Toy Story 5 (2026)

The reason this franchise hits so hard is because it's clearly made by people who love film and have a fond remembrance of childhood. Each one has been about embracing and leaving behind the past, and as we get older, so do our memories. The farther away we are from those experiences, the harder it hits.

This one tells the story of how electronic devices are leaving the traditional brick and mortar toys in the dust and forcing kids to grow up too quickly. It's easily the most depressing entry of the series and makes me feel older and more obsolete than ever because it hits on an inevitable truth. It seems like it's on the verge of having something significant to say, but then bails out at the last minute. It's a shame. Can't disparage our technological overlords, I guess...

2½ Lilypads out of 5

Toy Story 4 (2019)

Boy, 2019 feels like a long way behind. This film features the vocal talents of Don Rickles, Carl Reiner, Betty White, Estelle Harris and Carl Weathers, all of whom are no longer with us anymore. It also predates COVID, which feels like simpler times. Film truly is a time capsule. It's important to preserve the past.

Likewise, this franchise understands the value of legacy while continuing to take risks and reinvent itself, branching out in all new directions. This film is about those left behind who must move on from the past in order to find new purpose. It does it in traditional Pixar fashion and succeeds with flying colors.

This would have worked better as the last film in the series, but, you know...

3½ sporks out of 5

Outcome (2026)

A grown up child star, obsessed with his public image and increasingly out of touch with the world, embarks on an apology tour to get ahead of a possible scandal. 10 minutes into this movie, I knew it was going to be high-strung and completely exhausting. Director Jonah Hill is clearly trying too hard to stay hip and relevant. Biggest laugh was a throwaway line during the end credits.

1 Google search out of 5

Good Fortune (2025)

Gabriel, the angel of texting and driving, sticks his neck out for a lost soul down on his luck, allowing him to trade places with a wealthy tech bro and experience a life free from debt, while the other spends time in his shoes. Predictably, it goes about as well as expected, and he doesn't want to change back. A great movie that forces the viewer to consider the disparity between class and wealth. I enjoyed this quite a bit, but of course, the uncomfortable truths remain. The reality is a lot darker, and this movie keeps things as light as possible, but it's a fun diversion from the slings and arrows of real life.

3 chicken nuggies out of 5

Ballerina (2025)

AKA: From the World of John Wick: Ballerina

Ana de Armas portrays Eve Macarro, a Ruska Roma avenging the murder of her father in this spin-off to the John Wick franchise, taking place alongside and adjacent to the events of Parabellum. Eve is slight but proves to be formidable and fully capable of handling this action franchise, and this film is just as dumb and relentless as its male-centric counterpart. Basically does all the things the other movies do well, except she's a girl. Featuring appearances from series staples such as Keanu Reeves and Ian McShane, as well as Lance Reddick's final on-screen role as the wonderful concierge of the Continental, Charon.

3 fire fights out of 5

John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

The concluding chapter of the John Wick saga (or is it?), though the door seems open to return in the future. Donnie Yen joins the cast as the blind assassin who proves to be the biggest thorn in Wick's side. Let's just say the charm of these films is beginning to wear thin and they chose the right time to close out the chapter, but they manage to do so in magnanimous fashion.

Similar to the Mission: Impossible series, these movies continue to grow and grow. This one is just shy of 3 hours. A 3-hour action flick is really hard to pull off well because you somehow have to engage and sustain interest even though the plot remains skin deep. One of the best scenes comes in the third hour, in the form of a top-down isometric video game angle, but that's only one example. There is a lot of skill involved behind the camera and that's what manages to push it from a mediocre concept into a great magic trick. Most importantly, Keanu looks cool as fuck doing it, and that's all it boils down to in the end. Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves appear to be the last of the Hollywood superstars who still do their own stunts, and both franchises go out on top.

3½ flights of stairs out of 5

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)

Picking up sheer moments after Chapter 2's thrilling cliffhanger, the Baba Yaga essentially prepares to wage war against the world. The first 20 minutes or so stand head and shoulders above anything else in the franchise and I almost wish it could have sustained that breakneck intensity throughout. A lot of it is ridiculousness in service of abiding by "rules" that are set in place by invisible forces. What you're signing up for here is impressively choreographed gun fu sequences with lots of neon colors, pulsing tunes and a shitload of violence, and it delivers as advertised. It's shallow, mindless action, but it looks good doing it. Lest we not forget, this is a series that all began with the murder of a puppy, and there are still loose ends to tie up. It's kind of funny to think that all of these movies take place within a week.

3½ markers out of 5

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)

Who would have thought that Sonic would become a Jim Carrey vehicle? This time, we've got two Eggmen and two hedgehogs, so double the destruction. As usual, stuff is happening at supersonic speed, there are characters from games I haven't played (Shadow is this volume's latest addition, voiced by Keanu) and a backstory going back 50 years that feels secondary to the plot. But every time Jim graces the screen, I've got a stupid smile plastered on my face. As far as quality is concerned, I would say this franchise has remained consistently entertaining, although clearly skewed for younger audiences.

It's more of the same, so if you enjoyed the others, you'll enjoy this one.

3 diamonds in the sky out of 5

Babes in Toyland (1986)

It's Xmas eve in Cincinnati, but eleven-year-old Lisa (Drew Barrymore) isn't feeling the seasonal spirit. I kind of respected her at that stage, but the film is about recapturing it, so something had to give. In Wizard of Oz style she wakes in Toyland, wherein people from her real life take on roles in the new world, including her sister's sleazy boss and his employee Keanu.
The world is populated by story folk, which means man-size teddy bears and simpletons with the intelligence of chocolate chip cookies. But Pat Morita, too, which was a surprise. Will Lisa stop the rotten Barnaby (Richard Mulligan) from ruling Toyland and find in her heart not just the true spirit of Xmas but the importance of embracing childhood, too? Is there even any doubt?

2 flower cars out of 5

River's Edge (1986)

Dir. Tim Hunter's controversial work is as powerful today as it was upon its original release. It follows a group of US kids, mostly of high school age, one of whom has murdered his girlfriend. The others learn of the killing, but their deep-seated apathy toward life means the crime goes unreported.
Thematically dark, for the most part, bordering on saturnine, the slow pace segues effortlessly from weird to quietly disturbing.
I've seen it likened to Richard Linklater's work, which is an understandable but not entirely helpful comparison. It made me think more of Marisa Silver's Permanent Record (1988), even though the two films deal with post-traumatic emotions very differently. Coincidentally, both feature Keanu Reeves.

4 grim triggers out of 5

Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

The thought of Brian Blessed in an adapted-for-film Shakespeare tale is an exciting prospect for me, but, alas, Blessed's character (Antonio) is merely a supporting one. To the fore (eventually) are the bickering duo of Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson as Benedick and Beatrice, respectively, both of whom liven up the material, particularly Branagh's soliloquies, such as the one during the eavesdropping moments that give the story its best scene(s).
The playful matchmaking and wilful deceptions that skilfully upend the narrative are easy to follow, moving it along at a delightful pace. If you're a fan of Much Ado and prefer the bard's works in a faithful setting with the original language, then you'll maybe enjoy it as much as I did.

3½ hey nonny nonnies out of 5

47 Ronin (2013)

47 Ronin is a very lean film. There's nothing present here beyond what is absolutely necessary. However, it isn't hollow or sparse like many current efforts. I will still joyfully admit that I brought a lot into it myself, and that it is very much OF myself. I cannot begin to guarantee that Keanu will wring emotion out of you the way he does for me. However, if you can recognize the appropriateness of the spartan execution, given the subject matter, and are willing to look into yourself as experiencing it, you may find similar fulfillment.

4 Minus Three Degrees of Yayoi out of 5

Nutted by NEG.

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 [2017]

After a lengthy string of box office bombs and critical failures actor Keanu Reeves finally reached back to the top with 2014's wildly entertaining hyper-violent revenge flick John Wick.  So naturally he and director Chad Stahelski would return for a second round of inexcusable violence.
Wick travels the world after a bounty is put on his head, where he finds himself wearing plenty of stylish clothes, indulges in extravagant fight sequences & slick music, reunites with Laurence Fishburne and finds guns.  Lots of guns.
This time around the film knows how ridiculous it is and adds in plenty of dark humor to lighten the mood a little more but it also manages to flesh out the alternate reality that it's set in, making for a very intriguing set-up for the inevitable concluding chapter.  The Wick films are some of the best pieces of cinematic pulp fiction audiences have seen in a long time and it seems everyone involved enthusiastically knows it.

3 awkward subway rides out of 5

The Replacements (2000)

If you’re going to assemble a team, be it heroes, misfits, villains, or otherwise, there needs to be a legitimate connection established between them, and they all need to have appropriately balanced amounts of screen-time. This film does that better than anything I’ve seen in the West. Every character has a purpose and moments to shine. Keanu rightfully uses his position as the star to literally throw the spotlight onto his teammates. He even took a major pay cut to get Gene Hackman on board, for the good of the movie—for the good of the team. Unlike a recent effort, the camaraderie is real and so is its emotional raison d’être.

4½ Easily Outwitted Bookies out of 5

Nutted by NEG.

THE NEON DEMON [2016]

Director Nicolas Winding Refn's deeply disturbing psychological horror film, The Neon Demon, goes out of it's way to polarize audience's feelings.
A young aspiring model moves to Los Angeles to pursue her career, where she meets a horde of people in the industry that, like a Hellhole, would like to swallow her whole.
On the outside it seems like a hypnotically scathing look at the fashion business but dig a little deeper and you'll find in it's an immensely distressing love letter to beautiful disgust.  Elle Fanning cements herself as an acting force to be reckoned with for years to come as the supporting cast all do a wonderful job at making the best of their parts as well.  As a lover of off-beat horror films, this one doesn't disappoint with it's stunning visuals, Cliff Martinez's pulsating score and plenty of frightening moments that will be impossible to scrub from the traumatized mind.

4 cougars out of 5

KNOCK KNOCK [2015]

Keanu Reeves stars in director Eli Roth's home invasion thriller Knock Knock, a remake of a 1977 B-movie, Death Game.
Family man Keanu is home alone for the weekend, when one rainy night two soaking wet young girls knock on the door asking for help, so naturally the gentleman that he is invites them in and things begin to get out of control in the worst (or best?) ways.
Roth, who's known for extreme gore, opts to disturb the viewer with unsettling subject matter and squirm-worthy situations that are at times so outrageous they're hilarious.  As always, Keanu's acting goes from embarrassingly terrible to almost believable but it's actually to the two unknown girls (one is Roth's wife) that steal the show with their deliciously psychotic violent tendencies.
The film is pure trash, that may or may not be trying to make a statement but still it's too much bad fun to stop watching.

2½ vinyl collections out of 5

BILL & TED'S BOGUS JOURNEY [1991]

Everybody's favorite dudes from San Dimas are back in director Peter Hewitt's Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, the sequel to the 1989 comedy cult hit.
This time around, the Wyld Stallyns are killed by futuristic robot versions of themselves and must enlist the help of Death to make a most triumphant return to the living.  The two leads are even more comfortable in their roles and it shows, especially if you keep your eye on Bill and all his hilarious mannerisms & gestures.  William Sadler as an Eastern European Grim Reaper steals every scene he's in with his deadpan delivery.  The film is a couple notches darker than it's predecessor and a helluva lot weirder but that's part of it's charm.  There's some incredibly inventive camera-work that's damaged by overly sloppy editing and awkwardly rushed takes.  Casual fans of the original feel this isn't as good, however dedicated fans feel it's even better.

3 heads of the Faith No More Spiritual & Theological Center out of 5

SIDE BY SIDE [2012]

Side By Side is probably one of the most fascinating documentaries for die-hard film junkies and most definitely one of the dullest for the casual popcorn muncher.
Actor dude Keanu Reeves interviews a slew of modern directors, editors & cinematographers about the pros & cons of digital and celluloid film.  Reeves makes for a wonderful interviewer, asking all the right questions with an impressive knowledge of the subject, aided by a quiet charm and wit about him.  The film itself never picks sides (it's not shot on film by the way) and with all the arguments made from each side I found myself rooting for both by the end.  Either way, as it so firmly exclaims, as long as the heart of the film is in the right place, it shouldn't matter how it's made.

3½ M.I.A. Tarantinos out of 5

Permanent Record (1988)

An excellent film from Marisa Silver that I feel deserves a lot more attention than it currently gets. It co-stars Keanu Reeves, who does a version of Ted a year before he met Bill but not played as much for laughs. He and best friend David (Alan Boyce), both weeks away from high school graduation and an uncertain future, are trying to get their band into a recording studio. Chris (Keanu) tries, but mostly he takes things in his stride. David, however, is feeling the pressure, while his silent cries for help go unnoticed.
It slow burns into the story of a young guy in a situation he's unprepared for, yet aware that he need step up to the mark if anything is to be salvaged. It's simple but delivered with an acute eye for what's important.

4 hemmed responsibilities out of 5

JOHN WICK [2014]

The Matrix's Neo stunt double & martial arts coordinator Chad Stahelski makes his directorial debut reuniting with Keanu Reeves on the ridiculously violent revenge flick, John Wick.
Reeves plays a dude who sets out to extract nasty vengeance on the people that killed the dog that his recently deceased wife gave him as a parting gift.  Stahelski creates a pulpy world that's looks like it would be Rian Johnson's version of an Asia Extreme flick...and it acts like one too.  It's carefully planned out hand-to-hand fight sequences are beautifully shot and edited you almost don't notice how senseless the heaps of violence actually is.  With it's gaggle of supporting actors that play like a who's who of violent b-movies of the past 30 years, the film has it's audience already set in but won't find anyone looking for intelligent substance or afterthoughts.  It's a gorgeous looking guilty pleasure with very limited redeeming qualities and that's okay with me.

3 Boogeymen out of 5