openly weeping, both in a sad way and in a revelatory, beautiful, life-affirming way. Saying any more would be a disservice to this very special and quietly powerful film, which is equally inspiring as it is deeply sad and depressing. It features Tom Hiddleston, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan and Jacob Tremblay. 🍿 What critics are saying: They (mostly) love it! Shirley Li at The Atlantic wrote, "I fell for the film's earnest insistence that each of us has access to an inner world no one else can ever fully know; that message, as trite as it may be, is particularly touching because of its pointed delivery." Even a detractor like Time's Stephanie Zacharek said of the film's best scene that when in motion, The Life of Chuck "really is transcendent." 👀 How to watch: The Life of Chuck is now in theaters nationwide. Get tickets 🤔 If that's not for you... Celine Song, in her sophomore effort following the critically acclaimed Past Lives, ups the star power with Dakota Johnson in a love triangle, of sorts, with Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans. The movie doesn't live up to the emotional highs of her debut film and the message sticks to standard rom-com platitudes. After a wild tonal shift in the second act, the movie never recovers. Also, I expected a subversive element or a twist, but it never came. However, the cast makes the cost of a movie ticket worth it. I enjoyed seeing Evans act in a real movie again after years of Marvel and streaming fare and Johnson turned in one of her best performances. Pascal, as per usual, is effortlessly good. Ultimately, the script lets the actors down. — Get tickets. The trend of live-action remakes of animated classics continues, this time with Dreamworks's 15-year-old computer-animated How to Train Your Dragon, a franchise that is so successful it's spawned multiple sequels, a TV series and a section at Universal's new theme park. The main issue with this movie is that there's no real reason to do this particular story in live-action, save for the fact that it will make a boatload of money. It lacks the color and visual imagination on display in the animated version and looks way darker and murkier than it should. It's otherwise totally serviceable redux that's identical to the original storywise, yet somehow a full 30 minutes longer. Kids will love it. — Get tickets. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: If the names Scott Adkins or Marko Zaror mean anything to you, you're well-versed in direct-to-video action and martial arts movies, in which case I don't need to sell you on this. If you're not: keep reading. Diablo has brutal hand-to-hand combat in which you feel every blow, exciting camerawork, kick-ass fight choreography and just enough of an engaging (but generic) story upon which the action can hang its hat. This doesn't seem like it's going to be the kind of movie that features a guy with a giant metal fist that's also a knife, and yet, there he is, killing a ton of people. It's insanely violent and over-the-top in the best way, a throwback to '80s action flicks, though it may go too far for some. 🍿 What critics are saying: Reviews are pretty split. Travis Hopson agrees that "it does what it promises to do and that's deliver intense martial arts action from two of the best in the game." Robert Brian Taylor over at Collider pointed out that "it's surprisingly dark undertones stop it from rising much above" the baseline of fun you get from the fight scenes. 👀 How to watch: Diablo is now available to rent or purchase on digital and on-demand. Rent or buy 🤔 If that's not for you... : French filmmaker François Ozon, the man behind several notable films including 2003's Swimming Pool, directed this engrossing and darkly comedic thriller. It's quiet until it's not, packing quite a few surprises and sneaking up on you in the best way. — Rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video. Bonjour Tristesse: This new adaptation of playwright and novelist Françoise Sagan's iconic 1954 novel, which was previously adapted in 1958, stars Lily McInerny and Chloë Sevigny. What else do you need to know?! — Rent or buy on Apple TV+. My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney elevate a script that, shockingly enough, isn't based on a mass-market paperback. The actresses play mother and daughter, with Moore's character exploring how far she'll go to protect her drug-addicted child. Their acting is quite emotionally affecting and tragic and the relationship dynamics on display are potent. The movie prioritizes lurid thrills over the stellar performances, including Domhnall Gleeson playing against type, yet it's still entertaining enough to recommend, even though it really fizzles out in the third act when it becomes a much dumber and different movie than what preceded it. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's an even split. Variety's Peter Debruge wrote, "In the well-cast if frequently illogical offering from Apple TV+, Moore slyly elevates what could have been a routine protective-mama drama." William Bibbiani at The Wrap said that "it adds up to a potpourri of general genre genericness, never making enough noise to rattle, or even produce an echo." 👀 How to watch: Echo Valley is now streaming on Apple TV+. Stream on Apple TV+ ➕ Bonus recommendation: Why you should watch it: The premise of Deep Cover is "what if the CIA recruited comedians who specialize in improv instead of actual secret agents due to their unique set of skills?" It's a great set-up that provides plenty of fodder for comedy and the movie takes advantage of it, even if it lacks the energy and actual improvisational comedy you might expect from a movie about improv comedy. Orlando Bloom is hilarious here and absolutely steals the show playing a method actor whose overzealousness gets him into deeper and deeper trouble. Bryce Dallas Howard and Ted Lasso's Nick Mohammed score their fair share of laughs, too. The action is less interesting than the comedy, which is often true of these types of flicks, but thankfully, it's funny enough not to be a problem at all. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's a rare unanimous 100% on Rotten Tomatoes as of publication time. Guy Lodge of Variety correctly noted that it's "shakiest, however, when it dips into straight-up action territory, often with a degree of violence that sits uneasily with the cheery comedy elsewhere." Peter Bradshaw at the Guardian said that "there are some laughs and it's always likable." 👀 How to watch: Deep Cover is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Stream on Prime Video My recommendation: Why you should watch it: Cleaner is another great example of the Die Hard but on a ... phenomenon, which I pontificated in a past entry. It's, hilariously, just "Die Hard in a high-rise building, but from the perspective of somebody cleaning the windows outside." As dumb as it sounds, the movie justifies these very silly circumstances well enough. Daisy Ridley in the lead really helps, as does Clive Owen in the Hans Gruber role. The stakes feel particularly high due to the bad guys' motivations, a group of environmental extremists taking matters into their own hands and there are some clever tricks deployed to maintain tension. Veteran action filmmaker Martin Campbell, whose credits include Pierce Brosnan's Goldeneye and Daniel Craig's first foray as James Bond in Casino Royale, directs with workmanlike efficiency. It's a sturdy and entertaining action that uses the familiarity of its story to its advantage. 🍿 What critics are saying: It's a mixed bag. Tomris Laffly at Variety said that "the main attraction is Ridley, whose vigor and charisma are unmissable on a screen of any size. The force is strong with her." William Bibbiani at The Wrap gives it to us straight: "The long and short of it is, Cleaner is just OK. It's a three-star trip down 'Been There, Done That' lane, and it's reasonably entertaining." 👀 How to watch: Cleaner is now streaming on HBO Max. Stream on HBO Max 🤔 If that's not for you... There's some infectious energy and charm here, almost entirely thanks to star Rachel Zegler, who appears alongside many very ugly CGI creatures, hideous backgrounds and all the usual stuff you see in modern blockbusters. She does a ton to elevate the material and it's cute in its best moments. The CGI dwarves sounded like a bad idea on paper but work well in context and their lengthier rendition of 'Heigh-Ho' is a highlight. —Now streaming on Disney+. Liam Neeson has been on autopilot as of late, churning out old-guy action flicks at the same frequent pace that he has since Taken changed his career trajectory, but on a smaller scale, with lower budgets. They're easy to formulate: Liam Neeson is an aging [insert CRIMINAL or COP here] dealing with [debilitating and terminal memory-based illness]. That descriptor absolutely describes Neeson's 2022 flick Memory and it also fits perfectly here. It's pretty forgettable stuff. —Now streaming on Hulu. That's all for this week — see you next Friday at the movies!
