Wuthering Heights (2026)

Adapted for the screen many times, this "fresh" take on Emily Brontë's Victorian era romance borrows the basic concept and takes great liberties.

Catherine and Heathcliff are foster siblings who grow up penniless but infatuated with one another. The intensity of their relationship endures the turbulence of jealousy, avarice and betrayal. Anyone who knows the source material knows this is not a happy story, but it's a dreary rendition. Visually, it pleases the senses, but it's substantially more style than substance. This is a dreadfully depressing and protracted melodrama about doomed love, though not as "horny" as originally advertised. It's more of a sick tease than anything.

2 broken eggs out of 5

Wuthering Heights (1970)

Growing up together in the desolate moorlands of Yorkshire during the early 19th century, Catherine and Heathcliff swear an oath to one another that is destined to be broken. Their love is an intense kind of madness with cruelty that knows no bounds, oscillating between a tumultuous storm of passion and obsession, jealousy and betrayal. The scenic vistas and quiet score by Michel Legrand elevate this tragic Gothic romance, and even though it strays from its source material, it's the final moments of this film that stay with me the most.

3 cold sweats out of 5

Love Story (1970)

"Love means shutting the fuck up" [paraphrased]

Oliver and Jenny are young attractive people who, despite being complete opposites (he's a Harvard preppie jock, she's a blue collar musician), fall madly in love. Although you wouldn't know it, since they never stop bickering. Due to their different backgrounds, they have to make concessions with each other, including going against the wishes of those around them. Unfortunately, their idyllic romance doesn't last for long before tragedy strikes. It's a corny movie (even at the time of its release), but I admire it because it's sincere and I'm a sentimentalist at heart. It may be weepy and saccharine, but there's a reason why it's endured for over 50 years. Being cynical all the time is exhausting.

The theme by Francis Lai is a classic. It's on the pantheon of great romantic scores next to Romeo & Juliet (1968), Summer of '42 and Somewhere in Time.

4 undisclosed conditions out of 5

Harold & Maude (1971)

Harold is obsessed with death, which might explain why he's attracted to someone so close to it. He stages suicide attempts, drives a hearse and goes to funerals for fun, which is where he meets the fun loving, freewheelin' octogenarian Maude, who shows him how to have a good time in life by not giving any fucks. It's the ultimate May-December romance, but it's actually the classic Cat Stevens soundtrack that first made me fall in love with this film.

R.I.P. Bud Cort (for real), 1948-2026.

4 sunflowers out of 5

Solo Mio (2026)

Stood up at the altar by the love of his life, a heartbroken man is left to enjoy the extravagant non-refundable honeymoon package in Italy all on his own. Yes, it has all the trappings of your typical Hallmark slop against the backdrop of gorgeous scenery, and even though it goes down the predictable avenues of plot convenience, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. There aren't enough romcoms from the perspective of lonely guys. Kevin James sets aside his 'fat man fall down' act in a more mature role. It's a gentle film, and I'm being particularly charitable given the holiday, even as I find myself completely 'only mine.'

3 Nessun dorma high notes out of 5

Arco (2025)

Remember when rainbows were cool? They were used to express magic and wonder before they got appropriated for other uses. In this French animated film, rainbows indicate visitors from the future. In the year 2075, the family household unit has been replaced by robot help for the most part. A lonely little girl meets a young boy named Arco, who has become displaced from his family through time and needs to recover his flight crystal to get back home. The simple, handcrafted look feels reminiscent of anime, while the slow burn storytelling gives way to a unique experience that lands with the viewer.

3 bird calls out of 5

Note: I saw the English dub, though I expect the original French to be superior.

K-Pop Demon Hunters (2025)

It's easy to feel cynical when watching a movie boosted by current trends and bandwagon jumping. A trio of K-pop idols called HUNTR/X moonlight as demon hunters (it's there in the title). A blend of genres, including anime and Korean drama, and animated in the style of Sony's Spider-Verse movies, visually, it's aces. I guess it makes sense since K-pop singers are treated like superhumans in our modern culture. What helps this film succeed in its own right is that the songs are catchy, so it mostly resembles an extended music video with a loose plot. It's flashy and poppy, which will appease the young ones. A novel concept that was unfortunately popular enough to launch its own franchise.

2½ Golden Honmoons out of 5

Note: The OST on its own gets 3 out of 5 for doing most of the heavy lifting.

The Moment (2026)

British pop singer Charli XCX pokes fun at her own image in this mockumentary satirizing the 'Brat Summer' phenomenon that took over the airwaves in 2024. Focusing on the planning and clashes behind the scenes in the run up to the concert tour, and how the label exploits the artist for its own financial gain, the whole thing feels obnoxious, stressful, anxiety-driven and unpleasant to sit through, but I guess it accurately captures a moment in time. I'm clearly not the target audience for this, but I struggle to see how fans would embrace this either. It's a bit like Spinal Tap or Popstar, except more depressing than funny.

1½ brat cards out of 5

Is This Thing On? (2025)

After a trial separation with his wife, a depressed man tries his hand at stand-up comedy. He's not so much funny as he is honest and raw as he expresses his feelings in a candid, therapeutic way. It's an often uncomfortable comedy-drama about breaking down a marriage in order to try and save it. Will Arnett and Laura Dern shine. Loosely inspired by the story of comedian John Bishop.

3½ weed cookies out of 5

Groundhog Day (1993)

"It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be grey, and it's gonna last you for the rest of your life."

It's always intimidating nutting one of my favorite movies because my paltry words can never come close to summating the impact it's had on my life. This classic time-loop rom-com pits Bill Murray against an eternally repeating day as he perpetually tries to get it right (a fantasy we can all relate with, if there were no consequences). This is one of those movies that grows on you as you revisit it over and over throughout the years until it can finally do no wrong. The perfect blend of darkness and despair, with lightheartedness and hope.

5 doozies out of 5

Send Help (2026)

Sam Raimi finds new victims to torture in Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien. 

A mousy woman looked over for promotion by her douchebag boss discovers that the tables have turned after surviving a plane wreck on a desert island, where she puts her practical know-how to great use. It's a survival adventure thriller with Raimi's signature flourishes of dark humor, which I found to be an absolute delight, at least until it falls into the familiar trappings of genre.

3 Survivor skills out of 5

Return to Silent Hill (2026)

Director Christophe Gans returns to the franchise he adapted 20 years ago. Yeah, you're old. The good news is that you can safely skip Revelation on your rewatch of the series, as this one is a straight adaptation of Silent Hill 2. And by "straight," I mean it plays fast and loose with the plot. This definitely won't please the purists. But if you're like me and haven't played it in about 25 years, it nails the atmosphere and mood of the piece just fine. With its low budget and no-name cast, it feels simple and faithful to the tone of the original, and doesn't take away from the horror by overexplaining its mythology. It has a dreamlike quality that pulls you in and almost puts you to sleep. Take that as you will. Bottom line is, if you liked the first Silent Hill film, you'll probably like this one. If you hated that one, then there'll be no new converts here.

2½ air raid sirens out of 5

Mercy (2026)

Taking a page from the Minority Report pre-crime handbook, and set in the scary near-future (2029), the A.I. Justice System has charged a man of killing his wife, and he has only 90 minutes to prove his innocence or be executed in this sci-fi techno-thriller that plays out in real time. The catch is that it mostly takes place in a virtual courtroom, where he has to beat a 97.5% probability by gathering evidence from all the data uploaded to the internet at his disposal.

This could have easily turned into another screenlife War of the Worlds-type situation, but mercifully, it's handled a lot more competently. It's easy to get swept up in the logistics and breakneck pacing. It falters in the final third, but it's interesting enough to grab your attention and hold it there for its duration.

2½ gut instincts out of 5

Greenland 2: Migration (2026)

Some films don't really necessitate a sequel, yet here we are, 5 years later. Survivors are now living underground where a calamity forces them to find a new safe haven. Conveniently, it comes down to these three characters again as they go traipsing through the ravages of post-apocalyptic Europe, which now resembles something closer to The Walking Dead. It's less about natural disaster and more about the assholes left behind. Even though the plot feels convenient and it's easy to predict, the performances elevate an otherwise average spectacle to something that leaves slightly more of an impact.

2 craters out of 5

Greenland (2020)

Clarke is a comet heading inbound for Earth. One family has been selected for emergency shelter relocation, but gets separated and must navigate their way to safety through the ensuing chaos and destruction, while the rest of the world is doomed to an extinction level event in less than 48 hours. This epic survival flick feels very straightforward; it's a stressful film that's more about the preparation for the disaster than the actual apocalypse soon to occur.

3 shock waves out of 5