Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)

Following the big spoiler at the end of No Way Home, Peter Parker is going through some pretty dramatic ch-ch-ch-changes. Meanwhile, he faces off against a powerful adversary who appears to be able to jump into different human hosts at will. It's your traditional comic book story involving heroes struggling to fulfill their purpose while overcoming great adversity, except this time everyone is firing on all cylinders (Punisher included). As always, humanity defines these characters, and at the heart of it, it's a warm, gentle story. I have nothing cynical to add. This is just a great Spider-Man adventure.

4 premature webshots out of 5

Note: Next up for our crew? Avengers: Doomsday, in time for Christmas 2026.

Thunderbolts* (2025)

Jesus Christ, are we into the summer blockbuster season already?

The latest tentpole from Marvel takes a page out of indie studio A24's book with a more intimate, character-based approach, which is a huge improvement in my opinion. It follows up and reunites characters from Black Widow (Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, Taskmaster), The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Bucky Barnes, John Walker/U.S. Agent) and others (Ghost) in a team-up ensemble flick meant to evoke The Avengers, except on a much smaller scale. I'm more fond of this ragtag group of losers and misfits (akin to Guardians of the Galaxy) than even the "serious" heroes. But it's so much more than the sum of all its parts. At the center of the story is a mysterious new character known only as "Bob."

This was so enjoyable compared to Brave New World. Sometimes the MCU can still surprise you, even 36 films into it. This is the final installment of Phase 5; to be followed by The Fantastic Four: First Steps, due later in the summer.

3 taco shields out of 5

Oppenheimer (2023)

The most overrated movie of 2023. I love Christopher Nolan as much as the next film nerd, but he excels at making epic, original sci-fi films. I'm not quite as thrilled with his heady, awards-baiting historical dramas. This is essentially a 3-hour "talkie" picture about the Manhattan Project, and its literal fallout and legal ramifications. Does it really need to be that long to tell this story? Feels like a lot of pretentious showboating to me. The performances are all great and worthy of the acclaim they received, it's just that the whole thing feels a lot more self-important than it actually is. It does a fine job at telling its story, but isn't half as memorable or noteworthy as everyone else pretends it to be.

Won the "Best Picture" Oscar for 2023, but if the Academy had any balls, it would have gone to Poor Things.

3 Destroyer of Worlds out of 5

We Live in Time (2024)

Untethered by time, a couple's story unfolds in a nonlinear narrative, starting at the end when they receive bad news. We witness milestones in their lives, the typical stages of a relationship, with ups and downs, etc. I don't have a problem with a love story told well, but this felt a bit gimmicky. It goes through all the usual melodramatic tropes, but it mostly plays out in slow, boring and predictable fashion. The actors are at the top of their game, and there are sweet moments sprinkled throughout, but the material itself could have used a refresher. The whole thing ends up feeling cloying and manipulative. Don't we ALL live in time? Some of us just aren't so lucky.

(No, I can't stop looking at that fucking horse on the cover either.)

2½ Weetabix out of 5

Midsommar (2019)

A wonderfully grounded folk horror tale instantly bringing to mind classics like The Wicker Man, The Devils and Suspiria. This one takes its sweet time establishing its uneasy tone, but it rewards the viewer's patience with darkness that lurks in the familiar light of day. Not quite as iconic as Ari Aster's initial effort, but he capably handles the scope of the emotional material and demonstrates the potential for great things yet to come. Florence Pugh is a standout here.

3½ flower crowns out of 5