Ladies First (2026)

A misogynist hits his head and wakes up in a misandrist's world dominated by women, effectively inverting their positions. Once you get the joke that every single gender role is reversed, the plot doesn't get any deeper than that. What doesn't make any sense is that the men are all feminized and the women are endowed with masculine qualities, which contradicts the very message it's trying to put across, so I'm not sure what this film is trying to say. The endless moralizing on screen comes off condescending, exhausting and insufferable. And without any of the male empowerment roles that are afforded to women, the men here are all portrayed as either weak or evil, with no in-between. It might be considered problematic if the whole thing wasn't so fuckin' stupid. 

Remake of the French film, I Am Not an Easy Man, which I have no plans to see.

0 testicle bras out of 5

Poor Things (2023)

How to condense this film into a concise summary without giving away key plot points? It's the type of film that needs to be seen to be believed, without any prior expectations set. Bella (Emma Stone, at the tip-top of her game) is a Frankenstein-like creation who wants to experience the world for herself and sets out on an epic journey of self-discovery. Yorgos is the perfect filmmaker to handle this weird, sometimes off-putting material, which is both hilarious and tragic. It's a brilliant movie and I hope I haven't said too much or too little.

5 furious jumping out of 5

The Front Room (2024)

Took me some effort to find a poster that wasn't just Brandy's stupid face plastered all over it. A24 did a terrible job of promoting this movie. Had they sold it as a dark comedy, which it is, it might have actually found its audience instead of being buried like some second-rate Blumhouse thriller. 

Belinda is a heavily pregnant woman who mourns the recent loss of her stillborn child. After her husband's father dies, his unhinged stepmom comes to stay with them. She's a belligerent, incontinent, racist, religious nutjob who clashes with the furniture and slowly takes over their lives.

This movie is fun and campy and doesn't take itself seriously. The standout here is Solange (Kathryn Hunter), who is a cross between the old gypsy lady from Drag Me to Hell and Anne Ramsey's character from Throw Momma from the Train. It takes the piss out of everyone and everything. This would have been such a gas to watch with a crowd. The imagery in this movie borders on downright revolting, but somehow I find it so refreshing.

3 M-E-double-S messes out of 5