Ne Zha 2 (2025)

After the success of the first Ne Zha it is clear the producers felt they could go all in on the sequel and they do. It is an epic film, a visual feast, and a set up for even more to come. They know they are on to something that audiences around the world are eating up and they are going for it. And it's paying off with Ne Zha 2 becoming the highest grossing animated film in the world.

As I already mentioned Ne Zha 2 is truly epic in scope. The cast is huge and the adventure is big. The film is almost 2 1/2 hours and fills all of its runtime with action and drama. It never feels like it's repeating itself or stretching from the first film's premise. The film maker has built a truly immersive world and filled it with fun characters. 

Like the first, the story does often feel... convenient. Fantasy stories often suffer from the creators being able to just pull whatever rabbit out of their hat they wish to advance the story or create a set back when needed. But the adventure is so much fun and so intense its easy to forgive the short cuts. 

My main critique is more of a personal taste issue. I can't remember the last time there was this much toilet (literally) humour in a film. That never works for me but it doesn't seem to be turning off audiences. But be warned there are some intense dark moments that might make this a hard watch for younger viewers. The runtime may hinder their enjoyment too.

Ne Zha has found a unique visual style which both feels a part of its cultural tradition and very new. There is no denying this is a gorgeous film to watch and a truly good time. The film ends with an expectation there will be more and it's hard to imagine after how successful this has been that we won't be seeing part 3 sometime soon. 

Ne Zha 2

Starring: Crystal Lee, Aleks Le, Michelle Yeoh, Vincent Rodriguez III

Writer/Director: Jiaozi

 

Eenie Meanie (2025)

Eenie Meanie is the sort of film that has a lot of great ideas and a lot of good parts, but doesn't quite come together in a way that works well. While it isn't a terrible watch and manages to be entertaining enough, most of it feels like it could have been better. It just doesn't quite click. There is a better film somewhere here in this story. 

Let's talk about what's good. The big thing is the cast. Weaving is clearly capable of leading a film and she does a good job here but her character isn't written quite well enough for her to truly shine. But her co-star Glusman has a breakout moment. I haven't felt he's been overly impressive in most of the films I've seen here, but his role in Eenie Meanie is a scene stealer, and he rises to the occasion. He is delightfully entertaining throughout. This movie has a far better cast than what you might expect and they all step up. I think the film's flaws would be even more obvious without them doing such a great job. 

The film's biggest weakness might be how it sets out quite a few large barriers that it never quite overcomes. Weaving's relationships are set out as quite unhealthy and it never quite redeems them enough for where they go. This is a 90 minute movie that needs more time to flesh out its story and characters. There is a great car chase near the end and some quite funny moments, and overall I wanted to be invested in what I was watching. I'm just not sure it earns all the pathos needed to really sell this successfully. 

Eenie Meanie

Starring: Samara Weaving, Karl Glusman, Jermaine Fowler, Marshawn Lynch, Randall Park, Steve Zahn, Andy Garcia 

Writer/Director: Shawn Simmons 

Night Always Comes (2025)

I found director Caron's previous film, Sharper, interesting if not perfect, and Night Always Comes feels like a step up, perhaps due to the central performance by Vanessa Kirby who truly gets to show off just how talented she is with this complex and fascinating performance. The film follows her character over the course of one night as she navigates one set back after another attempting to salvage what she can of her plan for herself and her brother while so much of her past catches up with her. She is riveting. 

The film does a good job of setting up just how classist structures prevent many people from pulling themselves out of precarious circumstances. One of the things I have found interesting is the way much of the criticism this film has taken is centred around judging the main character's choices, in the same way our culture often judges the choices of those who live day to day without the security of knowing how next week's costs are going to be paid. The meta text here proves much of the movie's point. 

For me Caron's visuals are beautiful here even if his narrative telling doesn't always feel smooth. Still Night Always Comes is extremely watchable despite some of the powerfully troubling moments in the story. Caron has shot a visually rich film. But most of what makes it work is Kirby truly shining through as the incredible actor she is, supported by what is mostly a very talented cast, especially Leigh, Gottsagen, and James. 

Night Always Comes

Starring: Vanessa Kirby, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Zack Gottsagen, Stephen James, Randall Park, Julia Fox, Michael Kelly, Eli Roth 

Director: Benjamin Caron

Writer: Sarah Conradt

Sweet Summer Pow Wow (2025)

Sometimes a film with a lot of heart and charm can still turn out to be... not great. The cast here has a lot of charisma and the story, while very rote, is engaging. But the script often lets everyone down by being awkward and unnatural. The film, following a very formulaic rom-com model uses a lot of wornout tropes and makes a great deal of narrative assumptions to the point where it rarely feels authentic. 

Where the film succeeds is in how organic and natural it weaves in its cultural references. There is an ease to this which makes it all flow nicely despite the romance storyline's clunkiness. The art direction and score truly stand out and the film never feels forced. 

Some of the cast are stronger than others which sometimes takes you out of the story, but the film both benefits and suffers from having the legendary Graham Greene in an extended cameo role. His talent over-shines those weaker cast members sometimes drawing attention to it but he also pulls it all back together with his incredible on screen presence.

So while there was a great deal to like about Sweet Summer Pow Wow there were also a lot of flaws distracting us. Even having said that I would like to see where this film maker goes next. 

Sweet Summer Pow Wow

Starring: Joshua Odjick, Tatyana Rose Baptiste, Graham Greene

Director: Darrell Dennis

Writers: Darrell Dennis, Katya Gardner

KPop Demon Hunters (2025)

Yes it's completely predictable and formulaic. Yes its of-the-moment trendy capitalizing on music and art trends that are fleeting. Yes it is an American pastiche of Korean pop culture. But then how come it's so much fun. Like actual K Pop KPop Demon Hunters has a catchy hook that is hard not to get seduced by. Its also lovingly earnest in its love letter to Asian pop tropes. So while it might have the depth of a wading pool KPop Demon Hunters is too much sweet fun to dump on. 

This feels like the sort of thing that could grow into more. Further movies could explore more of the lore and characters' backgrounds. For now it feels somewhat slim and limited but there is a great deal of potential in world building here. With the success this film is having no doubt we'll get more. I just hope they don't cheep out on the sequels.

KPop Demon Hunters

Starring: Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, May Hong, Ji-young Yoo, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Ken Jeong,k Joel Kim Booster

Directors: Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans

Writers: Danya Jimenez, Hannah McMechan, Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans

Nobody 2 (2025)

Like the first Nobody, 2 is a fun romp that seems to be what would John Wick be if he had a family and wasn't taking himself seriously. While the film begins to provide some diminishing returns, it remains a fun watch that benefits from having a tongue in cheek attitude and a blessedly short runtime. I'm not sure this feels like the sort of things that should go on in perpetuity and perhaps might be better watched on streaming that as a night out to the movies. 

Odenkirk is good in this role, being both believable and self-deprecating enough to pull it off. Lloyd and Stone are both just clearly having fun without having to put in much effort. I guess my main thing with this sequel, which makes it feel a little less than its predecessor, is that it never feels like anyone is putting that much into this. Perhaps the right expression would be "three-quarters assed" since "half-assed" doesn't feel quite fair. I think if this had been drawn out it would have overstayed its welcome but at a brisk 90 minutes it paper thin script/story manages to work. 

Nobody 2 feels little like a throw away film for watching at home that will feel like light distraction that offers little more than just mild entertainment, which isn't bad in itself. 

Nobody 2

Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Connie Nielsen, John Ortiz, RZA, Colin Hanks, Christopher Lloyd, Sharon Stone 

Director: Timo Tjahjanto

Writers: Derek Kolstad, Aaron Rabin

Weapons (2025)

Weapons manages to be both an evocative puzzle of a movie and a classic feeling horror film that draws on genre conventions in a way that pays loving tribute to its sources. While I was impressed with much of Creggar's debut film, Barbarian, I had my critiques of it too. With Weapons I feel he has elevated his ideas further being fully committed to a movie that is both a scary camp fire story, a gripping character study, and a comment on hard to process real world tragedy, all balanced with just the right dash of humour which doesn't distract from the seriousness but allows some room to breath. Weapons juggles all of this, keeping all the balls in the air, and delivers an experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat. 

There is a lot to process here and I think it's the sort of film that I will revisit and get more out of with further viewings. But it also works as a stand alone story that doesn't leave you confounded. It is remarkable how the film gives you the satisfaction of a conclusion and an explanation while also leaving so many questions to ponder. The audience can leave as the credit roll, closing the book on the tale and accepting an understanding of what they just saw. Or they can reflect on much of what was suggested, ask questions about some mysteries, and perhaps even reflect on what impact there will be for the characters and the world this is set in, after we get up and leave the cinema. Part of what makes Weapons so satisfying is just how much it works in different ways. 

I appreciated that Weapons has some iconic images that I believe are going to secure themselves in American cinema cannon. This has the potential to join the ranks of classic horror films while also leaving itself open to interpretation and water-cooler discussion about its meanings and impacts. Madigan is certainly going to go down as one of the great cinematic horror characters, and may also pop into many viewers' nightmares. 

It may be hard to do as this film enters the zeitgeist, but Weapons is the sort of movie that is best to go into knowing as little as possible. The question may be what does it mean to you? How are you processing what you watched? What emotions and fears does it trigger? What does it make you reflect on? Even if you choose not to spend much time deconstructing it, Weapons has at its heart a creepy story that is ruthlessly engaging, that it is hard to take your eyes off of. 

Weapons

Starring: Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, Amy Madigan 

Writer/Director: Zach Creggar