When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

"Well, that's the good thing about depression; you get your rest."

You know how you can tell when a movie is a classic? When you haven't seen it in years, yet you still remember it as vividly as if you saw it the other day.

Directed by Rob Reiner* and scribed by Nora Ephron, this perfect marriage of romance and comedy explores 12 years of a platonic relationship through chance encounters, and the eternal question of whether men and women can just be friends. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are effortlessly charming in the roles of two complete opposites, where the timing never seems to line up.

Along with Annie Hall, I consider it to be one of the best rom-coms of all time.

5 of what she's having out of 5

*The director of what I would consider to be five 5-star movies:

This is Spinal Tap (1984)

Stand by Me (1986)

The Princess Bride (1987)

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Misery (1990)

R.I.P. Rob Reiner and good riddance to this terrible year...

The Great Flood (2025)

AKA: 대홍수 (Daehongsu)

This one starts off immediately. Heavy rainfalls at a high-rise apartment building in Seoul forces its residents upwards, including a woman and her young child. That's only the first stage of this apocalyptic sci-fi disaster epic. The real bend of this film unfurls about 20 minutes into the film, but I won't reveal it here. The twisty and convoluted premise manages to sustain the suspense for most of its runtime, even when you're ahead of the narrative.

3½ swimming goggles out of 5

Train Dreams (2025)

Chronicles the life of one Robert Grainier, an ordinary man without much sense of direction or purpose, who searches for meaning in the absurdity and tragedy that follows him during the early twentieth century. Life is simple but hard, and similarly, I found this film meditative but dull, which is probably an accurate depiction of what life was like back then. The cinematography is beautiful and brings to mind the works of Terrence Malick, as we're treated to long stretches of quiet contemplation. It seems to be about how the world changes and leaves us behind, which is as profound as it is devastating.

3 boots nailed to a tree out of 5

The Thing with Feathers (2025)

A recently widowed father navigates through grief after the sudden passing of his wife, as he contends with a voice in his head and an ominous presence that appears to visit him through his illustrations. It goes without saying that it's depressing as fuck, without much reprieve. It couldn't help but remind me of Tuesday, but way more of a bummer. Benedict Cumberbatch carries the film on his shoulders, but the story is sparse and it never quite manages to take off.

2 sad dads out of 5

No Other Choice (2025)

AKA: 어쩔수가없다 (Eojjeolsugaeopda)

After 25 years at the job of a paper mill company, a well-to-do family man is left unemployed and in dire straits. Driven to desperate measures, he realizes he needs to eliminate the competition in order to get back in good standing.

Lee Byung-hun (Squid Game) is so damn good in the film and Park Chan-wook has great fun with the material, loaded with lots of stylistic choices and clever farcical humor. It's a dark satirical thriller that reminded me of Parasite in more ways than one, especially the idea of common folk taking on the class system. 

4 potted plants out of 5

It Was Just an Accident (2025)

AKA: Yek tasādof-e sāde

An Iranian torture victim captures who he believes to be his former captor but has his doubts and a crisis of conscience when the man claims to be innocent. This sends him on a journey with a group of other political prisoners to verify his identity and exact their vengeance. A tense revenge thriller with a streak of dark humor; this is a great film that'll stick in your mind long after it's over.

3½ squeaky legs out of 5

Sentimental Value (2025)

AKA: Affeksjonsverdi

A strained relationship between a famed director (Stellan Skarsgård) and his daughter (Renate Reinsve) comes a head when he casts a young Hollywood starlet (Elle Fanning) to portray her in his new film. Explores the relationship between artistic expression and intergenerational trauma. I found it a bit too clean cut for my liking, but the performances and the sentiment are top notch.

3½ slaps for good luck out of 5

Rental Family (2025)

AKA: レンタル・ファミリー

Brendan Fraser plays a struggling American actor working in Japan who signs up with a rental family agency, providing emotional surrogacy to a range of clients, including father to a little girl and companionship to an old man in the early stages of dementia. This is a profoundly, deeply lonely movie that hit me emotionally in all the right spots. I feel I'm doing a disservice to it in my nut.

4 lives before life out of 5

Song Sung Blue (2025)

Two dreamers find themselves late in life (lucky them!) and form a Neil Diamond tribute band known as Lightning & Thunder, while weathering the storm of love, life and tragedy along the way. It's hard to describe how this movie sinks its hooks in you, but it's a very moving account of a true to life couple who forged their bonds through the power of music. If you're a Neil Diamond fan, it's even better. It's heavily saccharine, but you know what? That's okay sometimes, especially when the performances are this strong.

4 "so good"s out of 5

Note: Based on the 2008 documentary of the same name, available here.

Marty Supreme (2025)

A young go-getter lies, steals and grifts his way through a trial by fire to achieve his dreams of becoming a championship league table tennis player. It's by Josh Safdie, so you know it's gonna be stressful as fuck with so much going on, although in some ways this feels like the antithesis to Uncut Gems.

Honestly, every instinct in my body tells me I should hate this one, but you have to admire the kind of determined grit it takes to triumph against all odds.

4 orange ping-pong balls out of 5

Christy (2025)

Sydney Sweeney dresses down, weights up, and goes through the "ugly actor process" (not unlike Dwayne Johnson in The Smashing Machine) to portray real life figure Christy Salters, a tough as nails fighter who busts her ass to make her mark on women's boxing while suffering through sexism, homophobia and domestic abuse. As cynical as I am about these biopics, this is both a harrowing and inspiring story with standout performances by Sweeney and Ben Foster; although, if you've seen one sports underdog movie, you've seen 'em all.

3 pockets full of change out of 5

The Housemaid (2025)

A woman with a troubled past becomes the live-in maid for a wealthy household that seems to house a lot of secrets within. It's a twisty-turny psychological thriller with mysteries abound that keep unraveling. Lots of weirdness and inconsistencies throughout. It all falls apart towards the end, but it's an entertaining ride getting there. It also poses the question: Who would win in a fight? Amanda Seyfried or Sydney Sweeney's cleavage?

2½ deadbolts out of 5

Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025)

Avatar has a new skin. While the first two films introduced us to the forest and the sea clans, we now have the ash clan. All that's missing is the air element...

James Cameron does it again. By creating a rich, fully inhabited world that you would rather live in, you forgive all the flaws in this epic sprawling picture, filled with warring clans and transparent allusions to racism. Visually, it's a 10/10 movie; like your desktop wallpaper come to life. Cameron has masterful command over the material and takes us to dazzling, staggering heights filled with beauty, wonder and imagination. Individual moments shine, but most of it feels like CGI on overdrive with things exploding in the background, which overshadows the drama and emotional stakes. The new villain Varang (Oona Chaplin) oozes with sensuality, while the most interesting character remains the teenage Kiri (Sigourney Weaver), but there are too many storylines and the whole thing loses focus quickly. The fundamental flaw of these movies is that they're way too fucking long. And it's starting to feel repetitive at this point. I enjoyed it, but I also breathed a sigh of relief when it was finally over.

3½ breathing devices out of 5

Note: Luckily, this film does feature a conclusive enough ending if Cameron chooses not to continue with his planned sequels. We'll see what happens.

Anaconda (2025)

Behind the scenes on an Anaconda movie turns into a real life anaconda movie in this meta reboot featuring a tight knit of childhood friends who team up to make their filmmaking dreams come true. It's funny to a degree, although the trailers do a good job of ruining all the surprises. It's very broad comedy, but preferable as an alternative to a soulless remake. Familiarity with the original film is not required, but recommended for maximum fan service enjoyment.

2½ shy whizzes out of 5

Anaconda (1997)

A documentary film crew on an expedition in the Amazon crosses paths with a snake hunter searching for a legendary giant anaconda in this cheesy horror adventure flick. The standout here is Jon Voight as the former priest turned jungle raider. The blend of practical effects and early CGI is jarring at times, but all part of its odd nostalgic appeal. Kind of like a budget Jurassic Park. 

It's a dumb creature feature, but kind of enjoyable for the same reasons.

3 digestible meals out of 5

Troll 2 (2025)

Troll, except now there's 2 of them. Not to be confused with this Troll 2.

If the first one was Godzilla, then this is Godzilla vs. Kong. That is to say, there's nothing truly original about this. It's a Norwegian film riddled with Hollywood clichés. As always, the slow motion telegraphs emotion and the contrivances are there to wring some forced drama out of the proceedings.

This movie is bad; not in a fun way. It made me long to see The BFG again.

1 silver sword dipped in holy water out of 5

Troll (2022)

Deep in the mountains of Dovre, an ancient troll has awakened from its slumber, while a paleontologist teams up with her estranged father to investigate it in this Norwegian folklore-inspired monster flick, which feels like the local Nordic version of Godzilla. It's mostly the CGI that brings the quality of the production down, but the whole thing just feels so painfully generic, and once you involve the military, these films become significantly less fun. Honestly, Trollhunter is looking much better by comparison.

2 Halls of the Mountain King out of 5

Dust Bunny (2025)

A delightful dark fantasy told through the eyes of a child. 8-year-old Aurora is terrified of the monsters hiding under her bed, including a literal bunny made up of dust. She procures the services of her mysterious next door neighbor to handle the problem, although he doesn't believe the monsters are literal. It's a simply told horror tale that lulls you in a state of calm on the surface, but the charming performances (including first-timer Sophie Sloan) carry you forward. 

Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies, Hannibal) makes his big screen directorial debut. 

3 chicken butt lamps out of 5

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 (2025)

Taking place at another Freddy Fazbear franchise location with its own tragic backstory, we're introduced to a new animatronic known as the Marionette. It's somewhat spookier than the first film, and therefore better, but it still can't escape the shackles of its PG-13 prison, catering to the kiddies in the audience. It'll most likely work best with those who recognize it for all the fan service. 

2½ music boxes out of 5

Five Nights at Freddy's (2023)

A guy struggling to keep custody of his younger sister has to take a crappy security job at a Chuck E. Cheese knockoff with animatronic creatures that come alive at night. But Night at the Museum, this is not. Visually, the robots look great (courtesy of Jim Henson's Creature Shop), but it's missing the stark horror and simplicity of the games. It's an amusing horror comedy that does the best it can with its PG-13 premise, but if you want to see the better (albeit, unofficial) adaptation of FNaF, check out Nicolas Cage in Willy's Wonderland.

2½ camera angles out of 5

Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025)

Billy has a voice inside his head telling him who to kill. He meets a girl named Peggy who is suffering from her own demons. It's a remake of the 1984 slasher film, flipping the script and making him fight for good, killing only evildoers through a sixth sense. It's a decent enough effort in a paint-by-numbers kind of way, as predictable as it is to figure out where it's heading the whole way.

1½ Nazi Santas out of 5

Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker (1991)

After the last film failed to make an impact, this one goes in a completely different direction, with killer toys that seem to deliver themselves. None other than Mickey Rooney stars in this film (who denounced the original film), making his auspicious Nutshell debut in the oddest of roles, as toymaker Joe Petto. This one shares more in common with Puppet Master or Demonic Toys, which brings me great joy. Sadly, it ended just when it was getting interesting.

This was the last of the SNDN series, aside from two reboots in 2012 and 2025.

2½ malfunctions out of 5

Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation (1990)

AKA: Bugs

Brian Yuzna steps in as director in a sequel that bears little resemblance to the previous three films (no guys in Santa suits here). It represents a clean break from the series, similar to Season of the Witch. In fact, this one also deals with witches, as a journalist investigates a bizarre burning incident, leading her on a dark odyssey. Even though it contains some cool, grody Cronenberg-esque special effects, it's clear the script was repurposed and Christmas seems to be an afterthought. It's so bizarre and nonsensical, it's to be admired, really.

1½ naked lunches out of 5

Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! (1989)

After a good first installment and a garbage retread, we split the difference with a ho-ho-hum sequel to the SNDN franchise. Laura is a blind girl with latent clairvoyant abilities, undergoing experimental sleep studies where she shares a psychic link to a survivor from the last film. I kinda liked this one; it attempts to do something different with the series. But with so many directions it could have gone, but it settles for the road most travelled. The whole thing feels staged in slow motion and bound to put you to sleep with milk and cookies.

2 session tapes out of 5

Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972)

AKA: Deathouse

AKA: Death House

AKA: Night of the Dark Full Moon

After being discovered burned alive, Wilfred Butler's estate is bequeathed to his grandson, with the express order that it is to remain untouched. Twenty years later, Butler House is suddenly up for sale, and death soon follows.

A proper spooky mystery film, this holiday slasher predates even Black Christmas. The beauty is in its simplicity, which is unique to the era it was made. This one is all but forgotten to time, but it deserves its flowers.

3 diary entries out of 5

Note: The film is in the public domain and available for free viewing.

Secret Santa (2018)

Things are getting heated over Christmas family dinner and people are at each other's throats as the truth comes to light. I don't want to give too much of this black comedy away because it unfolds so organically, but it's so gratifying to see a realistic depiction of family dysfunction with a macabre twist. It's such a ferociously funny and vulgar anti-Christmas movie, it cured my holiday ails.

3½ skull fucks out of 5

Santa's Slay (2005)

Wrestler Bill Goldberg plays a jacked demonic Santa with attitude, free from a thousand year curse. The first four minutes of this movie is killer. The rest fails to live up to it, but still pretty damn fun if you're tired of the typical Christmas offerings. The one ingredient a lot of Christmas horror movies are missing is irreverence and this one has a heaping dose of it. With repeat viewings over the years, it's bound to become a staple of the season. Pair it with Krampus.

3 curling matches out of 5

The Creeps (2025)

Extremely cheesy horror comedy about a kid celebrating his 17th birthday in Finland, where killer snowmen attack. It tries very hard to evoke the Gremlins ethos (including a cameo from Joe Dante), which works fine when it's practical effects, but the overreliance on CGI spoils a good thing. Filled with lots of '80s movie and TV references, including a very overt Highlander subplot (featuring Christopher Lambert himself). This all adds up to something that should have been a lot more fun than it was, but maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for it.

2 gluten allergies out of 5

Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman (2000)

What's the best way to beat the cold and avoid mutant killer snowmen? Spend Christmas at a tropical resort in the Bahamas. Even this one stretches the limits of credulity from its ridiculous concept. It's almost like the I Still Know What You Did Last Summer of the Jack Frost series, except so much dumber. Now the creatures have multiplied, and it takes on kind of a Tremors feel. It really leans into the silliness and absurdity, so you have to be in the right mood for it.

A third film was planned, but scrapped after actor Christopher Allport passed.

3 ice anvils out of 5

Jack Frost (1997)

On his way to be executed, a serial killer's transport crashes into a genetic research truck, where his mutated DNA merges with the water molecules and he becomes a killer snowman able to reconstitute at will, all while swearing revenge on the small-time sheriff who caught him. You know exactly what you're getting with this over-the-top horror-comedy; ridiculous kills and cheesy one-liners. It shares a similar DNA to the Chucky movies, except the immortal soul has been trapped in ice and snow, so he's rendered unkillable.

I remember seeing this on video when it first came out. I was the perfect age for it. It remains one of the underrated gems of the season and a cult classic.

3½ snow balls out of 5

Note: Not to be confused with Jack Frost (1998) starring Michael Keaton.

The Predator Holiday Special (2018)

Santa Claus, his elves and his reindeer encounter a Predator at the North Pole. It's a two-minute stop-motion film included in the Blu-Ray special features for The Predator designed to promote the home release, which probably takes less time to watch than to nut. It's a fun, festive, bloody treat to fit the holiday.

3 forearm clasps out of 5

Note: Can be viewed here in its entirety for free.

The First Snow of Fraggle Rock (2025)

The caves are decorated with lights, and the Fraggles of Fraggle Rock await the first blanket of winter, but when only a single snowflake materializes, Gobo doesn't have enough inspiration to write the annual holiday song. So he must travel to "Outer Space" (the human world) for further motivation. The Fraggles's best attribute has always been the music, and there are four new songs here, although only one of them is an earworm ("Can You Feel It?"). It's a pretty tame and tepid holiday special designed for the kiddies, and nothing I would ever be interested in revisiting. Worth it only for the nostalgic factor.

2 rock blocks out of 5

White Reindeer (2013)

After a tragedy leaves her world torn apart, a woman is sent down a dark path where she makes some unexpected friends. Not only does this pitch-black comedy make a great counterprogramming to Christmas, but it's one of the best examinations of grief I've ever seen. Make it a double bill with Bad Santa.

3½ spending sprees out of 5

Merry Good Enough (2023)

Every year, I search for the ultimate anti-Christmas movie and my hopes are always dashed. Aside from horror, there are always happy endings, and even the most subversive films seem to embrace the holiday spirit by the end.

After feeling unappreciated by her dysfunctional family, the mother to three grown children disappears on Christmas. There's a lot of dark potential to mine in this indie dramedy, but it never quite goes far enough. Close, but no cigar.

2½ objects left on the roof of the car out of 5

Oh. What. Fun. (2025)

Michelle Pfeiffer plays a GILF who is hosting the holidays this year, along with an all-star cast who apparently had nothing else better to do. Each year, I suffer through a new crop of Christmas movies that always recycle the same ideas and morals, which is that family sucks, but they're your family, blah, blah blah. You know that's exactly what you're going to get here. I'm disappointed that this came from Michael Showalter because I was expecting something dark and subversive. It positions itself to become a holiday classic devoted to moms, but you can't force that shit; from all the intentional Christmas Vacation and Home Alone vibes littered throughout. The only reason why this isn't a total piece of shit is because Pfeiffer elevates everything she does and she looks fucking incredible for 67, but that's not nearly enough to save it.

1½ sorrowful renditions of "12 Days of Christmas" out of 5

A Merry Little Ex-Mas (2025)

First off, when did Alicia Silverstone and Melissa Joan Hart get so old? Fuck.

A couple still on good terms decide to "consciously uncouple," but still insist on spending Christmas together with the kids, even when the ex has upgraded to a shiny new model. It's your typical Hallmark Netflix holiday movie with the edges rounded off and nothing that would make your grandmother raise an eyebrow. Just going through the motions of its AI-generated script. Utter slop.

0 portable fireplaces out of 5

Fackham Hall (2025)

One of the more clever titles in recent memory (say it with a thick accent), this spoof of stuffy period dramas is a wonderful blend of ZAZ humor and Monty Python irreverence. Like many films of this ilk, it's stuffed with so many gags, you won't be able to catch them all the first time around. Even if you've never seen a Downton Abbey in your life, there's still plenty to enjoy, including the romance at the heart of it. Jimmy Carr lends his particular style of joke writing skill to great use, although it sometimes feels like the edginess is being held back in spite of its R rating. It's funny, but I wish it would have gone harder.

3 fap war injuries out of 5

Jay Kelly (2025)

Clooney plays a successful actor (wink wink) going through an existential crisis, who takes an impromptu trip to Europe, while his entourage follows him wherever he goes. It's a very "inside baseball" look at the entertainment industry, occasionally meandering and self-indulgent, but performances are strong and it's easy to get caught up in the glitz. It didn't quite work its magic on me, but it's a solid effort and an examination of a life lived good enough.

3 slices of cheesecake out of 5

Ella McCay (2025)

A young upstart appointed to governor navigates the tricky politics of home dynamics and public office, with a heaping dose of "girl power." James L. Brooks brings his trademark light comedic style to the proceedings, but this feels so hollow and empty at its core that I don't even know what it's trying to say. Performances are good, but almost everyone feels wasted in their role.

1½ screams out of 5

Kiss of the Spider Woman (2025)

An adaptation of the 1992 stage musical, based on the 1976 novel (which was previously adapted into a film in 1985). In an Argentinian jail cell in 1983, a flamboyant man relays the story of his favorite movie to a political prisoner being held for questioning. These Technicolor sequences serve as a fanciful diversion from the stark horrors of prison life. Jennifer Lopez stands out as the titular character, which I enjoyed in contrast to the rest of this drab film. Unfortunately, it's a movie at war with itself that cannot be reconciled.

1½ pairs of shitty underpants out of 5

The Mastermind (2025)

The world's dumbest criminal concocts a half-baked plan to rob an art museum and must deal with the aftermath when things don't go quite as planned. For those familiar with Kelly Reichardt's methodically slow, minimalist style, this ironically serves as an anti-heist movie, focusing more on the banality than the crime itself. I have to admit, this was a very frustrating watch, witnessing its incompetence unfolding at a languishing pace. It gave me a tummy ache.

2½ stolen paintings out of 5

Nouvelle Vague (2025)

Set in 1959 in the wake of Truffaut's The 400 Blows, which paved the way for French New Wave cinema, it follows the unconventional filming style of Jean-Luc Godard as he improvises his way through his first feature, Breathless. Intentional or not, Jean-Luc comes off as a pretentious prick, always wearing dark shades and appearing nonchalant as he clashes with lead actress, Jean Seberg. All of my praise goes towards the look of the film, which feels like it was authentically made during this era—in black and white, Academy ratio and all in French—while Zoey Deutch perfectly captures the nuances of Seberg.

3 cigarette burns out of 5

Blue Moon (2025)

Ethan Hawke plays Lorenz Hart, lyricist to famous tunes such as "My Funny Valentine," "The Lady is a Tramp" and the title of this movie, on the opening night of his former partner Richard Rodgers's hit Broadway show, Oklahoma! The entire film takes place in a restaurant where Hart waxes poetic, bemoans his luck, and harps over a woman half his age. Unfortunately Hawke does such a convincing job at playing the neurotic, overbearing, snobby character that I found the entire movie insufferable and exhausting. It's like Woody Allen except without any of the humor. Also, I couldn't get over the fact that he's playing a five foot character. I kept imagining him crouching in every shot.

2 tiny freckles on her left cheek out of 5

Hamnet (2025)

A fictionalized account of a young William Shakespeare and Agnes Hathaway, and what would eventually become the inspiration for Hamlet. It's a lot less dull than it sounds, as the bard himself takes a backseat to all the melodrama. Jessie Buckley (as Hathaway) easily takes best actress of the year in one of the most moving, affecting performances I've ever seen. I still don't know how to process it all correctly. So many tears, I never want to see it again.

4 soliloquies out of 5

The Carpenter's Son (2025)

A supernatural thriller based on the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, featuring the "lost years" of Jesus. It's basically Teenjus, or The First Temptation of Christ. Nicolas Cage is wasted in the role of Joseph. Visually, it looks good, but the storytelling is boring and the pace is slow. It'll put you to sleep if nothing else.

1 Sitra Achra out of 5

Sangre del Toro (2025)

A portrait on filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and his lifelong fascination with monsters, from Pan's Labyrinth to The Shape of Water. Featuring interviews and rare film footage intercut with his art exhibition in 2019, it explores early influences from Buñuel to Romero to Cronenberg. To no one's surprise, most of it surrounds death and the grotesque and the misunderstood. There's not so much new for those who are already familiar with his oeuvre, and a lot of it feels sprawling and unfocused, but it's worth checking out if you're a fan of his sensibilities. Del Toro is very knowledgeable about different subjects, but this documentary feels superfluous. The films tend to speak for themselves.

2½ mummy boners out of 5

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)

"Oh, the pain. Life is such hideous pain."

Guillermo del Toro brings us his longstanding vision of Pinocchio as a lovingly crafted stop-motion production with all the stops. It's a masterpiece of design and one of the best looking films I've seen all year. I like how it goes beyond the original story to show us how Geppetto was inspired to build the puppet. It has that classic story tale feeling, like the original 1940 Disney animation, but it adds a certain pathos and darkness that was missing from that film. I wasn't expecting to be quite so moved by the end of it. I think it's just wonderful.

4½ hourglasses out of 5

Frankenstein (2025)

Guillermo del Toro's long-gestating Frankenstein project finally comes to fruition, and it's a bit of a letdown. Visually, it's gorgeous and aesthetically pleasing, with del Toro's keen eye for the bizarre and unusual. The problem is, we've seen this all before in one form or another. The Creature himself leaves something to be desired. And it goes on for much too long. While I admire a lot about it, it just didn't connect with me as much as previous versions. But it's still worth recommending simply due to the sheer marvel of the production.

3½ cadavers out of 5

Wake Up Dead Man (2025)

The third in the Knives Out series surrounds a murder in the ranks of a parish when a young priest butts heads with the thorny Monsignor. It's a locked-room ("impossible crime") mystery where Benoit Blanc attempts to prove innocence and clear their name. Daniel Craig settles into the role like an old comfortable shoe, while the film itself feels tonally different from the rest, but it's very much worth a spin in all of its complexity and density. I hope Rian Johnson keeps making these films forever because he has a real knack for the genre.

3½ roads to Damascus out of 5

Glass Onion (2022)

Rian Johnson follows up the successful Knives Out with another Benoit Blanc murder mystery that feels drastically different from the first. Taking place on a remote private island, it's a vacation mystery filled with high-tech gadgetry and hidden motives. Daniel Craig remains, but the rest of the cast changes, positioning him to become the next Hercule Poirot. It's an often convoluted puzzle box with the answers hidden in plain sight, which might detract from some of its thrills, but it's still worth the cost for all its opulent splendor. Craig is so great in the role, it might be the part he's remembered for over Bond.

3½ hourly dongs out of 5