Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” nominated in eight categories, received five awards at the 60th Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards, voted on by the members of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC). These included Best Film, the Robert Altman Award for Best Director and Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn. Director Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” received three awards, including Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan. Two awards went to “Weapons,” including Best Supporting Actress for Amy Madigan.

The KCFCC, the second oldest professional film critic organization in the United States, was founded in 1966 by the late Dr. James Loutzenhiser (1931-2001), who served as the group’s president for over 30 years. Other awards of note included “Sinners” winning the Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror and “Hedda” winning the Tom Poe Award for Best LGBTQ Film. Below is a complete list of the winners from the 60th Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards:

BEST FILM: “One Battle After Another”

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR: Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another”

BEST ACTOR: Michael B. Jordan, “Sinners”

BEST ACTRESS: Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Sean Penn, “One Battle After Another”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Amy Madigan, “Weapons”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: “Weapons”

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: “One Battle After Another”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: “One Battle After Another”

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: “Sinners”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: “KPop Demon Hunters”

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: “It Was Just an Accident”

BEST DOCUMENTARY: “Secret Mall Apartment”

VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR THE BEST SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY/HORROR FILM: “Sinners”

TOM POE AWARD FOR THE BEST LGBTQ FILM: “Hedda”

Two and a Half Men is a show that I used to watch religiously. Each week, I would tune into the crazy antics of Charlie and Alan Harper and Alan’s son Jake. I watched very few sitcom shows, other than The Big Bang Theory but this show had an amazing run. From 2003 to 2015. It ran 12 seasons for 262 episodes. Honestly, the first eight seasons is where it’s at. After Sheen left the show should have hung up its towel. But it did push on for four more seasons with Ashton Kutcher taking over for Sheen.

Official Premise: Get set for an extended visit to Malibu’s most happening beach house with The Complete Series of one of the longest running live-action sitcoms in TV history, Two and a Half Men. Join brothers Charlie and Alan Harper; their estranged (and strange) kids, Jenny and Jake; gazillionaire Walden Schmidt; and housekeeper Berta for 12 years of hilarious high jinks with bad boys, funny men, gorgeous girls, celebrity neighbors, sexy stalkers, eccentric parents and more.

The set features full 1080p high definition presentations of every single episodes, which look great and are each paired with lossless DTS-HD MA 2.0 (for seasons 1-6) and DTS-HD MA 5.1 (for seasons 7-12). The 5.1 tracks obviously have a bit more depth than the earlier season’s 2.0 tracks.

There is a ton of great special features included even though there is only two commentary tracks included on “Tucked, Taped And Gorgeous” by Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn and on “Mr. McGlue’s Feedbag” by Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones. My favorite is the gag reels included on seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 12. There is a bonus episode – the “CSI” episode “Two And A Half Deaths.” Lastly there are fifteen featurettes included ranging from a behind-the-scenes look at production, interviews with Lee Aronsohn and Chuck Lorre and a featurette focusing on the 100th episode.

Told in seven parts, “Sisu: Road to Revenge” is a sequel to an unlikely hit film, 2022’s “Sisu”. When the first film hit in 2022, it was a sleeper hit and shocked audiences with it being the little film that could. It was balls-to-the-wall action packed and didn’t let up for a second of it’s 90 minute run time. “Sisu: Road to Revenge” picks up right where the first left off and dives in immediately. It also like its predecessor kicks it off to 11 within the opening scene. This movie is non-stop madness.

Official Premise: Returning to the house where his family was brutally murdered during the war, “the man who refuses to die” (JORMA TOMMILA) dismantles it and loads it onto a truck, determined to rebuild it somewhere safe in their honor. When the Red Army commander who killed his family (STEPHEN LANG) comes back hellbent on finishing the job, a relentless, eye-popping cross-country chase ensues — a fight to the death, full of clever, unbelievable action set pieces.

We have car chases, flying tanks, airplane bombings and fighting on trains. This film has it all. I thought how could you top the first film but this one did it in the first few minutes and never let up for the remaining 80 minutes. It is tight and a blast to watch. Jorma Tommila reprises his role as Aatami Korpi, the dialogue free unlikely action star and is so bad to the bone and kicks so much ass. Richard Brake (Game of Thrones) and Stephen Lang (Avatar franchise) join in one the fun and round out an amazing cast. They add a ton to the film especially Lang who is just the worst son bitch.

On the digital copy, we even get some special features, which are great. First up there is a featurette called, “Upping the Ante”, which talks about how the film scaled bigger for the sequel. There is also a delete scene and an alternate ending, which also kicked ass. I know we likely won’t get a third film in the franchise due to lower box office performance for this sequel but these two films have excellent re-view value and after watching, I knew I would be watching again real soon in a back-to-back double feature. I would give this film 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Stephen Lang
Directed by: James Cameron
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 197 minutes
20th Century Studios

Our Score: 1.5 out of 5 Stars

As I walked out of the three-hour-and-seventeen-minute “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” I felt something I didn’t feel during “Avatar” or “The Way of Water”: pure exhaustion. And it wasn’t the runtime, or wearing 3D glasses over my regular glasses, or the fact that I spent an entire morning sitting in a dark theater. It’s because I simply do not care about anything that happens in these movies.

“Fire and Ash” picks up sometime after “Way of Water,” with the human-turned-Na’vi Jake (Sam Worthington) still living among the water Na’vi. He’s there with his wife, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), their kids, and Spider (Jack Champion);  the human boy in the oxygen mask who’s the son of Jake’s archnemesis, Colonel Quaritch (Stephen Lang), who is also still alive inside a blue cat body. And honestly? I don’t remember how Quaritch became a 10-foot tall blue feline or why Spider lives with Jake and Neytiri. I also don’t remember if their kids are actually their kids, why their teenage daughter Kiri is played by 76-year-old Sigourney Weaver or why they’re living with the water tribe in the first place. I don’t remember half the characters I’m not mentioning. And the truth is: I don’t care.

That’s the fundamental issue with the “Avatar” franchise. These characters exist, but we never truly connect with them. Colonel Quaritch has died multiple times and keeps returning. It makes you wonder if death even means anything in this universe. Jake and Neytiri’s kids are new, but they don’t have personalities outside of disobeying orders, getting scolded, and then saving the day anyway. Jake and Neytiri seem like a couple on the rocks. Jake talks to everyone like they’re in the Marine Corps. Apparently Kate Winslet is in this movie, but if you asked me who she played, I’d stare at you like you asked me to explain quantum physics. Oona Chaplin plays Varang, a new Na’vi who loves fire (hence the title), but even she is just another power-hungry villain; indistinguishable from the humans trying to colonize Pandora. It’s just a lot of plot that I don’t care about.

The themes are all still here, like the prior films:  imperialism, environmentalism, spirituality, family, the broad allegory about Indigenous peoples and the military-industrial complex. But this third trip to Pandora doesn’t say anything new about any of it, nor does it change the story structure. It simply repackages old ideas with new chase scenes and polished fight sequences, which are the only reasons I didn’t fall asleep. It all looks gorgeous, great and visually stimulating when things are blowing up. Special effects and groundbreaking technology are still the big positive takeaways.

However, the exposition is endless. It revolves around characters and lore we’re never given a reason to care about. And the things that “might” be interesting, like the God-like thing in the water or the human colony, are barely explored. I’ve never rewatched any of the “Avatar” films, and now I understand why. It’s bizarre because I’ve rewatched every other James Cameron movie multiple times. Cameron usually balances spectacle, popcorn thrills, and human themes to deliver truly compelling blockbusters. But “Avatar” remains…alien. No pun intended. It didn’t click until the credits rolled that I haven’t rewatched “Avatar” because I feel like I have rewatched it twice under different names. No amount of budget money or visual spectacle can fix that.

Voting members of the Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) have selected nominees in 16 different categories recognizing the best in what cinema had to offer during 2025. Four films dominated the nominations with “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners” having nine nominations each, “Frankenstein” with seven, and “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” with five. A final vote to select award winners will take place on December 21 st as part of the 60th  Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards. The KCFCC, the second oldest professional film critic organization in the United States, was founded in 1966 by the late Dr. James Loutzenhiser (1931-2001), who served as the group’s president for over 30 years.

Below is a complete list of the nominees for the 60th Annual James Loutzenhiser Awards Ceremony:

BEST FILM

“Frankenstein”
“Hamnet”
“It Was Just an Accident”
“Marty Supreme”
“One Battle After Another”
“Sentimental Value”
“Sinners”
“Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere”
“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”
“Weapons”

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR

Paul Thomas Anderson – “One Battle After Another”
Ari Aster – “Eddington”
Ryan Coogler – “Sinners”
Rian Johnson – “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”
Guillermo del Toro – “Frankenstein”
Joachim Trier – “Sentimental Value”

BEST ACTOR

Timothée Chalamet – “Marty Supreme”
Leonardo DiCaprio – “One Battle After Another”
Michael B. Jordan – “Sinners”
Joel Edgerton – “Train Dreams”
Ethan Hawke – “Blue Moon”

BEST ACTRESS

Rose Byrne – “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”
Jessie Buckley – “Hamnet”
Jennifer Lawrence – “Die My Love”
Renate Reinsve – “Sentimental Value”
Emma Stone – “Bugonia”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Benicio Del Toro – “One Battle After Another”
Jacob Elordi – “Frankenstein”
Delroy Lindo – “Sinners”
Josh O’Connor – “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”
Sean Penn – “One Battle After Another”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Glenn Close – “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas – “Sentimental Values”
Amy Madigan – “Weapons”
Wunmi Mosaku – “Sinners”
Teyana Taylor – “One Battle After Another”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

“Marty Supreme”
“Sentimental Value”
“Sinners”
“Sorry Baby”
“Weapons”

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

“Frankenstein”
“Hamnet”
“Life of Chuck”
“One Battle After Another”
“Train Dreams”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

“F1: The Movie”
“Frankenstein”
“Hamnet”
“One Battle After Another”
“Sinners”

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps”
“Frankenstein”
“One Battle After Another”
“Sinners”
“Tron: Ares”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

“Arco”
“The Bad Guys 2”
“KPop Demon Hunters”
“Predator: Killer of Killers”
“Zootopia 2”

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

“Arco”
“It Was Just an Accident”
“No Other Choice”
“The Secret Agent”
“Sentimental Value”

BEST DOCUMENTARY

“My Mom Jayne”
“Orwell: 2+2=5”
“The Perfect Neighbor”
“Secret Mall Apartment”
“We Best the Dream Team”

VINCE KOEHLER AWARD FOR BEST SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY/HORROR

“28 Years Later”
“Frankenstein”
“Sinners”
“Superman”
“Weapons”

TOM POE AWARD FOR BEST LGBTQ FILM

“Hedda”
“The History of Sound”
“Twinless”
“Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”
“The Wedding Banquet”

BUSTER KEATON AWARD FOR THE BEST STUNT ENSEMBLE FILM

“F1: The Movie”
“Mission Impossible – The Final Reckoning”
“Nobody 2”
“The Running Man”
“Warfare”

Starring: Timothee Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Odessa A’Zion
Directed by: Josh Safdie
Rated: R
Running Time: 149 minutes
A24

Our Score: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

I think it’s safe to say the Safdie brothers (Josh and Benny) love flawed, if not outright hateable, characters. 2025 only underlines that as they go solo. Earlier this year, Benny Safdie put out “The Smashing Machine,” a gritty sports biopic that mostly glazes over the troubled home life of its subject. Josh Safdie counters with “Marty Supreme,” a fictional sports biopic that dives headfirst into the multiple lows, and rare highs, of its title character.

Like me, you might hear that Marty Mauser (Timothee Chalamet) is loosely based on real-life table tennis player Marty Reisman. Just throw that knowledge out. Marty Mauser’s life and personality are the definition of piss and vinegar. The aspiring ping pong champion from New York City impregnates his lifelong best friend, who’s married, basically steals money from the shoe shop he works at to enter a competition in Britain, hits on a married, retired actress, and drops A-bomb and Holocaust jokes at swanky dinner parties. That’s all in the first 20 minutes. The movie never lets you take a breath.

“Marty Supreme” is defined by its chaotic flow, jumping from one crisis to the next like you’re fast-forwarding through ten sitcom plots at once. Riding this unregulated roller coaster is Chalamet, who owns every scene regardless of cameos from Penn Jillette, Kevin Leary, Tyler, the Creator, Abel Ferrara, and others. Chalamet plays Marty like Adam Sandler meets Jordan Belfort. His inability to handle a crisis like an adult is perfectly balanced with a snake-oil salesman’s confidence that he’ll always land on his feet.

A lot of the fun in “Marty Supreme” comes from not knowing where any of this is going. Whenever you’re sure Marty is about to drown in the mess he’s made, he finds some ridiculous silver lining that pulls him back to the surface. That madcap energy keeps the film from feeling like a slog as it pushes the two-and-a-half-hour mark. Oddly enough, the movie takes its breaths by watching Marty excel at the one thing he’s deservedly cocky about: table tennis.

Safdie shoots the film like a kaleidoscope of clashing styles, music, and tone. At different moments, it feels like a comedy, a crime thriller, an underdog story, a late-in-life coming-of-age tale, a narcissism study, and a sports movie that refuses to use sports movie tropes. There’s no big rousing speech, no training montage, no cartoonishly evil rival, and definitely no lovable, squeaky-clean hero. For all intents and purposes, Marty is kind of a prick. 

But only Chalamet could turn this clown into someone mildly worth rooting for, if not relatable. For every bit of schadenfreude and self-inflicted disaster, we find ourselves admiring his gusto. He’s not the kind of guy you’d normally want to see win, but watching this madcap journey unfold makes you respect his fearlessness. That fighting spirit gives his offensive jokes just enough charm to land with a smirk instead of a wince. It makes you want to see him become a better person, even if whether he actually does is entirely up to how you read the ending.

Maybe that’s why I kept thinking about “Marty Supreme” for days afterward: it hovers so close to reality that its absurdity feels weirdly genuine. Underneath Marty’s bluster and buried beneath his juvenile crimes is a layer of universal humanity. That stubborn belief that our existence is somehow unique, despite all the evidence and billions of other lives that have been lived and will be lived. We see Marty lash out and use people in self-serving ways, but we also see where he comes from: poverty, constant struggle, and a handful of fragile, flawed connections. Marty can’t stand the idea of being a footnote, and that’s the most relatable thing about him. That kind of desperate, blazing passion is what rockets “Marty Supreme” into the upper echelon of 2025 as one of the best films of the year.

• WICKED:  FOR GOOD
• Starring:  Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande and Jeff Goldblum
• Directed by:  John M. Chu 
• Rated:  PG
• Running time:  2 hrs 17 mins
• Universal

Our score:  4.5 out of 5

Let the joyous news be spread…”Wicked” is back!

When we last walked out of the theatre, Elphaba (the supremely talented Erivo) had flown off on her broom while Glinda (the equally good Grande) stayed behind in Oz.  We had many questions.  What’s up with the animals?  What’s up with the goofy Wizard?  And where in the hell is Dorothy?  With “Wicked:  For Good”  questions, and more, are soon answered.

“Wicked” was an amazing piece of filmmaking, transforming the spectacular story successfully from the Broadway stage.  It was full of fun and music, with with a story that didn’t take itself too seriously.  In the new film, those tables are turned.  Here the cast gets to display their many ranges of emotions, from happiness to despair, and they do it brilliantly.  There is more “meat” in this story, and the cast is most certainly up to the task.  Both Ms. Erivo and Ms. Grande carry the emotional weight of the film while Mr. Goldblum uses every quirky trick he’s ever had up his sleeve.

Musically, the score is fine, though, just as I thought with the Broadway show, the songs in Act II are not as strong as in Act I.  There is no “Popular” or “Defying Gravity” here, though in a way this works for the story as it gives the audience the opportunity to concentrate on the performances rather than simply sing along.  From the main cast to supporting actors like Bowen Yang and Ethan Slater, the cast is solid across the board.

Director Chu keeps the story moving at a fast pace, though nothing is rushed.  Production design is top notch, with the artistic crew bringing Oz to life!

It may be hard to believe but, like the beloved “West Side Story,” “Wicked” did not win the Best Musical Tony Award (it lost to “Avenue Q.”).  But I can safely say that “Wicked:  For Good” is the Best Musical of the Year!

On a scale of zero to five, I give “Wicked: For Good” ★★★★ ½ .   

Starring the Voices of: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman and Ke Huy Quan
Directed by: Jared Bush and Byron Howard
Rated: PG
Running Time: 108 minutes
Disney

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

For years it seemed odd that, out of all the animated films from 2016, “Zootopia” wasn’t the one spawning a flurry of sequels. “The Secret Life of Pets” got two crappy sequels and a video game. “Moana” got a subpar sequel and an upcoming live-action remake. Even “Sausage Party” somehow got two seasons of cheap animation on Amazon Prime. So when Disney finally announced a “Zootopia” follow-up a few years ago, I wondered if they’d actually make a worthy sequel…or just churn out the same disposable, cash-grabby fluff the other 2016 movies received.

Since nearly a decade has passed, “Zootopia 2” starts by replaying the end of the first film, allowing us to pick up immediately after. Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) are still raising eyebrows at the ZPD. There are lingering doubts that a bunny and a fox can sustainably function as a police duo amongst their fellow officers, and even between the two of them. But after a chaotic smuggling bust, Judy thinks she’s caught the scent of their next big case: a snake in Zootopia.

Snakes, we learn, have been pariahs ever since one allegedly killed the city’s founder. As Zootopia prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary, the founder’s descendants, a wealthy family of lynxes, that appear to have been written at the height of the popularity of “Succession,” worry snakes are plotting to ruin the festivities. Or worse, kill one of them. Of course, not everything is what it seems. Nick and Judy’s investigation takes them into new corners of the city they’ve never explored while putting a strain on their newfound partnership.

2016’s “Zootopia” was about societal discrimination; the sequel digs deeper into bias. “Zootopia 2” is a story about oppression, plain and simple. Yes, the plot mirrors the first film in several ways, if it’s not obvious by now that the snakes aren’t actually the bad guys. But the writers do an admirable job expanding the city while acknowledging that discrimination doesn’t disappear once the “bad guy” is locked up. Systems don’t magically fix themselves.

Judy and Nick’s journey through new locales, along with new characters and clever nods to old ones, keeps things fresh. We see how reptiles are treated in this mammal-dominated metropolis and how their cultural struggles mirror our own world. If reptiles represent anything, they’re Southerners: unfairly stereotyped as uneducated or backwards. The American melting-pot parallels are right there on the screen.

As with any animated sequel, the biggest worry is whether it justifies its own existence. “Zootopia 2” absolutely does. It never feels like a retread or a toy-commercial disguised as a movie. Writer and co-director Jared Bush refuses to turn characters into one-note jokes or nostalgia props. Danny Trejo, Andy Samberg, and the rest of the new voice cast add flavor without becoming animal caricatures. The old cast doesn’t appear to have missed a beat as we’re transported immediately back into this furry, adorable world. There’s clearly care and intention behind every creature, big and small.

Is it as good as the first film? Not quite. It runs a bit long and could have tightened some of its storytelling mechanics. But it’s a worthy successor because it cares about its characters’ journeys. “Zootopia 2” knows the expectations it carries, and it meets most of them quietly and confidently underneath the vibrant colors, animal jokes and bursts of adventurous joy. It feels like a natural continuation of Judy’s relentless optimism and Nick’s sly pragmatism, while showing that they, much like the world they inhabit, still have a lot of growing up to do.

“House on Haunted Hill” is one of the best films to come out of the 50’s starring Vincent Price, Carolyn Craid and Richard Long and directed by schlock master William Castle. This shocker of the century was a smash hit upon its 1959 release and has been haunting fans for nearly 70 years. For architecture buffs, the home used for the exteriors of the haunted house was actually designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built in 1924. In it’s original release the theaters used to have a wire and a ghost came down and made everybody jump out of their seats. This film still delivers the goods despite being a little schlocky.

Official Premise: Eccentric millionaire Fredrick Loren and his 4th wife, Annabelle, have invited 5 people to the house on Haunted Hill for a “haunted House” party. Whoever will stay in the house for one night will earn ten thousand dollars each. As the night progresses, all the guests are trapped inside the house with ghosts, murderers, and other terrors.

The newly restored 1959 B&W (only) feature runs 75 minutes and is displayed in 1.85:1 aspect ratio with a DTS-HD Audio track. In previous releases of this film. The picture quality always received mixed reviews, with customers reporting poor quality. Film Masters didn’t hold out with delivering the goods here. The film looks great in Widescreen. In terms of special features though we just have a full-length commentary track by Heath Holland, who hosts of the popular podcast “Cereal at Midnight: Pop Culture in Analog”. and liner notes by professor and film scholar Jason A. Ney.

Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Jonathan Bailey
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Running Time: 137 minutes
Rated: PG
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 3 out of 5 Stars

Ever since it was announced that the “Wicked” musical would be split into two films, and especially after watching last year’s first installment, I had my reservations that anyone without delusions of grandeur, and a bottomless appetite for merchandising, could stretch a two-and-a-half-hour musical into something enjoyable. Especially one just shy of five hours when stitched together. And while I was right about the runtime bloat, I found just enough magic in “Wicked for Good” to recommend this second installment.

The film picks up shortly after the events of the first. Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) is freeing imprisoned animals, studying the Grimmerie, and keeping tabs on her sister, who now governs Munchkinland. Meanwhile, Glinda (Ariana Grande) is doing PR-by-bubble across Oz and planning her wedding with Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey); even though it’s painfully clear he’s still in love with Elphaba. The love triangle, along with several dangling plot threads, resurfaces as Elphaba’s mission to end the Wizard’s reign grows darker and more dangerous.

But the changes and the new songs disrupt the tone of what should be the heavier back half of the story. It’s easily my biggest complaint. Not only do these additions pad the runtime, but they don’t add much to the film beyond noise. The musical works because its first half is all bombastic spectacle, while the second half slips into quieter, somber reflections. “Wicked for Good” doesn’t always understand that balance.

Part of what makes “Wicked” work for fans of “The Wizard of Oz” is the winking and retooling of the larger classic narrative. At times, “Wicked for Good” seems to forget that. Without revealing too much, the film struggles with restraint: sometimes it refuses to show without telling, and other times it overexplains itself into exhaustion. A few crucial sequences are mishandled entirely. I had to stifle a chuckle during a pivotal scene or else risk the nearby theatergoers thinking I’m a sociopath.

And yet, despite two full paragraphs of criticisms, I can’t bring myself to dislike this movie. It’s still a competent, enjoyable time. That’s doubly true for whenever Grande and Erivo share the screen. They gravitate toward each other naturally, and we believe every scrap of tension between them. When they’re apart, the film leans on the magnetism of Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, and Michelle Yeoh as the evil Madame Morrible. Everyone picks up the slack when scenes rest solely on Grande or Erivo.

The classic songs still land with power, and when the film hits more than just the right notes, it hums and tugs at your heartstrings. There’s a newfound maturity to the characters, and you can feel the raised emotional stakes. This time around, “Wicked for Good” hopes you’ve grown up alongside these characters. I just can’t help but wonder what might have been if “Wicked” had stayed a singular, tightly packed film instead of being stretched into two.

Starring: Daniel Craig, Josh O’Connor and Josh Brolin
Directed by: Rian Johnson
Rated: PG-13
Running Time: 144 minutes
Netflix

Our Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

As someone who loved “Knives Out” but found “Glass Onion” underwhelming, I walked into “Wake Up Dead Man” with zero expectations. I’m not sure I would have sought it out on my own if not for review duties or awards consideration. Maybe that’s exactly why this latest entry blindsided me. It’s not just the best of the franchise, it’s one of the best whodunnits of the 21st century.

“Wake Up Dead Man” opens with Reverend Jud Duplenticy (Josh O’Connor) recounting the events leading up to the unexplainable murder of Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). We quickly learn Wicks is far from the holy man he pretends to be. He may believe he’s God’s messenger, but he uses his pulpit to bully, belittle, and shame the people of Chimney Rock. Those who remain in his congregation, a cast of misfits, zealots, and deeply miserable souls, adore him for his rage. So who killed Monsignor Wicks? That’s where Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) steps in.

In his third “Knives Out” mystery, Rian Johnson makes the smart choice to split the investigation between Blanc and Duplenticy. Blanc knows from the outset that the reverend didn’t commit the murder, which is why he needs his input into who it could be. It plays beautifully into Blanc’s know-it-all detective persona while positioning Duplenticy as a kind of spiritual Watson to his Holmes. The film wears its detective-novel influences proudly, referencing and playing with the very tropes it adores.

Brolin, for his part, storms through his scenes like a wrecking ball, so venomous you occasionally wonder if his murderer deserves a handshake more than a prison sentence. But the heart of “Wake Up Dead Man” lies with Blanc and Duplenticy. Duplenticy approaches the mystery through a religious lens, while Blanc leans on pure logic. Faith and reality clash, rebound, and circle each other. Based on how these movies go, it’s unfortunate because their chemistry becomes unexpectedly profound.

As we learn more about the ensemble, we see how faith has manipulated, entangled, and consumed them. Some believe out of genuine conviction. Others cling to it out of selfishness, fear, or a desperate need for identity. Some weaponize it. Others dissolve under its weight. The murder-mystery makes us suspect nearly everyone in the church, but the film itself nudges us toward a different question: what do we put our faith in and should we question it? That alone makes “Wake Up Dead Man” feel clever, timely, and strangely resonant. It’s a whodunnit made for a world divided by social media, disinformation, and the fragility of truth.

Alfred Hitchcock is and always will be the legendary Master of Suspense. In “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” the series ran for 263 episodes from 1955-1962. The most famous director in the world hosted, produced and occasionally directed the iconic anthology series that, in the words of Hitchcock himself, brought murder back into the home – where it belongs. It featured some of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood history including Robert Redford, Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen, Joan Fontaine, Claude Rains, Walter Matthau, Thelma Ritter, Joseph Cotton, Peter Falk, Teresa Wright, Leslie Nielsen and Alfred Hitchcock’s daughter Patricia, along with so many more.

For fans of this series, this new Legacy Collection comes finally to DVD. Firstly, it is sadly that these episodes weren’t updated for a Blu-ray release. But at least they are getting released to begin with. If you have been collecting seasons 1-5 over the years, you can rest assure that you don’t need to buy this release since season 6 & 7 also just dropped solo allowing fans that have been collecting to complete their set. And this Legacy Collection is for fans who waited for the complete set.

“Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Legacy Collection” complete is a 34 DVD set. There are 6847 minutes of content on these episodes, presented in aspect ratio of 1.33:1 and Dolby Digital 2.0 audio. There are a few features included as well: Alfred Hitchcock Presents: A Look Back and Fasten Your Seatbelt: The Thrilling Art of Alfred Hitchcock. “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” was and still is a groundbreaking series whose impact continues to resonate today. The fact that this show even received a Complete Series DVD release shows just that. Even though its not a Blu-ray release, this release still delivers the legacy collection in a big way.

After Seinfeld, we all wondered what Larry David would do next. The show was always one of the world’s favorites. Curb Your Enthusiasm is a rare show that outlives it’s prior installment. The show last for twelve seasons and has a total of 120 episodes, including one special. The series aired from 2000 to 2024. So it definitely had quite the run. The later seasons were just as good as the start of the series. This new Blu-ray of the Complete Series comes with two oversized keepcases, one for seasons 1 through 6 and one for seasons 7 through 12, for a total of 12 discs per keepcase, 24 discs total. The show is a gem but sadly this release is not the ultimate complete collection.

This iconic Emmy®-and Golden Globe®-winning comedy stars Larry David as an exaggerated version of himself – blunt, unfiltered and endlessly capable of turning life’s simplest moments into social catastrophes. Semi-improvised and razor-sharp, Curb Your Enthusiasm offers a tongue-in-cheek look at Larry’s fictional world, where every encounter spirals into comically awkward mayhem. Joining Larry are regulars Jeff Garlin, Cheryl Hines, Susie Essman, JB Smoove, Richard Lewis, Bob Einstein, Shelley Berman, Ted Danson and Vince Vaughn, as well as a vast array of guest stars.

Curb Your Enthusiasm: The Complete Series is presented with AVC encoded 1080p transfers in 1.78:1. And if you are a hardcore fan, you would know that this constant aspect ratio will drive you up the wall, since the first six seasons were originally broadcast in 1.33:1. The reframings leaves you missing part of the screen including tops of heads, I don’t know why they didn’t pay attention to the aspect ratio. The first six seasons open with DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 tracks and then moves on to at least slightly better DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 tracks for seasons seven through twelve.

Special features are not much better. Season 1 includes an interview with Bob Costas and an HBO Special. Nothing for Season 2. Season 3 has a chat with the cast. Season 4 is skipped. Season 5 has two featurettes. Season 6 has a gag reel and two featurettes. Season 7 has a Seinfeld Reunion and another Seinfeld related featurette. Season 8 includes a conversation with Brian Williams interviewing Larry David and another featurette. Season 9 includes three very short “Memorable Moments”. Season 10 has a gag reel. Season 11 is skipped and Season 12 includes eight very short featurettes. IT should be known that none of the previously released commentary tracks are included. Also of the supplements on the first seven seasons look like they’re in the wrong aspect ratio. So this is a major letdown for sure.

Starring: Glen Powell, Josh Brolin and Colman Domingo
Directed by: Edgar Wright
Rated: R
Running Time: 133 minutes
Paramount Pictures

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

When I heard Edgar Wright was tackling the second adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Running Man,” I couldn’t help but get excited about the possibilities. For every film he’s made, Wright has brought a frenetic, hyper-stylized energy that moves to the beat of its own schizophrenia. His flashy visuals collide with wordplay, genre satire, and toe-tapping soundtracks that make his films feel like cinematic, ADHD jazz.

Despite being a favorite among cinephiles, with gems like “Shaun of the Dead,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” and “Baby Driver,” Wright has never been a box office guarantee, nor has he had an undisputed smash. Maybe that’s why he sheds his usual veneer here. In “The Running Man,” he opts for something more faithful to King’s text, but also more conventional, a gritty, almost generic action aesthetic.

Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is the definition of desperate. He’s been laid off for basically having morals, his child is dying from the flu, and his wife works a service job that might be a front for prostitution. With no money and no way out, Richards turns to state-sponsored TV game shows as his last chance. Of course, he’s not doing the most popular show, “The Running Man” competition. Because that’s where contestants must evade government-sanctioned killers and informant civilians for 30 days to win a billion dollars. That’d be crazy, right?

Since we know exactly where this is going, Wright wastes no time throwing Powell to the wolves. Richards moves from city to city, fighting his way out of brutal ambushes, finding unlikely allies, and realizing that the televised bloodsport is only one piece of a much larger, state-controlled dystopia. The movie stays remarkably close to King’s vision. It has a fresh, commercial hellscape look (think Blade Runner meets rauncy YouTube ads) and Powell shines as the scrappy, relatable underdog. Everyone he encounters, from a conspiracy theory Michael Cera to a witty game show host in Colman Domingo, shines in their scenes as well. But it doesn’t feel like a Wright film.

That’s my biggest disappointment. The Wright ingenuity, the pulse, the rhythm…everything; it’s muted. When the movie needs to dump exposition, it still finds clever ways to do it, but it feels like someone else doing a Wright impression. The kinetic charge that usually courses through his scenes, that sense of chaos barely under control, just isn’t there. In his best work, exposition isn’t a hurdle; it’s part of the jazz. Maybe the adaptation held him back, but this one feels restrained, almost cautious.

And that’s really my only complaint. I never held the first “Running Man,” the Arnold Schwarzenegger version, in high regard, so I’m not worried about missing that 80s camp. But what we get here feels like watered-down Wright. Not bad, just… safe. Which is ironic, considering “The Running Man” is still a fun, dystopian middle finger to corporate authoritarianism.

It just feels like it could have been more. Could have been better. That said, if you’re not deep in the Wright fandom and just want solid, old-school action with a touch of satire, this will absolutely do the trick.

Starring: Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers and Julia Fox
Directed by: Justin Tipping
Rated: R
Running Time: 96 minutes
Universal Pictures

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
4K Score: 4 out of 5 Stars

Before walking into “HIM,” I had a simple question: has there ever been a football horror film? I couldn’t find one. Even the broader category of “sports horror” is practically empty. So right out of the gate, “HIM” earns points for originality.

Football, as the film’s opening reminds us, is already horrifying. The violence, the obsession, the broken bodies; it’s all there. The movie starts with a gruesome on-field injury, echoing Joe Theismann’s infamous leg break. The victim? Football legend Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), who somehow recovers to lead the San Antonio Saviors to eight championships. Witnessing that trauma is a young Cam Cade (Tyriq Withers), who goes on to become a rising star and, eventually, White’s successor. But first Cam has to prove his worth as he’s invited to train at White’s mysterious desert compound. That’s when the real nightmare begins.

“HIM” takes big swings at the intersection of religion, fame, and athleticism. Sometimes the metaphors overlap. Sometimes you wonder if the movie is talking about sports, God, trauma, or all of the above. The confusion is intentional. Football’s fanatical culture and Sunday rituals mirror organized religion. When Cam arrives at White’s compound, he finds unhinged White fans tailgating outside the gates. They also don’t appear to ever leave, as if these paint covered loons are living in a kind of sports-themed purgatory.

The film chooses absurdism over realism, and that choice mostly works. The criticism isn’t directed squarely at football. European soccer fans can be just as rabid. The criticism seems to be more directed at our broader cultural obsession with sports and spectacle. And visually, “HIM” gets a lot right: the soundtrack hits, the aesthetics pop, and the editing leans into the madness. It sometimes leans heavy into the style over substance, much like “American Horror Story” has.

At the heart of it all is Cam, caught between the powers of the football machine and the pleas of his family to simply be careful. Withers is a decent lead, but Wayans is absolutely electric as Isaiah White, delivering unhinged lines with just enough restraint to make you lean in. There’s a mania behind his eyes that sells the idea of a man completely consumed by sports, by fans, by power.

“HIM” doesn’t always know how to weave its themes cleanly, but it’s still a hell of a ride. It’s smart, surreal, and timely. With football season in full swing and America’s appetite for violence still unshaken, this is a horror story tailor-made for our times. It could’ve dug deeper, sure. But what’s here is bold and unforgettable. It’s a first-of-its-kind football hellscape that makes the gridiron seem toothless.

4K Features

Audio Commentary with Director/Co-Writer Justin Tippping: The solo commentary allows for Tipping to really fill each scene with factoids about the shoot.

Alternate Ending: Without giving any spoilers, this ending may have been just as nutty.

Deleted End Credits Scene: Again, without spoiling, this is something that certainly would have added a more mysterious flavor to an already mysterious ending.

Deleted Scenes: There are only five deleted scenes here and like most deleted scenes, it’s easy to see why they’ve been removed.

Becoming Them: Withers and Wayans talk about how they prepared for their athletic roles, which wasa more than just training and building muscle.

The Sport of Filmmaking: It’s interesting to see how the look of the film came together.

Anatomy of a Scene: This feature breaks down two interesting scenes, although not the scenes you’d think.

Hymns of a G.O.A.T.: A behind-the-scenes feature dealing with the film’s soundtrack.