The Wild Robot is a master class in blending ground breaking technology with animation to give us a gorgeously, heartwarming film that understood the assignment.  Lupita (Roz)  and Pedro Pascal (Fink) are a sensationally addictive duo surrounded by an amazing ensemble of voice actors who bring to life a wild tale of finding strength in family, protecting the things you love, and embracing heroism.

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

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Director: Chris Sanders
Writers: 

Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Stephanie Hsu, Ving Rhames, Mark Hamill, Bill Nighy, 

Runtime:  1 Hour 42 Minutes

Synopsis:  A Robot abandoned on earth who is initially treated like an outcast until she adopts a duckling who mistakes her for it’s mother, fights to protect her forrest family when her makers return and wage war in an attempt to retrieve her.

 

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A film that lives and dies by it’s leading cast made up of a Mother, her daughter, and a magic Macaw, Tuesday is a dark fantastical tale about how people cope with terminal illness and impending Death.  Lola Petticrew really gives an amazing performance here that will charm the audience audience even more than Tuesday is able to charm Death.  Arinze Kene voices Death and does some very captivating motion capture with his portrayal of the stuttering Macaw.  The film really hits the ground running especially when you toss in the unhinged performance from Julia Louis-Dreyfus switching gears and turning this into a dark comedy.  But ultimately the film falls flat when it doesn’t fully capitalize on the real world ramifications of Zora’s actions, and instead lulls it’s audience to very anticlimactic ending. 

It’s almost like the director knew exactly where he was going but didn’t fully grasp where things were headed. 

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

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Director: Daina O. Pusić
Writers: Daina O. Pusić

Starring: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lola Petticrew, Arinze Kene, Leah Harvey
Runtime:  1 Hour 50 Minutes

Synopsis:  When Death comes knocking at the door of a terminally ill teenager named Tuesday, she uses her quick wit and insatiable charm to befriend the creature.  But when her Mother discovers the Macaw, she takes matters into her own hands and makes an unhinged decision that puts the entire world in dire straits. 

 

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Rachel Morrison and Barry Jenkins come together beautifully here to craft a big screen polished adaptation of the 2016 PBS Documentary, “T-Rex: Her Fight For gold”.  The chemistry between Ryan Destiny and Brian Tyree Henry portraying Claressa Shields and Coach Jason Crutchfield is so palpable.  A lot of heart and care went into this project.  So, while it may feel like the film doesn’t tell enough of Claressa’s story,  which continued far beyond her Olympic years, the gritty biographical story of a naturally gifted boxing phenom we do get here is unapologetically as inspirational as the real life boxing champion herself. 

This is the story of T-Rex.

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

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Director: Rachel Morrison
Writers: Barry Jenkins

Starring: Ryan Destiny, Brian Tyree Henry
Runtime:  1 Hour 49 Minutes

Synopsis: Based on the PBS Documentary “T-Rex: Her Fight For Gold”, The Fire Inside tells the story of Claressa Shields, a young black female boxer from Flint, Michigan who’s will and determination take her all the way to the Olympics yet somehow not far enough away from the dangers of her home life. 

 

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If Disney is going to take a made for streaming series project and whip it up into a last minute theatrical release, they could at least give us Return of Jafar instead of Bambi 2.  Moana does a poor job of catching the audience up on what some of our favorite characters have been up too since we last saw them through an adventure in such a superficial way.  And once the film reveals itself to actually not be one-dimensional we’re sailing midway through the 3rd act of a story that hopefully James Cameron won’t feel the need to be inspired by since he’s already made a billion dollars doing it with less heart.  The songs aren’t really memorable.  The new characters aside from one we only get in the 2nd act aren’t very memorable.  The story we now know is actually part of a trilogy that might actually be going back to streaming after these box office numbers drop is also not memorable.  And the Rock sings.  There’s still a lot of people’s favorite things about Moana here, but this film deserved to be better and just doesn’t feel like it was treated as such by the House of Mouse. 

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

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Director: Dana Ledoux Miller, Jason Hand, David Derrick Jr.
Writers: Jared Bush, Dana Ledoux Mille

Starring: Auliʻi Cravalho,Dwayne Johnson, Awhimai Fraser, David Fane, Rose Matafe, Hualālai Chung

Runtime:  1 Hour 40 Minutes

Synopsis: Moana returns as a young adult encouraged by the water spirits to set sail on a new adventure to find the other lost tribes of the sea beyond her side of the reef. 

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Francis Ford Coppola has definitively proven that no amount of wine country monies can be thrown at a 30 year passion project to justify wasting two extra long hours of your life aging away in an IMAX theater struggling to watch it.  Megalopolis is so bad it couldn’t make it’s money back in a game of tic tac toe against a blind man.  A Megalodon of a mess, Coppola beats his audience over the head with his shallow progressive messaging literally carved in stone connecting some beautiful cinematography and provocative performances with some of the ugliest CGI and convoluted story progression I’ve ever experieneced. 

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

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Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Writers: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Laurence Fishburne, Shia LeBeouf, Aubrey Plaza, Jon Voight, Giancarlo Esposito, Dustin Hoffman
Runtime:  2 Hours 18 Minutes

Synopsis: Set in New New Rome, an idealistically driven, widowed scientific genius with the power to control time pushes back against the regressive regime in an attempt to create a golden utopia causing a violent social and political uproar. 

 

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MaXXXine is the ending to a trilogy we welcomed but didn’t ask for, and it almost took the director from Ti West to You Tried West.   Luckily, Pearl and X are just so strong that it pretty much makes MaXXXine the 3rd Back to the Future film.  A film that’s just as far from worthless as it is from worth it, mainly due to a nothing new here story, an unearned reveal, but still somehow a variety of perfectly casted supporting role performances.  MaXXXine gets so many things right yet still does nothing to push the genre forward. 

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

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Director:  Ti West
Writers:  Ti West

Starring: Mia Goth, Kevin Bacon, Sophie Thatcher, Moses Sumney
Runtime:  1 Hour 44 Minutes

Synopsis: A porn star lands her first big Hollywood break while being black mailed by a dirtbag PI who knows her dark X past, and stalked by an L.A. serial killer murdering everyone close to her. 

 

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Alien Romulus is proof that anything with a Xenomorph in it should only allow Ridley Scott on set as a Producer.  It’s a much needed return to the Xenomorph-verse that gives the audience nonstop nerve-wrecking action, just enough sci to fi, nostalgic easter eggs, and fun elements adapted directly from the more recent Aliens videos game like Alien: Isolation.  This film does an amazing job if amping up the anticipation for the upcoming FX TV Series, Alien: Earth.

Cailee Spaeny fills the shoes of Ripley very well and David Jonsson deserves all the praise for his performance as Andy, an android who gets an upgrade in autonomy. 

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

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Director: Fede Alvarez
Writers: Fede Alvarez, Rado Sayagues

Starring: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Aileen Wu, Archie Renaux
Runtime:  1 Hour 59 Minutes

Synopsis: Rain and her android Andy join a group of young workers and attempt to escape their indefinite indentured servitude by boarding an abandoned Weyland-Yutani  space station only to discover the station is the home of a Xenomorph with some new toys to impregnate. 

 

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Sebastian Stan gives us a complex and riveting performance in this psychological, dark comedy character study, A Different Man, directed by Aaron Schimberg and also staring an arguably Best Supporting Actor performance from Adam Pearson. 

A Different Man is the Uglies we deserve.

Streaming now on Youtube, Apple TV, FandangoAtHome, Amazon Video, etc

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Director: Aaron Schimberg
Writers: Aaron Schimberg

Starring: Sebastian Stan, Adam Pearson, Renate Reinsve, Michael Shannon
Runtime:  1 Hour 52 Minutes

Synopsis:  Aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.

 

 

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If you’re unfamiliar with the plot of Broadway stunner, Wicked, fear not, director Jon M. Chu’s (Crazy Rich Asians) big screen adaptation is a splashy note-for-note faithful interpretation of the acclaimed musical. If your gateway is Gregory Macguire’s book by the same name, however, expect more committment to the musical’s book than his source material.

Wicked, a prequel to the Wizard of Oz, tells the backstory of the classic’s central villian Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West and it’s symbol of goodness, Glinda the Good Witch of the South. It’s story opens with a Glinda arriving in Munchkinland in a glimmering bubble. To confirm for the citzenry that the witch is dead. It’s a majestic start complete with a spectacular ensemble number. 

Under Chu’s stewardship OZ comes to sparkling life. There are recognizable set pieces as well as a more expansive look at the land of OZ.  The film adaptation retains the “PG” light touch by inferring much more than showing the darkness decending upon the land. Cynthia Erivio and Ariana Grande-Butera are hands down a triumph as the film’s Elphaba and Glinda. Both their vocals and dramatic interpretation of the characters distinguish their performances previous iterations. In this meticulously built world the duo lead their talent-packed ensemble to create one of the best film-adaptation of a stage production ever. Wicked offers plenty for those longing for bright and colorful escapism. You’ll laugh, gasp, and be amazed at each cinematic success (perhaps enough to forgive its varied visual effects shortfalls). 

The narrative leans heavily on its cast for its emotional peaks and valleys and they than more ably respond. Christopher Scott’s propulsive choreography delivers again and again. Erivo’s blend of stoicism and defensive boldness aid a growing necessary edge. While Grande’s pitch perfect switches between self-absorption, ambition, and perky benevolence adds the bounce and flair. Each balancing out the other in a delightful chemistry. But Holzman and Fox’ decision to add only hints of the novel’s deeper themes, and darker direction, expose a script that fails to fully serve the narrative underpining all the visual pizzazz.

Every shallow plot point and thin (secondary) character development between musical numbers turns into glaring oversight in the spotlight of Wicked’s exhaustive runtime. So. if you were hoping that 2 hours 40 minutes – and cutting the story into two films – meant more (extremely important) parts of Macguire’s Wicked would find its way into the screenplay, well then you’ll likely come away disappointed. Perhaps the second half of this story coming November of 2025 will fill in those gaps. But despite this missed opportunity hindering Wicked from truly defying gravity, its technical prowess behind and in front of the camera are worth a watch. Chu’s sprawling production brings this origin story to life such verve and vibrancy your inner song-and-dance loving kid will not leave dissatisfied.

Listen as Ro and Phenom discuss Wicked and somehow manage to keep it spoiler-free

Wicked opens in theaters Friday, November 22.

♦♦

Director: Jon M. Chu
Writers: Winnie Holzman, Dana Fox

Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum
Runtime: 2 Hour 40 Minutes

Synopsis: Misunderstood because of her green skin, a young woman named Elphaba forges an unlikely but profound friendship with Glinda, a student with an unflinching desire for popularity. Following an encounter with the Wizard of Oz, their relationship soon reaches a crossroad as their lives begin to take very different paths.

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It’s What’s Inside is a visual and visceral psychological rollercoaster playing out on screen over 103 minutes of just wacky cinematography and mind games.  With a goofy ensemble of untrustworthy friends, playing an insanely dangerous game this story goes every which way but right.  

 

Director:  Greg Jardin
Writers:  Greg Jardin

Starring:  Brittany O’Grady, James Morosini, Gavin Leatherwood, Nina Bloomgarden, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Madison Davenport, Devon Terrell, David Thompson
Runtime:  1 Hour 43 Minutes

Synopsis: When a group of mismatched friends meet up the night before a wedding for one last hoo-rah, an estranged friend from their past randomly shows up to help them celebrate with a freaky out of body mind game he’s invented.  Things quickly spiral out of control when his true intentions are revealed, while animosity and old grudge amongst members of the group erupt and nobody is who they claim to be. 

 

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Our new favorite demonic jester is back and has found itself a new host to torture.  Naomi Scott displays an amazingly horrified performance as Skye Riley, a pop star struggling to keep her grasp on reality in the face of grinning figures who do anything but give her something to smile about.  Smile 2 picks up right where we left off in the last film, with bigger set pieces, interesting cinematography choices, and many creepy performances all set to a bop of a soundtrack.  Listen as Ro and Phenom discuss Smile 2 and somehow manage to keep it spoiler-free Smile 2 opens in theaters Friday, October 18th. ♦♦ Director: Parker Finn Writers: Parker Finn Starring: C Noami Scott, Rosemari DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Peter Jacobson, Raul Castillo Runtime: 2 Hours 9 Minutes Synopsis: While preparing for a new tour after a tragic accident, fresh out of rehab, a young pop star witnesses a horrific event putting in motion a cycle of hallucinations brought on by a Smiling demonic entity that can take the form of anyone.  As her time and grasp on reality is running out, Skye Riley desperately tries to regain control of her life as it terrifyingly spirals out of control. Like what you hear? Subscribe so you don't miss an episode! Follow us on Twitter: @Phenomblak @InsanityReport @TheMTRNetwork   Our shirts are now on TeePublic.  https://teepublic.com/stores/mtr-network   Want more podcast greatness? Sign up for a MTR Premium Account!