Twinless (2025)

Two guys—one straight, one gay—meet at a support group for people who have lost their twin and become fast friends. There are a couple of extra layers to this psychological drama which make it better than your average dark buddy comedy, but to say any more would be giving the game away.

3 malapropisms out of 5

Reminders of Him (2026)

A family drama about a woman returning home after serving 7 years in prison for the death of her boyfriend. She wishes to meet the daughter she never knew, though the guardians are protective of ever letting that happen. Like Colleen Hoover's other adapted works (It Ends with Us, Regretting You), it has a very specific feeling attached to it; almost a bit too gentle, given the gravity of the situation. There are predictable family dynamics and relationships at play, where everything is framed and lit beautifully and everyone is a 10. This is what I like to call a "normal" movie. It's very normie-coded, but that's okay.

2½ pigeons out of 5

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024)

The Herdmans are an underprivileged family of juvenile delinquents and misfits who decide to infiltrate the local church pageant in order to score some grub. They bully and strong-arm the rest of the kids into getting the lead roles and deconstruct the Nativity story. Meanwhile, a put-upon mother tasked with running her first pageant must find it in her heart to give these kids a chance while the rest of the town locals scoff. I'm really not doing the material any favors because it's actually a lot more thoughtful than I give it credit for. As a family film about the "true meaning" of the season, I thought it told a sweet, simple story that conveyed real emotion.

3 gifts of ham out of 5

Bad Santa (2003)

The perfect antidote to the holidays. Unabashedly vulgar, a crude, drunk, self-hating, sex-addicted, lowlife conman disguises himself as a department store Santa in order to gain access to the safe on Christmas. A wrench is thrown into his plans when he unexpectedly finds himself mixed up with a idealistic fat kid who believes he's the real deal. It's the role Billy Bob Thornton was born to play. Manages to be touching without ever hinging on sentimentality, if that makes any sense. I blame it on Chopin's Nocturne #2.

4 blows to the nuts out of 5