Bugonia

“Bugonia” is a 2025 dark comedy/Sci-Fi starring Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad), Emma Stone (Zombieland), Stavros Halkias (Tires), and Alicia Silverstone (Clueless).

Two conspiracy theorists come up with a plan to kidnap a powerful CEO of a major company, believing that she is an alien who’s here to destroy earth. They are now earth’s last hope.

I hadn’t heard anything about this movie, but I figured I would give it a shot. It has a zany plot that sounds great, and it has a great cast. Jesse Plemons is one of those under rated actors that is excellent in everything he is in. This one is a wild ride. I would describe it as more of a thriller, but it does have a lot of funny parts. It’s off beat, but it’s great. The acting is great all the way across the board. The movie keeps you guessing the entire time till the end. It’s a great watch that’s a must see. It’s a hidden gem. I give it an 8/10.

Sinners

“Sinners” is a 2025 horror/thriller starring Michael B. Jordan (Just Mercy), Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell (Eden Lake), Delroy Lindo (Get Shorty), Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit), and Omar Benson Miller (8 Mile).

Two black gangsters (Michael B. Jordan) who work for Al Capone return to their home in Mississippi where racism is still thriving to open up their own Juke Joint. When a strange man shows up trying to get into their joint, it soon ends up being a fight for their lives against a supernatural entity that’s taking over their hometown.

When I first saw the preview to this, I knew I had to see it. Michael B. Jordan is one of the best actors today with an amazing reach, and this movie is no different. He plays both rolls of identical twins’ smoke and stack. It’s hard to tell exactly what this movie is about in the previews outside of it having something to do with vampires. It’s a slow burn to start with setting up the club etc., but once the vampires show up its nonstop till the end. It’s also heartfelt getting in your feels a couple of spots. It’s well done and will go down as a vampire classic. I give it 8/10.

Nosferatu (2024)

“Nosferatu” is a 2024 horror remake of the 1922 classic film with the same name. This one stars Nicholas Hoult (Renfield), Bill Skarsgard (IT), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass), Lily-Rose Depp (Tusk), and Williem Dafoe (Spider-Man).

It’s 1838 in Germany, Thomas (Hoult) is an estate agent who is sent overseas by his boss to have a wealthy man by the name of Orlok (Skarsgard) sign a deed buying property back in Germany. Little does Thomas know that Orlok is not what or who he seems to be and is obsessed on making Thomas’s new bride (Lilly Rose-Depp) his own. Once this ancient evil is unleashed, there may be no stopping it.

I was a little skeptical about this one, solely because of the run time being a little over two hours. It’s very hard to make a good horror movie that long without it dragging. I heard good things about it, so I figured I would check it out. It’s a gothic period film that pays homage to the original. The acting is all top notch from top to bottom. Skarsgard knocks it out of the park, and he even changes his voice in it, adding another character to his impressive resume, along with Pennywise. He becomes unrecognizable. It’s not scary, it focuses on its cinematography and the telling of the story. It’s a great film from start to finish that doesn’t drag. I was thoroughly impressed. It’s a must see for any horror fan. I give it an 8/10

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is a 2024 Holiday Comedy/Drama based off the book with the same name. It stars Judy Greer (Halloween Kills), Pete Holmes (Woman of the Hour), and Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls).

The Herdman’s are six siblings who are the absolute worst and are a terror of the town. Both kids and adults go out of their way to avoid the Herdman’s. The small-town Christmas Pageant is a big deal, and this year it is even more so with it being a special anniversary. So, this year when the Herdman’s take over the roles to be in the show, newly appointed play director Grace Bradley (Greer) doesn’t know what to do. Should she give them a chance, or will it all go down in flames?

I heard this movie is great and even have seen it described as an instant classic. So, I figured I would give it a shot myself. As I’ve mentioned in other Christmas movie reviews, it is really hard to make a great Christmas movie. They are always compared to the classics. Where does this one stand? Honestly, I have to agree. It’s going to go down as a classic. It’s funny, it’s cute, and it will have you in your feels the entire time pulling at your heart strings. It’s a great Christmas movie the entire family can enjoy. It also actually focuses on the whole point of Christmas. The birth of Jesus, and the inclusion of everyone. Even the awful Herdman’s. This is a must see this holiday season. I give it a solid 8/10.

Monkey Man

“Monkey Man” is a 2024 action/thriller with producer Jordan Peele. It stars Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire), Pitobash (Million Dollar Arm), Sikandar Kher (Monica, O My Darling), Sobhita Dhulipala (Major), and Makrand Deshpande (Liger).

A poor Indian man who works at an underground boxing club as the Monkey Man, a man who fights in a monkey mask, works his way up in society to take down a corrupt regime and the man responsible for his mother’s death.

This was a lot different than I was expecting it to be. It’s pretty much a John Wick style movie with a better back story. The first half or so is a little slow with a lot of flashbacks. Which is understandable as it is laying the setting of his current life and his childhood trauma with what happened to his mom. The second half though when it gets to the revenge part of the movie, it takes off hard. It is filled with good bloody fight scenes and unique kill scenes, which I personally love. Overall, it’s a very solid movie that is brought together in the end. The acting is good all-around and it’s worth checking out. I give it a solid 8/10.

Imaginary

“Imaginary” is a 2024 horror and Blumhouse’s newest movie. It stars DeWanda Wise (Jurassic World Dominion), Taegen Burns (Blue Ridge), Pyper Braun (Erin & Aaron), and Betty Buckley (Split).

A mom (Wise), husband and her two step kids (Burns, and Braun) purchase, and move back to the mother’s childhood home. Her youngest stepdaughter (Braun) makes a new imaginary friend. While it seems innocent at first, it is soon reveled the imaginary friend has much more sinister intentions.

I went into this movie cold, not really knowing much about it, but if it’s a horror movie, especially by Blumhouse there’s a good chance I’m going to see it. It surpassed my expectations. It’s not exactly scary, but it is creepy. It gives you sense of unease through the entire movie, which is very hard to do. My only real issue with the film is its pacing, the first half or so is on the boring side, but once it takes off, it goes hard with the creepiness. The story is unique, and overall, it’s a great watch for any horror fan. Even with the slow start I still give it an 8/10.

The Beekeeper

“The Beekeeper” is a 2024 Action movie starring Jason Statham (The Transporter), Emmy Raver-Lampman (The Umbrella Academy), Bobby Naderi (Bright), Josh Hutcherson (Five Nights at Freddy’s), and Jeremy Irons (House of Gucci).

Jason Statham is a beekeeper who has rented a space from an elderly lady where he can take care of his bees and jar his honey. His elderly landlord is targeted by sophisticated scamming organization that targets the elderly. After they drain all her accounts, including an account she has for a charity, she ends up taking her own life. Jason Statham is not just only a beekeeper in the literal sense but also part of a highly classified outfit known as the beekeepers. It is one of the deadliest outfits in the entire world. Now Jason Statham is going to take the entire scamming outfit down no matter how deep it runs.

This movie is classic Jason Statham. It’s nonstop fighting the entire movie and it doesn’t slow down. It’s creative and the story line is good. Sure, it has it’s not very believable moments, and cheesy moments, but what action movie doesn’t? It’s not meant to be a deep film. You have to take it at face value, Jason Statham running around killing a bunch of people. I’m a big Jason Statham fan, I love the majority of his movies, and this is one of his better ones. I give it an 8/10.

The Last Exit

“The Last Exit” is a 2023 original thriller by Tubi, it stars Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck), Neil Linpow (One More Shot), Sadie Soverall (Saltburn), and Harry Cadby (Red Rose).

Two brothers wind up at the door of a farmhouse on a stormy night. One is on the brink of death, and both are on the run with a duffle bag full of money. Little do they know, this house may be more trouble than what they are already in.

I love Tubi, there is so many hidden treasures to be found. However, they aren’t really known for their original movies. Most are Hallmarkesque at best. This one is a hidden gem. The acting is solid, the story is good, and it is filled with enough twists to keep you guessing. It’s dark but not overdone. You know something wrong is going on, but you can’t really put your finger on the extent of it until the very end. It’s a great watch for any thriller fan. Well done, Tubi. I give it an 8/10.

Find Me Guilty

“Find Me Guilty” is a 2006 Comedy/Drama/Biopic starring Vin Diesel (The Fast and Furious), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), and Ron Silver (The West Wing).

“Find Me Guilty” is about the longest trial in American history that took place in the late 1980’s and about Jackie DiNorscio (Vin Diesel), a mobster who acted as his own lawyer and defended himself during the trial.

I hadn’t heard of this one before, but I saw a clip of it on Facebook. It looked like it would be good, and it’s on Tubi so, I figured I would give it a shot. I hadn’t heard of the RICO trial before where a large number of mobsters were facing prison time in the 1980s, but it is an interesting story, and I’m always down for a good mob flick. The cool thing about this movie is not only is it based on a true story, but a large chunk of the dialogue used in the film was actually from the trial itself. Vin Diesel isn’t known for his great acting skills, but he knocks it out of the park playing Jackie DiNorscio, a smart mouthed yet loveable gangster. You end up finding yourself pulling for him. Overall, it’s a great watch. I give it an 8/10.

Blue Beetle

“Blue Beetle” is a 2023 Superhero movie and the newest member of the DCU. It stars Xolo Mariduena (Cobra Kai), Bruna Marquezine (Women in Love), George Lopez (George Lopez), Belissa Escobedo (Hocus Pocus 2), Susan Sarandon (Mr. Woodcock), Raoul Max Trujillo (Apocalypto), and Harvey Guillen (What We Do in the Shadows).

Jaime Reyes (Mariduena) is a recent college graduate with a prelaw degree. He goes back home to Mexico and finds out his family is struggling financially. Jaime sets out to get any sort of work he can to help them out, when he unknowingly helps hide a top-secret government weapon for a girl he finds attractive. The weapon is a symbiotic host that chooses Jaime and gives him an armored suit and incredible powers. This allows Jaime to become the superhero known as the Blue Beetle.

I haven’t heard of the Blue Beetle before, and most DC movies outside of the Batman movies are absolute garbage. Two reasons I gave this a shot though, 1. James Gunn is now in charge of the DCU, and 2. Xolo Mariduena. James Gunn is a terrific director and has proven he can direct superhero movies (Guardians of the Galaxy series). Xolo Mariduena is a great actor in “Cobra Kai” and can already fight because of the show. So, lets jump into the movie. If you’re unfamiliar with the Blue Beetle like I was, think of a cross of Venom and Iron man, and that pretty much sums it up.

So, how is it? The acting is solid all the way through. It’s also great to see George Lopez back in a big role. He does a great job as the comedic relief playing Jaime’s uncle. Xolo Mariduena also does a great job as the lead star, which I figured he would. If you’re a fan of “What We Do in the Shadows” it’s also cool to Harvey Guillen in it. It’s a little over two hours and the firs hour does have some slow moments in it, but that’s just trying to set up the back story and plot. Once the action takes off in the second half, it’s nonstop and does what James Gunn knows how to do. Mix the perfect blend of action and comedy that we all have come to love. For a DC movie, it is very solid, and the future of DC is in good hands with James Gunn. I give it an 8/10. Which outside the Batman films, is one of the higher rated DC movies I have seen.