Tag: movie review

MOVIE REVIEW: Milly Alcock’s Portrayal of ‘Supergirl’ Makes the Movie

There is actually a lot of good things that’s going on for Supergirl. I love director Craig Gillespie’s work on I, Tonya and thought he had a really sharp eye here, capturing the deeper pathos of Supergirl. As a character study, I really enjoyed how the film positions Kara as an ultimately powerful superhero, but whose sense of loss is so catastrophic that she feels lost and without purpose. These are the elements that truly resonated with me. However, I felt that the story that surrounded this and the plot that allowed Supergirl’s story to unfold felt incongruent with her personal journey. There were many moments when I felt as though I was watching two completely different films and I was definitely liking one far more than the other.

Kara Zor-El, the cousin of Kal-El (Superman), was born eight years after the fall of Krypton. Her father, the engineer Zor-El, managed to protect a portion of the home planet within a protective force field as its core melted away.

Supergirl | Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

However, as the remaining survivors of Argo, Krypton are slowly dying off and Zor-El’s only recourse to save his daughter was to send her to Earth to join Kal-El. Unlike Superman, Kara did not experience his idealistic and optimistic childhood; instead, she grew up witnessing the slow death and destruction of her entire race.

Supergirl | Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Now turning 23, she copes by hopping between planets with her dog, Krypto, getting drunk and avoiding facing the truth about who she is and who she plans to be. Her celebration gets derailed when she meets Ruthye Marye Knoll, a young girl whose parents were killed by the ruthless brigand leader Krem of the Yellow Hills. She is on a quest to find him to exact her revenge.

Supergirl | Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

When Krem and his crew steal Kara’s shop and shoot Krypto with a fatal poison, the antidote to which only Krem possesses, Kara and Ruthye are forced to band together. For Kara, the stakes transform into a desperate mission to save Krypto, the last living connection to her lost home.

Supergirl | Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

As Kara, Milly Alcock is a wonderful personification of Supergirl’s intense emotional turmoil. She layers her performance with the knowledge that she’s extremely powerful, unapologetic about it, but also uncaring about it. Alcock fully embodies Kara’s deep sense of displacement and purposelessness. There’s a tired way by how she goes about things. She’s dazzling to watch because you know underneath all the walls she has put up is a powerhouse that flattens mountains with a punch or a blast from her eye beams. But her heart isn’t in it. It is such an arresting performance that I could easily watch it all day.

Supergirl | Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

What I did not appreciate, however, was how the plot utilizes this young girl’s quest for vengeance tagging along to somehow mirror or parallel Kara’s own emotional journey. I get it, both characters have suffered greatly and it is through each other that they will find some sort of insight about how to push forward. There is something touching about Ruthye (Eve Ridley), a seemingly hapless child carrying her father’s sword seeking revenge. Yet, her tragic backstory is granted a four-minute prologue, the slaughter of her family ultimately feels more like a convenient plot device than a character-driven storyline. We don’t even get to see the weapons her father died protecting. Instead, Rutheye spends most of the movie wanting revenge and getting into trouble, only to be constantly saved by the more powerful Supergirl, leaving no real room for to see her grow. If she’s mirroring or her journey is to parallel that of Kara-El’s, it doesn’t quite help us gain any new insight into Kara’s deep-seated depression.

Supergirl | Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

There is even a subplot of how the brigands are capturing women as brides because they are an all-male species. This add no real bearing to Kara’s personal journey, or Ruthye’s, for that matter, but its includion feels like a forced, surface-level attempt to show how feminist the film’s story is. You can remove that storyline and the movie would remain still strong and feminist, in just how much more of a burden Kara carries over her more idealistic cousin (still played wonderfully by David Corenswet). Same abilities, same trauma, but different approach; different realities.

Utilmately, the film offers fantastic moments of cinema. This is especially true during the breathtaking sequences in outer space where Supergirl absorbs the energy of the yellow sun and comes into her own, alongside some great, complex fight scenes that allow us to see the full extent of who she is as a superhero and as a character. We get to witness her when at her most vulnerable, completely depowered under the dim light of a red sun, and at her most formidable, super-charged under the radiant rays of the yellow sun. Through it all, she is remains fearless and persistent. What Superman possesses in heart, Supergirl matches in sheer grit.

Supergirl | Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

There is undoubtedly a lot of good materials in this film – some great set pieces, a quick pace, some really great character moments – but I wished the plot had dealt more directly with Kara and her personal emotional journey. I felt Ruthye was not compelling enough as a mirror and it gave no real insight to Kara’s own choices. Meanwhile, Jason Momoa’s appearance as Lobo is exactly how I imagined him to be. It is a highly predictable performance that has no real bearing in the movie other than to put another recognizable DC character into the mix. Ultimately, I really just wanted more of Supergirl herself and I didn’t get nearly enough.

My Rating: 2.5 Stars

Supergirl is now playing in theaters nationwide. Check showtimes, grab your tickets today, and see the cosmic powerhouse in action on the biggest screen possible!

July 3, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: Though a Little Tired and Old, ‘Toy Story 5’ Still Has That Charm and Warmth

I am consistently surprised by how resilient, wonderful, and relevant the Toy Story franchise has remained over the years. As critics and audiences have said many times before, the creators realised the fans of the original movie have grown up and may now have children of their own. So the stories always reflected that of the first audience of the first film and reflected their own relationship with youth, play, and toys. I even enjoyed the fourth installment, despite it not being remembered as fondly. I felt that the story of Woody (Tom Hanks), and his realisation that he had to move on to other things, to pursue a different purpose separate from the one he fought so hard for in previous installments was such a fitting life lesson for me, when I watched it seven years ago; as a man who just turned forty.

The fifth installment sidelines Woody and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) to center its focus now on Jessie (Joan Cusack), the new sheriff of the children’s room. Having experienced being given away twice before – first by Emily and later by Andy as he outgrew his childhood – Jessie serves as the main protagonist of this story that directly deals with her trauma of being replaced. This time, however, the threat isn’t that their new owner, Bonnie, has outgrown them, at eight years old, she is still young enough to play. Instead, Jessie and the rest of the gang are being displaced by modern tech toys. Joining the franchise is Lily (Greta Lee), a sleek tablet short for “Lilypad”, who promises to help Bonnie make friends.

Toy Story 5 deals with the impersonal world of tech and the changing nature of social interactions, making a good case for how digital screens can arrest a child’s social development. This leaves Jessie fighting a battle on two fronts: first, for the emotional well-being of her child, Bonnie; and second, against her own unresolved issue of abandonment. Cusack is wonderful in the role, imbuing Jessie with an urgency. This heightened emotional tension is brilliantly articulated through both Cusack’s frantic voice acting and the animators’ incredible character design work and expressive animation.

However, director and writer Andrew Stanton (alongside co-writer Kenna Harris), doesn’t quite capture the same magic found in the previous installments, considering he co-wrote the first two films, the fourth, and wrote a draft of the story for the third. Despite knowing this material so well but somehow Stanton struggles with the movie’s first half, creating a heightened sense of drama when a subtler, more grounded approach might have eased us into the world more effectively. It feels as though Stanton and his team were overcompensating for switching the protagonist to Jessie and sidelining Buzz and Woody in this sequel.

Once the story gets into full swing and the characters are fully established, the second half feels a lot more secure as the film’s emotional weight starts to carry through. Jessie finds herself at the home of Emily, her original owner. While Emily is no longer there, Jessie meets a new child alongside an older generation of tech, which beautifully deepens the ongoing toys-versus-tech debate. I am not surprised that Pixar and Disney chose to find a middle ground here. As someone who is inherently wary and cautious of technology, especially for children, I feel this balanced point-of-view to be the safe choice, though not necessarily the strongest one. But, of course, that is just my own prejudice talking.

Toy Story 5

There is an undeniable predictability to Toy Story 5. While it still hits narrative beats that surprise us, the ending is signaled loud and clear; at a certain point, you can practically see Stanton, Harris, and Pixar steering the story toward the safer choice. What keeps the film interesting, however, is a gripping subplot involving a wrecked container filled with new versions of Buzz Lightyear toys. Serving as transitional sequences throughout the movie, this subplot delivers the most surprising plot insertion in the entire film. But before it reaches that point, it builds a sense of tension and mystery that keeps the movie’s energy running. That sort of energy could have also been afforded to Jessie’s storyline as well.

Ultimately, while this is not the strongest entry in the franchise, it is still a good movie. It is charming and poignant that I even caught myself holding back tears. The classic Pixar magic still has that charm, but like the very first generation of children who watched the original ‘Toy Story’ as kids in 1995, this franchise is getting old. Five is a good number to end on.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Toy Story 5 is still playing exclusively in theaters! Check showtimes and grab your tickets today to see Jessie take the reins in the gang’s latest battle against tech, then head back here and drop a comment to share your thoughts on the new sequel!

June 23, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Queer’ Shines a Spotlight on the Sadness of the Gay Man

I’m a huge Luca Guadagnino fan. I have always found his work to be visually stimulating while cutting through the complexities of human emotions. We see this in his in drama like Challengers or Call Me by Your Name. and even when h e filters intimacy through the lens of the paranormal or supernatural, like in Suspiria and Bones and All. There is a sensuality to his filmmaking that really gets my attention. Because of this, I am always eager to see what new thing he puts out, even if it is less than stellar, as was in the case with After the Hunt, which I still enjoyed but not as much as the others.

Naturally, my anticipation for Queer was incredibly hight. When I saw it, I was completely unaware that the film was an adaptation of a William S. Burroughs novella. While I have previously read some of Burroughs’ essays and watched the film adaptation of Naked Lunch, which was based on his landmark novels, not realising the source material here left me entirely unprepared for the for the emotional coldness of the characters and the deeply trippy third act of the film.

(left) Daniel Craig as William Lee, (right) Drew Starkey as Eugene in Queer | Photo credit: A24

Set in the 1950s Mexico City, Queer follows William Lee (Daniel Craig), an American expatriate who spends his days and nights drifting through bars and sleeping with younger men. His routine was disrupted when he meets Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey), a. younger American expat and recently discharged serviceman. William quickly becomes infatuated with Allergen and follows him around, trying to get his affection. While the tow men form a bond, Allerton remains intentionally distant, insisting he does not view his own sexuality in the same “queer” light as William’s. In order to push their relationship further, the drug-addicted William convinces Allerton to join him on a journey search for a psychotropic plant that promises telepathic communication and a higher state of consciousness.

Queer | Photo credit: A24

What is so striking about Queer is how Guadagnino alongside cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom and regular collaborators Trent Reznor and Atticus Rose working on the musical score, captures the profound loneliness of older gay men, particularly during that era. It is a time that offered them no recourse for building a traditional home or family. Ostracized and despised in their homeland, they often sought solace in foreign countries to enjoy the shield of anonymity, escaping the burden of bringing shame upon themselves or their families. On the surface, William lives vicariously, talks big, and projects an aura of sophistication at every turn; beneath it all, however, he is a lonely man. Guadagnino and his team are so precise in how they translate this internal desolation onto the screen for all of us to witness.

Daniel Craig as William Lee in Queer | Photo credit: A24

Craig is incredible – throwing himself into the role with so much commitment that one completely forgets he ever played James Bond (and he is easily my personal favourite Bond). There is a palpable neediness to the way he looks at Drew Starkey’s Allerton, who does a solid job of standing on his own two feet opposite an acting powerhouse like Craig on the opposite side of the screen. The tension between them is electric, and continues to highlight the epidemic of loneliness that a forced relationship and mind-altering drugs appear to be the only recourse William has left to feel whole.

(left) Daniel Craig as William Lee, (right) Drew Starkey as Eugene in Queer | Photo credit: A24

Watching Queer serves as a poignant reminder of how precarious a gay man’s life can be, even in the modern world. It explores how one can conflate sex with true emotional intimacy, and that sometimes, just being able to hold someone is a far more powerful act than a sexual one. The film’s incredible, hallucinogenic third-act trip that William and Allerton take becomes a metaphor for something deeply abstract – what a relationship needs to feel like for persecuted people like queer people are. Ultimately, this melding of bodies stands as a striking form of pure intimacy.

It is a categorically sad film and a stark reminder of what it means to feel rejected and isolated from the rest of the world. Yet, despite its cold and distant nature, Queer remains a beautiful film. What I saw on the screen is a portent of a long, frightening life of being alone as a gay man. It is not a pretty picture, but then again, not all of art has to be.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

What are your thoughts on Luca Guadagnino’s haunting new vision? Whether you caught the film or are just following Wanggo’s cinematic reviews, drop a comment to share your take on Daniel Craig’s fearless performance and this devastating portrait of isolation.

June 19, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Backrooms’ Is a Confident Full-Length Feature Debut for YouTuber Kane Parsons

What I liked about Backrooms, the full-length feature film debut of YouTuber Kane Parsons, is its resistance to fully explaining the strangeness and supernatural elements of the story. There is pivotal moment when Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) shares his understanding of what this labyrinth found in a literal tear in space and time within the basement of his furniture shop with his therapist, Mary (Renate Reinsve). It is a necessary scene that helps stamp out the final images of the film, yet it never discusses the why. The Backrooms – that endless, uncanny space found through a mystical doorway – just exists. It just is. And that may very well be one of the most terrifying aspects of the movie.

So much of Western horror is ruined by the compulsive need to explain everything. In a world driven by the practical and the modern, everything needs to make sense. That the lore be perfectly complete. It is actually a very boring exercise, one that robs us of our imagination. As Asians, however, we are inherently attuned to cosmic and supernatural forces; they are deeply woven into our culture and social design. So we are not bothered or bogged down by the unexplained mystery.

In Backrooms, that mystery can kill. The film follows Clark, an unhappy man living in his failing furniture store after being kicked out by his wife. He is an alcoholic and a frustrated architect, details we learn through his tense therapy sessions with Mary, who is quietly battling her own trauma about her mother and her childhood home. Things take a surreal turn when Clark discovers a doorway into another dimension within his basement: a liminal space that is made up of an endless, maddening array of yellow rooms. As he decides to explore it, he discovers that something else lives in that space. Something dark, sinister, something that kills.

Image Source: a24films.com

Set in the 1990s, the film utilizes a heavily saturated, grainy aesthetic to its cinematography. It adds to the existential dread hoveriing over our two leads. This analog texture also adds to the ambiguity and mystery of the Backrooms. Oftentimes, the film switches to a first person point-of-view, seeing from the lens of the person holding a 90s camcorder. The film opens with a chilling prologue establishing that someone else was in the Backrooms long before Clark’s discovery, and the use of this vintage footage increases the tension. The conceit of a found footage aesthetic means that the film can’t just cut to show us what we need to see. Instead, the character must physically turn and and point the camera where the audience needs it to point so we can follow the story – or in this case, the horror – and the limited perspective adds to the tension and the fear.

But there’s another scene midway through the film, when Clark is now exploring the labyrinth, using a camcorder to record evidence that the Backrooms is real and there’s a frightening sequence that is excellently executed – I caught myself cursing and screaming out loud – but it doesn’t make sense at that point in the narrative for Clark to take the camera and continue recording his escape. That one scene, a pivotal one, is what took me out of the whole film. It’s why found footage is such a difficult and delicate film mode to undertake because one false intention can ruin the illusion.

This is a remarkably confident debut from a first-time feature director – even if he has been directing YouTube shorts for a while now – and it will be interesting to see what else Kane Parsons is capable of next. Backrooms is utterly terrifying, weird, deliberately slow, and confident. A very strong debut indeed.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Wonderfully weird, deliberately slow, and utterly terrifying. Discover why Kane Parsons’ Backrooms is a masterclass in tension and a formidable debut. Check showtimes here.

June 13, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Disclosure Day’ Is a Film That Uses Spielberg’s Entire Array of Cinematic Tools While Remaining Fun and Exciting to Watch

There’s a classic feel to Disclosure Day, and I credit that to Steven Spielberg’s direction, Janusz Kaminski’s cinematography, Sarah Broshar’s editing, and John Williams’ score. The craftsmanship behind this epic sci-fi mystery thriller is so impeccable that you are effortlessly guided toward the exact emotions that Spielberg and his team want you to feel. The storytelling is so exquisite that it sweeps you up from the very first scene until its big finale, never letting you go through it all. Sure, they use a lot of new techniques as well; multiple one-shot takes that are complicated and involve stunt work, but where they point that camera and how they cut the scenes creates a seamless flow that really builds upon this amazing story about truth, aliens, and the human condition.

Disclosure Day follows Daniel (Josh O’Connor) as he attempts a high-stakes trade off with what appear to be government forces led by Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth). Scanlon’s men have taken Daniel’s girlfriend, Jane (Eve Hewson); in exchange for her freedom, Daniel must return stolen documents and an alien artifact.

However, Daniel manages to rescue his girlfriend and retrieve the items and escape. Simultaneously, Margaret (Emily Blunt), a meteorologist, experiences a strange visit that alters her, suddenly granting her inexplicable knowledge an the ability to speak multiple languages.

She feels compelled to search out Daniel, who in turn, is told to seek her out by his informant, Hugo (Coleman Domingo). The story and all its secrets unfolds one piece at a time while Daniel is on the run, Noah Scanlon gives chase, and a bewildered Margaret is drawn right into the center of the storm, completely unaware she is meeting the three right at the center of all of this.

Written by David Koepp from a story by Spielberg, Disclosure Day has an unconventional narrative structure. It thrusts the audience directly into the middle of all the action – no exposition whatsoever – and we are learning about these characters and their dramatic situation as the film unfolds.

Everything is a mystery, from the true identities of Daniel, Jane, and Margaret, to the capabilities and origins of the alien artifact. Everything is shrouded in secrets, the narrative relies on Spielberg and his team to let us into this world just one piece of information at a time.

While he is doing this, he shows us a world on the brink of collapse; populated by people who are overthinking or would rather cede their autonomy to a higher authority. It’s a chaotic world, and Daniel is in the middle of it. He’s at the center of the conspiracy, he witnesses the sheer darkness that it holds and how it directly affects the people around him, especially Jane.

On the other hand, through Margaret, we can also see the wonder of it all: the awe-inspiring effect of a paranormal occurrence. Her sudden, inexplicable knowledge and ability to know things and people, it is played out with such levity and whimsy that it creates some of the most enjoyable scenes in the film.

In fact, O’Connor and Blunt play off of each other beautifully, marrying the film’s two contrasting sides – the pessimistic and the optimistic – and really grounding the film into a balanced shape. While O’Connor delivers a solid performance and holds his own in such a massive production, this territory is a walk in the park for Blunt, who has had her share of huge box-office movies. Yet, she adds a little bit more, her portrayal of Margaret is that of a woman completely overtaken by this alien power.

She’s in awe of it, and while it frightens her, the phenomenon also feels like an answer to her character’s search for purpose. It is a complex, highly demanding role, yet Blunt manages to keep it real and engaging despite the fact she remains mostly reactive until the tide finally turns.

This movie makes full use of Spielberg’s greatest strengths as a director. It features stunning, large-scale chase sequences, intricate character work, and scenes where people find themselves beholden to forces far larger than themselves. While Disclosure Day evokes classic, old-school Spielberg, it simultaneously possesses a refreshing quality and a hopefulness that feels so fitting for this day and age. It is a lovely film even with some scenes where the narrative gets untethered, or takes a didactic approach to answer some questions still left hanging, these minor flaws are just a small price to pay for a cinematic experience that reaches out and makes us feel and believe in magic again.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Are you ready to experience the magic of classic Spielberg again? Disclosure Day is officially out in theaters. Check showtimes here.

June 10, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: Reverent in Its Love for the Original, ‘Masters of the Universe’ Embraces Its Irreverence and Gives Nicholas Galitzine a Chance to Have Fun

The very name of the character in his godlike form, “He-Man,” was already distracting when I was a kid, and even more so as an adult. It’s why I entered the cinema for Masters of the Universe with very low expectations. Unless the filmmakers were going to lean into how silly it all really is, there was no way I could imagine this narrative taking itself seriously. Luckily for me, director Travis Knight along with screenwriters Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, and David Callaham knows how to have a good time. Masters of the Universe is a 141-minutes of self-referential comedy that tries to stay true to the show’s spirit while poking fun at itself.

In Masters of the Universe, the story begins with a narration by Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine), as he reflects on growing up on the world of Eternia. As a prince, he is a bit of a clown who doesn’t take his role very seriously. This upsets his father, King Randor (James Purefoy), who wants him to grow up stronger and take his role more seriously.

(l-r): Roboto (Kristen Wiig), Man At Arms (Idris Elba), Adam (Nicholas Galitzine), Teela (Camila Mendes) and Cringer in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.

However, their family friction is cut short when the mystical warlord Skeletor (Jared Leto) launches a surprise attack on the kingdom. Because Randor’s bloodline comes from a long line of champions who can wield the Sword of Power, the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin), the guardian of that power sends Adam to his mother’s home planet, Earth, to keep the blade out of Skeletor’s hands. But Adam, still a child, loses the sword and finds himself standed on Earth for over 15 years.

Adam (Nicholas Galitzine), Teela (Camila Mendes) and Cringer in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.

Now an adult, Adam is isolated and unhappy in his corporate HR job while trying constantly searching for the sword that can bring him home. When he finally locates the blade, he enlists the help of Teela (Camila Mendes) to make his way back to Eternia. Upon arrival, he discovers that Skeletor has completely destroyed his homeland, forcing him to wield the power within to become the champion of his homeworld.

Jared Leto stars as ‘Skeletor’ in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.

What is hilarious is just how silly the creators of this movie think the whole premise is. Adam’s extended stay on Earth serves as a clever a way to acknowledge the property’s inherent campiness; that way, when the narrative finally shifts to the science fiction and fantasy, they can go completely all out and have as much fun as they want. There is very little story involved here, though Adam does experience a lovely reckoning regarding his relationship with his father, but character’s depth remains secondary to a barrage of fight scenes and there’s even a chase scene on a space ship.

Nicholas Galitzine stars as He-Man in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.

Knight and his crew deliver a lot of fan service here while acknowledging at the source material’s questionable names and abilities in the first film – like Fisto (played by Johannes Haukur Johannesson), who seems very much aware of the joke as well. Ultimately, everyone, including Galitzine and Leto, are not afraid to amp up the homoeroticism in the imagery of the classic 80s cartoon.

Galitzine attacks the role with such childlike wonder. He is clearly having a blast playing a kid who never really grew up but now finds himself inside the body of a muscle-bound god. There’s a levity and whimsical nature to his performance that really makes Masters of the Universe an absolute joy to watch. He is entirely in on the joke without ever overplaying it.

Sam C Wilson stars as Trap Jaw in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.

The rest of the cast is having an equally fantastic time, from Idris Elba (who brings a wonderful gravity to Teela’s father, Man-at-Arms) to Mendes, and even Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn, who gets to play the evil henchwoman to the absolute hilt.

Alison Brie stars as ‘Evil-Lyn’ in MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE.

It’s incredibly refreshing to encounter a movie that proudly decides to have fun and brings the audience along for the ride. There is immense reverence and love for the original 80s cartoon here, but the affection is so secure that the filmmakers can openly poke fun at the property’s inherent absurdities. They masterfully weave in various nostalgic references, even reaching outside of He-Man universe like playing songs and soundtracks of from other iconic fantasy franchises. Because the plot is secondary from the very get-go, we are directed to just what happens and enjoy the journey.

For a film that looks so glossy and expensive, it’s great that the filmmakers were cool enough to embrace irreverence rather than attempt to be serious. This was absolutely the right creative direction to take and make sure you stick around, because you will definitely want to watch all the post-credit scenes.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Masters of the Universe trades self-serious fantasy for glorious, unapologetic 80s camp. It is an absolute blast that gives Nicholas Galitzine plenty of room to shine. Don’t miss out on the fun, check showtimes here, and make sure to stay through the credits!

June 3, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: In Praise of the Toxic Male—A Review of ‘Tayo sa Wakas’ and the Strong Perfomaces of Belle Mariano and Donny Pangilinan

There’s a shift that happens in the second part of Tayo sa Wakas that cuts away at the charm of the film, making me question how the film approaches its themes, how it romanticizes a toxic character, and how it highlights his redemption arc. It’s a strong enough story at the beginning; Cathy Garcia-Sampana’s directing is dynamic and strong, while lead stars Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano show off their impressive on-screen chemistry. Mariano is capable of such immense range and nuanced acting, while Pangilinan shines in the heavier, more dramatic requirements of his role.

But Tayo sa Wakas is centered on Pangilinan’s character, Cisco. It’s really his film, with Mariano’s Cheska serving as the romantic lead, though her character’s point of view is withheld from the film – and there is a story element as to why. Cisco is the typical romantic lead presented as the forlorn lover who cannot move on from a breakup. Despite this framing, Mariano is just so good that her character’s presence is felt all throughout the film, even when she is off-screen, her presence lingers. It’s an amazing feat, Mariano really is a powerhouse.

The film, written by Vanessa R. Valdez, opens with a dizzying flashback of a break up between Cisco and Cheska. It’s hurtful. Cheska questions whether Cisco really deserves her love, and he walks away. We cut to the present, where Cisco has shaved his head. His family is scared for him as he insists on borrowing a car to visit someone. Not getting any help from his family, he goes to a friend (played by Joross Gamboa) who lends him a car and gives him advice. As Cisco is about to leave, Cheska appears and insists on going on a breakup trip. On the road, the two rehash their moments, the ones Cisco wants to hold on to and the ones Cheska wants to remind him of, when everything went wrong.

Belle Mariano as Cheska in Tayo sa Wakas | ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc. (Star Cinema)

Through these flashbacks, we see a highly competitive Cisco who falls in love with the new intern, Cheska, who recognizes his ideas and talent even when others aren’t sure about them. We see the ways in which Cisco falls for her and makes his moves, and she falls too. It’s a classic romance story as the couple move in together. But in such close proximity, with work as a shared space, Cheska begins to rise and the highly competitive Cisco finds himself uncomfortable with his lover and protege’s growing success.

Donny Pangilinan as Cisco in Tayo sa Wakas | ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc. (Star Cinema)

The first half of the movie has all the trappings of a romantic film, maybe even that of a rom-com (though every time it cuts back to the present, we know this won’t be a full-on comedy with a happy ending). Garcia-Sampana’s direction keeps the narrative busy and energetic. She even brings the two leads into the realm of the sensual, showing a lot of physical intimacy and skin. It looks grown-up, but it’s deceptive. It’s the lure of youth and young love, but the hard demands of the adult world will come calling, and they will find themselves unready.

Tayo sa Wakas | ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc. (Star Cinema)

But the truth is, Cheska is ready with the hard answers. Cisco, with all his privilege and bravado, is not. This is exactly where I felt more and more uncomfortable as the film progressed: Cisco is toxic. He fails at every turn when their relationship gets serious and when work gets in the way of their relationship. Throughout the film, we see only Cisco’s point of view. Garcia-Sampana’s direction tries to soften and humanize him, making the storytelling feel increadibly lopsided. Cheska’s perspective is just as important here, but the answer to that happens later in the film, leaving us entirely with Cisco’s road to redemption.

Images from: ABS-CBN Film Productions Inc. (Star Cinema) FB Page

It’s not a pleasant movie to watch, though it starts out that way at the beginning. Mariano is magnificent all throughout, while Pangilinan seems more comfortable with the heavier, dramatic aspects of the narrative, feeling a bit out of place during the rom-com atmosphere of the film’s first half. There is a serious dramatic actor in Pangilinan, and I hope they give him more roles that play to his strengths. Yes, he’s attractive and his chemistry with Mariano is electric, but he doesn’t seem as natural in the kilig scenes as he is in the more emotionally demanding ones.

Sitting through this film became difficult after a while. So many movies have put toxic men and their high expectations of women in relationship into the spotlight, but they always seem to get their hard lessons served right up to them. I can recall Never Not Love You, Un/Happy For You, and just the recent The Loved One. In those films, the woman’s perspective served as the balance that kept the narrative from romanticize the man’s toxic behaviour. As good as Pangilinan is here, not even Marianos’ fantastic performance can fully balance this narrative’s gaps.

My Rating: 2.5 Stars

Tayo sa Wakas is a beautifully acted drama where the undeniable, explosive chemistry of Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano makes the journey worth taking. Check your local showtimes and watch it on the big screen this weekend!

May 30, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: Inde Navarratte Delivers a Breakthrough Role in the Terrifying ‘Obsession’

Stemming from a very simple premise, Obsession finds its chilling horror in the many ways a single wish can go wrong. With minimal characters, a lean plot, and sparse set pieces, director-screenwriter Curry Barker maximizes the scares by exposing the extremes a person would endure for their desires and the sheer damage it inflicts on the human body and those around them. While the hook is supernatural in nature, Barker utilizes very little supernatural horror and keeps it grounded in the depths of human willpower and raw emotion. Ultimately, what makes this film scary is its depiction of how far a person can go for the object or person that they want.

Baron “Bear” Bailey (Michael Johnston) is a shy, sensitive young man who is in love with Nikki (Inde Navarrette), his childhood friend and co-worker at a music store. Together with their other friends and co-workers, Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) and Sarah (Megan Lawless), Bear is constantly with Nikki, yet he cannot open up to her about his feelings.

The One Wish Willow box from the film OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Bear happens upon a a magic shop and purchases a “One Wish Willow” novelty toy, that supposedly grant a single wish when snapped in half. He was supposed to give it to Nikki but when he can’t even do that, he uses it for himself and wishes that Nikki would love him “more than anyone in the world.” The shift is instantaneous. Nikki’s affection changes into a consuming obsession and begins to do anything and everything to be around Bear, pushing further and further what a person is capable of doing to show their love for someone.

The One Wish Willow display from the film OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Manny Liotta / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Barker sets his world and most of the scenes at night, always filling the screen with shadows and darkness, using only minimal light to illuminate the faces of his cast. From the get-go, Nikki’s transformation is already frightening. She’s lying and making up stories – and not very good ones – just to find any excuse to be with Bear.

OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

But later on, it breaks beyond the border of obsession; Nikki is constantly at Bear’s periphery. And he tries to rationalize that the novelty toy actually granted his wish, Bear reveals a side of him that was probably always there, but never exposed until the narrative gives him more chances to show his true persona.

Inde Navarrette stars as Nikki in OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Obsession does not shy away from visceral blood and gore in this film. The lengths by which Nikki would go to just to keep Bear near her and for him to pay attention to her is frightening. But Barker also gives her some scary movements, almost as if she’s possessed by some unnatural force. She would do things that would push her body’s limits just to prove her devotion to Bear. In some cases, the film leads to some terrifying jump scares that don’t feel cheap because it feels earned by the dramatic situation. Nikki becomes a patient predator, waiting in the shadows, in the sidelines, bidding her time until the best time she can be with Bear. It is surprising and it predicates that the wish has hollowed Nikki out, leaving he a captive host to an insatiable force.

Inde Navarrette stars as Nikki and Michael Johnston as Bear in OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Without being too obvious about it, the film can easily be viewed through a feminist lens. It portrays how the wishes of men can sometimes boil down to wanting a woman to be completely devoted to them, even if it is against her will and to the ultimate detriment of her own mind and body. Bear does not automatically try to find a way to break the spell; instead, he only seeks to minimize its harmful effects. Even though she is acting strangely, and is clearly dangerous to herself and to others, he still tries to find a way to keep her, just without the apparent harm. While it is never explicitly emphasized or stated, it is a powerful feminist statement if I ever saw one.

Michael Johnston stars as Bear in OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Johnston is incredible as Bear, playing into his soft-boy persona while also being completely overwhelmed by the story’s situation. There is a multitude of emotions running through him, and Johnston allows us to see all of them coursing through his body. It’s an excellent portrayal that demands an immense amount of skill and talent. But this movie is truly a showcase for Navarrette and her unbelievable commitment to the character and the dramatic situation. She is fearless and unpredictable. She’s a force of nature that transcends the film’s horror genre, turning it into a layered dramatic performance of a person whose entire personality has been reduced to the singular, simple wish of “loving someone more than anyone else in the world.” It’s an intensely physical role, one that is totally devoid of ego. And she is in it all the way; a star is born.

Michael Johnston stars as Bear, Megan Lawless as Sarah and Cooper Tomlinson as Ian in OBSESSION, a Focus Features release.
Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC

Barker’s pacing and direction allow the film to build and build, allowing things to get worse and worse and earns its big finale. It’s one of those movies where the audience in the cinema begins talking out loud to the characters on screen because they simply cannot contain their fear and anxiety over what is unfolding onscreen. This is absolutely a film made for the big screen.

My Rating: 5 Stars

Fearless, brutal, and absolutely unmissable. Obsession is a masterclass in tension that demands to be seen with a crowd. Don’t wait for the spoilers, check showtimes now and witness Inde Navarrete’s powerhouse performance on the big screen!

May 29, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Colony’ Boasts Refreshing Twists While Featuring Jun Ji-hyun in a Role She Does Best

From director Yeon Sang-ho, who previously gave us the excellent Train to Busan before veering into the middling territory of Peninsula, Colony emerges as an action-packed horror film that amps up the stakes while containing the chaos inside a high-rise building complex in downtown Seoul to maintain an intimate and intense narrative. By confining the humans inside one location, it often takes the tone and mode of a horror/thriller until the story pushes it towards more action-oriented fare. While the storytelling remains clear, its emotional core is relegated to the supporting characters rather than the protagonist. Nevertheless, Colony is a fun, exciting movie to watch in the cinema as Yeon Sang-ho knows how to utilize the big screen for maximum visceral impact.

Colony centers on a group of people who get trapped within a commercial complex, encompassing a shopping mall, corporate offices, and a convention hall, after a man-made outbreak transforms the population into hyper-aggressive zombie horde operating under a singular hive-mind.

Jun Ji-hyun (credited as Gianna Jun, which is her international name) leads the cast as Kwon Se-jeong. a brilliant, tough, and demanding biotech professor who arrives at the building to attend the Chain Bio Conference with her ex-husband, Han Gyu-seong (Go Soo).

While trying to get a job interview with the Chains Bio CEO, Se-jeong witnesses a confrontation between the executive and Suh Yeong-cheol (Koo Kyo-hwan), a disgraced former Chains Bio scientist who was fired because his research had deadly consequences that threatened the fate of humanity’s future.

Determined to take revenge and prove his research would not only improve the human race but help him exact his revenge on everyone who had wronged him. Yeong-cheol injects both himself and the CEO with a bio-weapon virus, now a zombie, unleashing a localized patient zero, an infects other who rapidly turns the entire complex into a claustrophobic house of horrors.

The building perimeter is quickly sealed off as the attacks intensify and trapping a small cluster of survivors within the building. Among them are the complex’s security officer, Choi Hyun-seok (Ji Chang-wook), his sister Choi Hyun-hee (Kim Shin-rok), who needs a wheelchair to move, and a few other desperate civilians.

Trapped in the building, without any exit strategy, the survivors is forced to navigate through the maze-like building, executing tense evasion tactics to bypass a rapidly multiplying, hive-minded horde to avoid detection if they want to make it out alive.

The structural set up is very clear and precise. Yeon Sang-ho, co-writing alongside Choi Gyu-seok, injects a new twist into the zombie genre by adding elements of biotech elements into the mix. Rather than acting on standard rabid instinct, these zombies are patterned from certain parasitic fungus and ants colonies. They communicate with each other and exchange information through pheromones.

Consequently, any intelligence and information gained by a single zombie is shared with another. Se-jeong must use her intellect to try and outsmart the hive-mind horde to find a cure or find an escape route before they all succumb.

Much like Train to Busan, Yeong Sang-ho fills the surviving party with the familiar genre archetypes – the law enforcer, teenagers (including bullies and the bullied), the vulnerable older person, and a rich man who thinks his wealth dictates the value of his life.

And among them is the everyman, in the form of Ji Chang-wook, who actually works as an everyman despite his good looks – but he plays against type and creates new and refreshing dimensions with these characters. Some people are not what they seem and they play out in the survival aspect of the movie in unpredictable ways.

But make no mistake: this is entirely Jun Ji-hyun’s movie. The camera and the world revolve around her, leaving Ji Chang-wook to merely playing support. Yet, it provides the film with a much-needed emotional core with Ji Chang-wook’s relationship with his sister, played by Kim Shin-rok, who is always excellent in anything she does. As a person with physical disability, Kim Shin-rok’s Choi Hyun-hee is initially framed as a liability, however, a beautifully planted character trait completely shifts the narrative landscape later on. It’s their sibling bond that lends the film its genuine heart, but it is ultimately Jun Ji-hyun’s presence as Se-jeong that gives the film forward momentum.

Both Jun Ji-hyun and Koo Kyo-hwan make for strong lead characters – the protagonist and the antagonist – in roles they have mastered in their many dramas and films before this. These characters are types they’ve played before, but it is so fun watching them do it.

Ultimately, Colony is a tight, exceptionally fast-paced, and action-packed ride. It makes full use on the claustrophobic setting to create an exciting cat-and-mouse thriller, that surprises with some twists in the second and third acts that ensure the story remains unpredictable and refreshing. It has dynamic, sweeping camera movements that keeps the action scenes breathlessly kinetic and heart-pounding while the choreography of the zombie horde is distinct and frightening from start to finish.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Don’t miss the claustrophobic terror and relentless thrills of Colony. Gather your friends, buy your tickets, and experience the hive-mind horror on the biggest screen possible. Now playing in cinemas nationwide! Check your local theater listings for showtimes.

May 29, 2026
MOVIE REVIEW: Departing From Her Usual Style, Director Irene Emma Villamor Presents ‘Midnight Girls’ as a Film About the Strength of Women in an Exploitative Industry

Of all of the films in Irene Emma Villamor’s filmography, Midnight Girls is the film that feels completely different, a heavy departure from her usual movies about the complex nature of love. This is a different kind of love story, one that explores what is at the core of friendships amongst Filipina entertainers in Nagoya, Japan. It is an ensemble film, featuring four strong performances from its lead cast: Jodi Sta. Maria, Sanya Lopez, Jane Oineza, and Loisa Andalio.

Almost plotless, Midnight Girls follows four women working in a hostess bar in Japan. Vicki (Sta. Maria) the most mature of the group, sending money to a son with whom she no longer has any real relationship after being gone for so long. She is practical and rational, but years in the working abroad have left her cold, despite her role as “older sister” to the others.

Paris (Lopez) is the explosive one, wearing her heart on her sleeve and carries the story of falling in love with a local man.

Saki (Oineza) faces an identity crisis, while the work forces her to be intimate with men, she finds herself gravitating to Paris. Finally, Wanna (Andalio) is the newcomer who left home and a boyfriend, to earn a living to send money back home.

Each woman becomes representative of the specific struggles hostesses face in this industry. Villamor takes a very interesting approach, investigating each character’s emotional struggle without delving into the inherent exploitation of the work involved. This is not an exploitation film, nor does this film attempts to paint these women as victims. Instead, Villamor is more deadset on navigating their emotional space, detailing their highs and lows, and humanizing them.

The exploitation is implied – though never spoken about – and is always at the periphery but never made present. This is not that kind of movie, and while there are other films tackle that aspect of these women’s lives head on. Instead, Midnight Girls centers its characters as people with hopes, dreams, fears, and regrets. The human aspect is front and center.

Villamor intersperses the film with actual interviews of women who are later revealed to be the inspirations for these characters. By merging the real people behind the fictional characters, the film sidesteps the need for melodrama. While the narrative occasionally skirts toward that territory, Villamor is too sophisticated a director to let go of her restraint.

What I do miss is the director’s signature capacity for capturing the full complexity of her characters on screen. With four main characters – though Sta. Maria serves as the film’s foundation and really holds it all together – Villamor can only really touch the surface of each character, rushing certain narrative beats in order to give everyone their due within just under two-hour runtime. Had the film focused on a single character, Villamor’s trademark writing and directing style would have undoubtedly unearthed the best and worst of these people and would do it incredibly well but as an ensemble piece, we only get fragments of the bigger story. This is still a style and structure that Villamor has yet to continue to practice getting better at it.

Ultimately, the film as a whole is a gorgeous love letter to these women. Elevated by incredible performances all around – especially by Sta. Maria and Oineza – Midnight Girls has moments that will make you both laugh and cry. As the film just flows steadily on, allowing time to pass and letting the women grow within their profession and all its challenges.

My Rating: 4 Stars

Curious to see Irene Emma Villamor’s new direction? Experience the heart and sisterhood of Midnight Girls on the big screen. Find showtimes here.

May 14, 2026