There’s something quietly charming about Reminders of Him, but it never fully settles into something unforgettable.
The film carries a tender premise—one rooted in redemption, grief, and the fragile hope of second chances. And while those emotional beats are present, they don’t always land with the depth you expect. A big part of that comes down to the chemistry (or lack thereof) between the leads. On paper, their connection should feel intense and transformative, but on screen, it feels a bit distant—like you’re watching the idea of a love story rather than actually feeling it.
Visually and tonally, the movie leans heavily into that familiar, made-for-TV warmth. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does give the film a slightly predictable, almost Lifetime movie quality that keeps it from reaching its full cinematic potential. The emotional moments are there, but they feel softened, like the story is holding back when it should be diving deeper.
It also doesn’t help that, coming off the wave of It Ends with Us, expectations for this kind of emotionally driven adaptation are naturally higher. That film, despite its own surrounding drama, set a certain standard for intensity and connection that Reminders of Him struggles to match.
That said, the true heart of the movie comes from the children. They bring a natural warmth, authenticity, and personality that often outshines the main storyline. Their presence adds levity and sincerity, grounding the film in a way that feels genuine and emotionally resonant. In many ways, they’re what make the story feel alive.
Overall, it’s a movie you can enjoy in the moment—soft, emotional, and easy to watch—but it doesn’t quite linger after the credits roll. Not something you’d necessarily revisit, but still worth a one-time watch if you’re drawn to heartfelt, character-driven stories.
There’s something inherently unsettling about horror films that turn something familiar—something loved—into the very thing you should fear. Primate taps into that discomfort beautifully by centering its terror around a beloved family pet. What begins as a seemingly normal family dynamic slowly spirals into a primal nightmare once the chimpanzee Ben becomes violent after contracting rabies.
What really makes Primate work is the constant sense of tension simmering beneath every scene. The film wastes very little time getting to the chaos, but it never feels rushed. Instead, it slowly tightens the screws, letting the audience feel that creeping dread as things begin to go horribly wrong. It’s the kind of suspense where you’re gripping the edge of your seat, waiting for the inevitable moment when everything collapses.
One of the standout elements of the film is its music score. The soundtrack does an incredible job of amplifying the anxiety throughout the movie, building an atmosphere that feels almost suffocating at times. The score has a haunting, retro horror energy that perfectly matches the film’s escalating tension and brutal moments. Critics have also highlighted how the music contributes to the film’s relentless suspense and overall intensity.
The performances are another strong point. The actors deliver convincing reactions to the escalating horror, grounding the story in a way that keeps the film from becoming too over-the-top. Even when the premise leans into classic creature-feature territory, the cast manages to keep the emotional stakes believable.
What makes Primate particularly effective is the emotional layer behind the horror. This isn’t just a monster movie—it’s about the terrifying moment when something you once loved and trusted becomes something you no longer recognize. That dynamic adds an extra layer of discomfort that many creature features never quite reach.
Overall, Primate is a tense, entertaining horror film that leans into suspense, strong performances, and a fantastic score to keep viewers on edge. It’s brutal, anxiety-inducing, and surprisingly emotional at times—exactly the kind of horror ride that fans of creature features will appreciate.
If you’re seeking a film that cleverly blends genre, mood and unexpectedly deep heart, then look no further than HIM by Jordan Peele—a triumph of smart scares, meaningful emotion and richly layered storytelling.
From the opening frames, HIM establishes an atmosphere that’s quietly unsettling, then gradually builds into something unforgettable. Peele’s command of tone is impeccable: he balances the uncanny and the everyday, delivering moments of tension and surprise without ever losing sight of the characters at the centre.
The lead performance is nothing short of riveting. We meet a protagonist whose fears and desires feel startlingly real, making each supernatural or thriller beat feel grounded in genuine emotional stakes. The relationships onscreen crackle with authenticity, and when the story pivots into high-intensity territory you’re already invested—so the payoff lands hard.
Visually, HIM is striking. The cinematography captures ordinary spaces—homes, hallways, familiar rooms—then transforms them into places of dread and wonder. The sound design supports this metamorphosis beautifully: subtle creaks, long silences, and then the sudden jolt. It’s never gratuitous; the film builds its scares the way a master craftsman sculpts, patiently, deliberately.
What elevates HIM beyond a typical genre entry is how it engages with deeper themes. Identity, legacy, memory—these ideas quietly inform the narrative, giving it weight beyond the thrills. You’ll find yourself thinking about the film long after the credits roll, and maybe noticing things you missed on first viewing.
Peele stands confidently at the intersection of horror, psychological drama and social commentary, and HIM feels like a mature evolution of his voice. It doesn’t rely on cheap jump-scares or gratuitous shocks; instead, the tension is rooted in the characters’ vulnerability and the ever-present sense that something is off.
In short: HIM is smart, stylish and emotionally resonant. It’s rare to find a film that satisfies on both the visceral level (yes, you’ll jump) and the reflective one (yes, you’ll think). Highly recommended for anyone who wants more than just a scare-ride—this is one of those movies that earns its place in the conversation.
Don’t miss it.
Genre: Horror
Cast: Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, Jim Jefferies
Director: Justin Tipping
Screenplay by: Zack Akers & Skip Bronkie and Justin Tipping
Producers: Ian Cooper, Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Jamal M. Watson
Executive Producers: David Kern, Kate Oh
Rated R for strong bloody violence, language throughout, sexual material, nudity and some drug use.
I went into this film not really knowing what it was about. The guys asked me if I remembered playing this video game and I most certainly did not which intrigued me even more to watch the film.
I will say this was the Halloween film needed for Halloween weekend, as we’re supposedly done with Michael Myers. Going back to the whole video game thing, I do not remember this being a video game so perhaps that helped me like the film more. If I was a big fan of the video game and then watched this adaptation, I’m guessing it would have disappointed me.
In the video game, the player takes control of a night shift security guard at a once popular and now abandoned pizzeria known as Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza, which is rumored to contain haunted and reanimated life-size animatronics.
The pizzeria itself is abandoned and falling apart thanks to a series of tragedies associated with it, mostly the kidnapping and supposed murders of five children by a man named William Afton. It is rumored that the childrens’ bodies had been stuffed inside the animatronic mascots of the pizzeria, named Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy, which had led to a widespread boycott of the business and directly led to its demise.
With a young man monitoring the venue and the animatronics at night through the use of security cameras, it quickly becomes cleart that these rumors are true, with the mascots moving freely throughout the facility with malicious intent. The player can only survive in the pizzeria by managing the power supply of doors and lights, ensuring that none of the possessed animatronics can get close enough to inflict a mortal wound. Now the animatronics do become enamored with the player’s sister who is the security guard in the film. All seems well at some point until it is revealed what the animatronic’s real intentions are with the little girl. There is a major twist in the film when we find this out, as the police officer who has befriended this security guard and his sister has a deep secret of her own. I can’t reveal too much without giving away the whole film, so you’re just going to have to watch it!
The terrifying horror game phenomenon becomes a blood-chilling cinematic event, as Blumhouse— the producer of M3GAN, The Black Phone and The Invisible Man— brings Five Nights at Freddy’s to the big screen.
The film follows Mike (Josh Hutcherson; Ultraman, The Hunger Games franchise) a troubled young man caring for his 10-year-old sister Abby (Piper Rubio; Holly & Ivy, Unstable), and haunted by the unsolved disappearance of his younger brother more than a decade before.
Recently fired and desperate for work so that he can keep custody of Abby, Mike agrees to take a position as a night security guard at an abandoned theme restaurant: Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. But Mike soon discovers that nothing at Freddy’s is what it seems. With the aid of Vanessa, a local police officer (Elizabeth Lail; You, Mack & Rita), Mike’s nights at Freddy’s will lead him into unexplainable encounters with the supernatural and drag him into the black heart of an unspeakable nightmare.
The film also stars Mary Stuart Masterson (Blindspot, Fried Green Tomatoes), as Mike’s icy Aunt Jane; Kat Conner Sterling (We Have a Ghost, 9-1-1) as Abby’s caring babysitter, Max; and Matthew Lillard (Good Girls, Scream) as Steve Raglan, Mike’s smug career counselor.
Five Nights at Freddy’s is directed by Emma Tammi (The Wind, Blood Moon) and is written by Scott Cawthon, Emma Tammi and Seth Cuddeback.
The film’s iconic animatronic characters will be created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
Five Nights at Freddy’s is produced by Jason Blum and Scott Cawthon. The film’s executive producers are Bea Sequeira, Russell Binder, Marc Mostman and Christopher H. Warner. Universal Pictures presents a Blumhouse production, in association with Striker Entertainment.
Cast
Josh Hutcherson Elizabeth Lail Kat Conner Sterling and Piper Rubio with Mary Stuart Masterson and Matthew Lillard
Directed by
Emma Tammi
Written by
Scott Cawthon Emma Tammi Seth Cuddeback
Based on the video game series by
Scott Cawthon
Produced by
Jason Blum Scott Cawthon
Executive Producers
Bea Sequeira Russell Binder Marc Mostman Christopher H. Warner
From acclaimed writer-director James Mangold comes the final chapter in the saga of one of cinema’s greatest heroes. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny sees Academy Award®–nominated actor Harrison Ford reprise his iconic role as the whip-smart archaeologist one last time for a thrilling, globe-trotting adventure. It’s 1969, and Indiana Jones is ready to call it quits. Having spent more than a decade teaching at New York’s Hunter College, the esteemed professor of archaeology is preparing to retire to his modest apartment where, these days, he lives alone. Things change after a surprise visit from his estranged goddaughter Helena Shaw (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), who is seeking a rare artifact that her father entrusted to Indy years earlier—the infamous Archimedes Dial, a device that purportedly holds the power to locate fissures in time.
An accomplished con-artist, Helena steals the Dial and swiftly departs the country to sell the artifact to the highest bidder. Left with no choice but to go after her, Indy dusts off his fedora and leather jacket for one final ride. Meanwhile, Indy’s old nemesis, Jürgen Voller, a former Nazinow working as a physicist in the U.S. space program, has his own plans for the Dial, a horrifying scheme that could change the course of world history.
Starring alongside Harrison Ford are Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”), Antonio Banderas (“Pain and Glory”), Karen Allen (Raiders of the Lost Ark), John Rhys-Davies (Raiders of the Lost Ark), Shaunette Renée Wilson (“Black Panther”), Thomas Kretschmann (“Das Boot”), Toby Jones (“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), Boyd Holbrook (“Logan”), Olivier Richters (“Black Widow”), Ethann Isidore (“Mortel”) and Mads Mikkelsen (“Another Round”).
Now, it’s really hard to list out the dislikes on this film because over the years we’ve come to love Indy! Right off the bat, nothing bad to say about Harrison Ford and his character. Thank god for that! Lets face it, without him, there would be no Indiana Jones flicks.
As for the rest of the film, it was entire too long and dragged, it could have easily been cut by at least 45 minutes. Also, can’t believe I’m saying this but there were too many fights scenes that lasted too long. It felt like they were trying to fill time.
As for Harrison Ford’s leading lady who happens to be his goddaughter, they couldn’t have picked a better actress to take on the role of his 50/50 sidekick. LOL! She brought a sense of wit and sex appeal to the film, that without I think the film could have fallen a bit more flat with all the extended fight scenes.
I will say this film was not necessary to make, but hoping it’s the final Indiana Jones film… It’s certainly gives this character an exit with grace after so many iconic films that we will always remember and cherish.
Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental” is an all-new, original feature film set in Element City, where Fire-,Water-, Earth- and Air-residents live together. The story introduces Ember, a tough, quick-witted and fiery young woman, whose friendship with a fun, sappy, go-with-the-flow guy named Wade challenges her beliefs about the world they live in.
It’s a cute film for the little ones to watch to teach them about the elements. To give the film a deeper meaning, it also teaches them to see past people’s differences and accept them for who they are. Is it entertaining… egh… you could wait for the film to come out on Disney Plus. To be honest the short before the film with Carl and his witty dog was more entertaining. Reason I say this is because the film did seem to drag a bit.
Element City consists of key districts designed for the various elements who settled there. And like many big cities, the city evolved as each element arrived. Water was there first, establishing the canal system, among other foundational aspects of the city, and Earth followed—the city is built on a delta where earth and water meet. Air was next and, much later, Fire—the city isn’t as well suited to Fire as a result. Filmmakers took this approach to underscore the fact that Ember is forced out of her comfort zone into a city she has never before explored.
Ember works with her dad, Bernie, in the family store, Fireplace. Artists had to deck it out with products that would be appropriate for Fire characters. • Kids’ “juice” boxes are actually small kerosene cans with metal straws. • Baby Fire characters enjoy lighter fluid baby formula. • Ember delivers bags of Wood Chips (not potato chips). • Fireplace sells sparklers—buy two get one free—by the cash register. • Hungry Fire characters might pick up some Frosted Flames, Log Kabobs, Shredded Kindling, Sooty Snaps, Ash Chips, Fire Crackers, Coal Nuts, Wood Chex, Smoke Puffs, Burning Rubber Tire Jerky or Sizzle Smacks. • After sipping a cup of Lava Java or Soot Soot Tea, Ember’s mom Cinder might want to pop a Flint Mint or brush with Tinderpaste. • Some items feature marketing verbiage to entice Fire characters to buy, buy, buy. Slogans include Ash Covered, Scorch Free, Xtra Charred and Hot Deal!
Ehhhh… You could say it’s cringe-worthy. My take is wait for it to come out on TBS! Don’t even pay to rent it or get it on-demand.
I’m really going to try to be nice to this one. Like always I didn’t watch trailer so I was expecting something good not a blockbuster; and so was everyone else screening the film. Especially with it being a Michael Bay film and the cast taking a part in the film.
Unfortunately, it sucks to say this movie was made for TV on TBS or some other channel like that on a rainy day when there’s nothing else to watch and you’re desperate to watch something to just fall asleep. This film had an opportunity to be a blockbuster with the cast and the director but it was an epic fail because it was just all over the place.
At one moment you’re watching it and it’s like OK they’re actually robbing a bank and it’s two brothers in charge of this mission with one outcome in mind… a big payday. Everything that could go wrong, does go wrong, what are the odds?! But then they’re saving a cop that one of them shot AND THEN they’re taking a hostage. Then they’re having a good heart talk and saying we’re gonna get out of this but really there’s no way out of it and it’s just going in circles and my God the camera work on this film… Jesus get ready to be dizzy and nauseous!
There were so many story lines being introduced throughout the ENTIRE film that it was hard to keep up because it’s like this isn’t Game of Thrones where you can do that and people actually pay attention. It was like ‘Bam’ here’s one story line, ‘Bam’ here’s two people we don’t know but we just found out they’re having marital problems but they have something to do with the film and what’s going on in LA right now. It just wasn’t working out right and it was really just disappointing because you have Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Marteen II, who basically did the best they could but really it’s just I don’t know how it could’ve been any worse. Having sat with a former paramedic next to me, he was just dumbfounded by the things that were happening throughout the film and how the paramedics were being portrayed. Which just goes to show it wasn’t realistic so the writers didn’t do their homework. It’s safe to say this flick was a poor man’s ‘Transformers’ film without the alien robots.
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