Notably, I am a huge fan of the original animated film and an even bigger fan of Dwayne Johnson. The 2016 animated version is one of those movies that just works for me — the music, the humor, the emotion, the ocean, and the relationship between Moana and Maui work. So, with any live-action remake,… Continue reading Moana: not as good as the first, but enjoyable
Author: Laurie Coker
Night After Night –
Writer-director Josh Lobo makes an ambitious return with Night After Night, his first feature since 2019’s I Trapped the Devil. The film is unsettling, visually inventive, and unapologetically strange. It is also intentionally difficult to untangle, demanding that viewers surrender to its nightmarish experience rather than expect a neatly explained narrative. Scott Poythress and Johnny… Continue reading Night After Night –
The Invite Review: A Dinner Party Worth Attending
Olivia Wilde’s The Invite proves that a strong script and an outstanding cast can be far more entertaining than elaborate sets or nonstop action. Intimate, sharp, and very funny, it often feels less like watching a movie and more like sitting in the front row of an excellent stage play. Seth Rogen and Wilde play… Continue reading The Invite Review: A Dinner Party Worth Attending
Supergirl Review: Entertaining but Frustratingly Incomplete
Director Craig Gillespie’s Supergirl is entertaining, energetic, and supported by a solid cast, but it is also strangely unsatisfying. I enjoyed much of it while watching, yet I left feeling as though important pieces of the story were missing. Milly Alcock stars as Kara Zor-El, a harder, angrier, and more emotionally damaged heroine than the… Continue reading Supergirl Review: Entertaining but Frustratingly Incomplete
Tuner: a story that feels both intimate and dangerous
Tuner surprised me in the best possible way. What begins as a stylish crime thriller gradually reveals itself to be something far more human and emotionally resonant. The film balances tension and tenderness with remarkable confidence, creating a story that feels both intimate and dangerous. Leo Woodall is excellent as Niki, a gifted piano tuner… Continue reading Tuner: a story that feels both intimate and dangerous
Odyssey- a tense London crime thriller
Odyssey is the kind of gritty, tense London crime thriller that slowly pulls you under its skin. I honestly wish I had caught it during its SXSW run because it feels exactly like the sort of late-night festival discovery that sparks conversation afterward. Directed by Gerard Johnson, the film drops viewers into a pressure-cooker world of debt, desperation,… Continue reading Odyssey- a tense London crime thriller
Remarkably Bright Creatures: a gentle, character-driven story that finds its strength in connection and quiet observation
Remarkably Bright Creatures, directed by Olivia Newman and adapted from Shelby Van Pelt’s novel, unfolded for me as a gentle, character-driven story that finds its strength in connection and quiet observation. I could feel the screenplay’s affection for the source material, and I appreciated how the narrative moved at an unhurried pace while still holding… Continue reading Remarkably Bright Creatures: a gentle, character-driven story that finds its strength in connection and quiet observation
The Sheep Detectives: family-friendly fleesy mystery
I have always had a soft spot for mysteries. That love goes back to childhood, when my mom filled our home with detective novels and instilled in me her appreciation for a good whodunit. She would have loved The Sheep Detectives, a film that takes the familiar structure and reimagines it in a way that… Continue reading The Sheep Detectives: family-friendly fleesy mystery
SXSW 2026 – Over Your Dead Body: a fun, energetic mix of action, comedy, and thriller
Over Your Dead Body is one of those films that knows exactly what it is—and embraces it with a grin, fitting the theme that SXSW programmers appeared to promote for this festival – graphic violence and broken people. Directed by Jorma Taccone, the premise is deliciously simple: a dysfunctional couple heads to a remote cabin under the… Continue reading SXSW 2026 – Over Your Dead Body: a fun, energetic mix of action, comedy, and thriller
Just Sing: a quietly engaging documentary that favors connection over competition.
Just Sing (Dirs. Abraham Troen & Angelique Molina) opens in theaters on April 24 and unfolds as a quietly engaging documentary that favors connection over competition. The film settles into its rhythm early and well, and never feels rushed or overly contrived. Instead, it allows moments to breathe, giving the material a natural and unforced… Continue reading Just Sing: a quietly engaging documentary that favors connection over competition.