The Lost Bus (2025)

The Lost Bus is fairly cliche riddled and never overcomes the based-on-a-true-story movie-of-the-week tropes infused throughout. It isn't terrible but, yes, it goes pretty much exactly as you would expect and has as much to say about the human condition as a fortune cookie. McConaughey and Ferrera do what they can with the material but there just isn't that much there there. 

The film's special effects often distract from the story its telling. They often feel a bit too obvious and this takes away from the stakes somewhat. The stakes were already pretty low as you never truly worry for our protagonists. There is a sense that everything is going to work out fine. That's one of the problems with movies like this. They predicate certain expectations. McConaughey's character is very much a stereotype (Ferrera's even more so) and we know what arc his character is to go through. The film is just hitting all the beats. 

There is a bit of the film trying to be Speed in the middle which does ramp up the excitement quotient a bit. But it still comes down to the fact that we never doubt they will make it out alive. Greengrass knows how to make thrilling action films so I don't know how he misses so much here. 

The Lost Bus just is trying to hard to be inspiration porn to tell an actually compelling story. It ends up therefore being rather forgettable and not really having much of anything to say about wildfires or heroics. 

The Lost Bus

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera

Director: Paul Greengrass

Writers: Brad Ingelsby, Paul Greengrass 

Steve (2025)

The novella the film Steve is based on (also written by screenwriter Porter) is focused on Lycurgo's character, Shy, and his interiority. Shy is a student at a school for boys with behavioural problems who reaches a crisis point. Readers are immersed into his thinking through non-traditional narrative forms such as poetry. The film shifts this focus to the title character, played by Murphy, the headmaster of the school and takes a completely different approach. It focuses on a day when a documentary crew is filming at the school as things spiral out of control. Both work together to bring different means of exploring the challenges those discarded by society, the performative aspects of our systems, and the helplessness so many involved feel. 

Mielants' approach to set this as a pseudo-documentary works to give the film a raw and honest feeling even if it doesn't always make sense in terms of in-world logic (would that scene really have been filmed by an on site doc crew?). But he begins to move away from this style and move into something more surreal as the film progresses. It isn't always clear when this is continuing and when it isn't. This approach does highlight that performative aspect I discussed, giving lots of opportunity for the film to question how we generally approach the "difficult" people the film forces us to confront. It also allows us to tap into some of that interiority of the characters that the book reaches.

Amongst a strong cast over all Murphy and Lycurgo both stand out giving great depth to their characters. Steve struggles to resolve itself in a way that doesn't fall into the all too typically tragic ways these stories but despite this I believe it finds some insights and truths through the work of its cast and crew. 

Steve

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Tracey Ullman, Jay Lycurgo, Simbi Ajikawo, Emily Watson 

Director: Tim Mielants

Writer: Max Porter

Play Dirty (2025)

Play Dirty doesn't start off well. The opening sequence, set up like an adrenaline fuelled cold open, is rather dumb. Not only does it not make sense from a narrative point of view, it downplays the emotional stakes. The film tells us not to take it seriously. Black is credited at shaping the buddy/comedy subgenre and he's here to do what he does well. He just isn't trying that hard. 

And that's okay. Cause what follows is light, if rather forgettable, fun. It's campy but not in a clever way. It's funny, but rarely to the point you laugh that hard. It's an interesting enough story, without being that involved. It is the sort of film you can look at your phone throughout without missing much. 

The cast is having a good time mostly. I adore Stanfeld and he is clearly enjoying himself here making what he can with the part. Key and Shalhoub do their things to strong effect. Some of the newer cast stand out. I really enjoyed Hansen and Wolff. Only Wahlberg feels like he thinks this is something serious, but the rest of the group is having fun. 

Black pulls from a lot of influences here from the film's Bond inspired credit sequence to setting his story at Christmas time. But perhaps the biggest influence is how much this takes from his own film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Play Dirty is very slight but watchable enough. Could it be the start of a series of films based on the Parker book series on which this is based? There is likely a better movie to be maid so why not? 

Play Dirty

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Lakeith Stanfeld, Rosa Salazar, Keegan-Michael Key, Chukwudi Iwuji, Nat Wolff, Thomas Jane, Tony Shalhoub, Gretchen Mol, Peta Wilson, Chai Hansen

Diretor: Shane Black

Writers: Charles Mondry, Anthony Bagarozzi, Shane Black

After the Hunt (2025)

My first thoughts digesting After the Hunt were how Guadagnino has made a Woody Allen film. From the obvious (the title cards played over traditional jazz) to the more integral (the focus on well off white liberals discussing their moral ambiguities) After the Hunt feels like 90s Allen only without the director's presence visually in the film.

After the Hunt is a talky movie, but the kind where the words feel violent and intrusive. Guadagnino seems obsessed with taking a subject and dissecting it from all angles. He refuses to give us answers, take a position, or even posit a "good guy". After the Hunt is deliberately agnostic on morality, preferring to remain out of the fray it is chronicling. Whenever we think we have a clue as to the "truth" or to a character's character he pulls that out from under us by giving us more reason to doubt. The film almost violently rejects subjectivity. 

And this is where the film lost me. Yes it was fascinating and it was riddled with interesting quandaries, but its fearfulness of taking any perspective (other than a cowardly detachment) left it feeling nihilistic and cold. And to be honest, a lot of the dilemmas the film is positing feel a bit tired. It all feels very 2021... I guess I'd like to think there is more insight into the power dynamics explored here but much of what After the Hunt focuses on feels like well treaded water. 

This no fault of the cast who all do remarkable work. I love this stage of Roberts' career where she is taking these sorts of meaty roles. For me Stuhlbarg is the true standout, just shining in every scene, even when his character is more background than the main action. But really everyone is very good here.   

It just didn't feel like After the Hunt had much interesting to say about its subject that hasn't already been said before. 

After the Hunt

Starring: Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg, Chloë Sevigny

Director: Luca Guadagnino

Writer: Nora Garrett

Queens of the Dead (2025)

Yes Queens of the Dead is camp fun and leans away from the scary side of zombie movies and into the comedy. But as the group of queer and trans survivors thinned and were making their final push to safety it became clear that the film is about something really different. Like how the director's father's films used the zombies to comment on issues the world was dealing with, Tina Romero's zombies are commenting too, on something very now, as are her survivors. 

The zombies here are glued to their phones and their focus is pulled by posts, influencers, and the pulsing beats of EDM. They are a reflection on drug culture, made brainless by their addictions. They are crowds that follow, whatever shiny object or show is put in front of them. 

And while that is interesting, it's not what I felt the true triumph of Queens of the Dead was. Romero's insight here is in queerness and queer resiliency. Her cast, made up of queer and trans actors, survive due to their queerness. There is a pivotal moment where it comes together. One character points out that "this is a matter of life and death" and another responds with "it's always both." Because for queer and trans people have always faced choosing life while facing death. They survive through choosing to be alive in the face of a world that wants to wipe them out, and they do so joyfully and authentically. There are strong themes of chosen family here too. Romero has captured the queer experience so insightfully with this camp parody, a love letter to resilience and being anything but normal. 

And that, for me, is what made Queens of the Dead such a beautiful film, and so much fun. From Spivey's delightful cover of Blow, to Jackson's signature cheekbones and attitude, to Cho's over the top butch cameo, to West's mothering, this cast is all here for it and a delight to have together on screen. And the film even ends with a classic zombie movie nod that I want more of. Love live the queens. 

Queens of the Dead

Starring: Katy O'Brian, Jaquel Spivey, Riki Lindhome, Jack Haven, Eve Lindley, Nina West, Cheyenne Jackson, Margaret Cho, Dominique Jackson

Director: Tina Romero

Writers: Erin Judge, Tina Romero

Urchin (2025)

Urchin is a breakout film for its star and for its writer-director. Dickinson has made a name for himself as a promising young actor who has a lot more to offer than just his supermodel appearance. Roles in films like Babygirl and See How They Run have showed a real character actor in him. Dillane appears to like the roles that are more on the edge and here he gets to truly show off what he can do with his outsider energy. 

I'll say that Urchin offers no surprises and its ending, while creative in how it is depicted, is exactly where you think this is going. But the journey on how we get there is remarkably gripping. Dickinson crafts a smart and powerful rollercoaster, with some striking moments early, leading to some hope and joy, before the film begins its dreadful drop towards what feels almost inevitable. He keeps it simple which makes it powerfully effective and it is all grounded in Dillane's brave performance.  

Urchin makes me excited to see Dillane grow into more leading roles as his on screen charisma is palpable. It also makes me want more from Dickinson as a director/writer as he shows quite a sharp sense of how to tell a story and a boldness that he isn't afraid to take some risks. 

Urchin

Starring: Frank Dillane, Megan Northam, Harris Dickinson

Writer/Director: Harris Dickinson

The Baltimorons (2025)

I love it when a film uses a genre structure (in this case rom-com) to tell a very different story. The Baltimorons is set up like what we would expect from a romantic comedy (the meet cute, the issues pulling apart the characters, the final chase leading to the characters coming together) to explore deeper themes and build rich characters. And I laughed. Comedies rarely make me laugh and I laughed consistently throughout The Baltimorons... at least when I wasn't crying. 

While it plays with dripping charm The Batlimorons undercuts all the rom-com tropes by putting at its centre a couple who do not meet the "acceptable" standards for rom-com partners (their ages, their relationship statuses, their body types - all breaking the mold). The film faces issues such as addiction and suicide head on. The film's humour often turns to the dark side, going to some truly emotional places within the jokes. And it all is rooted in a authentic realism that grounds it and gives you the space to truly inhabit it. 

This is a breakthrough for writer and star Strassner who is magnetically charismatic throughout. As sketch comedian, he excels here at both the comedy and the drama, giving a beautiful and complicated performance. He has based this script on actual events in his life and woven it around real places in his home town of Baltimore which is likely why the film feels so damn honest and real. This film has the audience eating out of the palm of its hand. It is just so lovely and raw. 

The Batlimorons isn't afraid to show us sadness along with the laughs and love. It is delightfully optimistic while confronting real people and their real problems. But all while it is doing that it gives us just a simply good time, focusing on those unexpected moments of fun that sometimes spring up on us, even when things aren't going well. 

The Baltimorons

Starring: Michael Strassner, Liz Larsen, Olivia Luccardi 

Director: Jay Duplass

Writers: Michael Strassner, Jay Duplass