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Film reviews

The Dog Stars Review

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Based on the novel by Peter Heller and directed by Ridley Scott, The Dog Stars is exceptionally invigorating. The director of Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven strikes again with another creative  thriller that explores uncharted territory. The Dog Starsmade me think of COVID and how evidence is left behind. The film is set in a post-apocalyptic world where there are dangerous, roaming scavengers and scarce resources for survival. Scott’s direction includes a thrilling puzzle. With an all-star cast, the dynamics are impressive.

The film stars Hig (Jacob Elordi) and Bangley (Josh Brolin), two guys living together in a world that is now at a standstill. Hig had a previous life with a wife and a decent career, but his reality has shifted.. He has had to learn to adapt to the new norms of the pandemic and the aftereffects of what it has done to humanity. Hig and Bangley hunt and  keep supplies. They have to protect themselves because whatever roams at night can have treacherous effects.

Hig decides to fly and look for more resources, and he meets two other survivors. They are Cima (Margaret Qualley) and Pops (Guy Pearce). Hig lands on their property with his airplane, and they realize they are on the same page in their fight for survival. The writing is vivid in the way it describes how the characters come together.. Scott has the ability to create a conflict and correlate it with a puzzle about which sides characters are on.  Hig, Cima, and Pops are all looking for the same thing…safety in a place that is trustworthy and gives them hope.

The aspects related to the plague in this movie are not written all that well. Luckily, the continuity of the film is quite satisfying  because it is grounded in context about Hig’s prior life. He was once happy and on the right path, and then the world stopped. Once that happened, his life became a blur where is forced to find resources to survive. He begins to build a relationship with Cima. However, the thought of a new beginning proves challenging, because even love is difficult in a post-disaster world. 

Bangley, on the other hand, is geared up for action in the post-world conflicts. Brolin’s performance makes his character destined to be the hero. With a pompous attitude and ample weaponry, he has his mind set on destruction. Ridley Scott is still strong as a director and I have great respect for his talent. He creates memorable scenes based on reality and turns a fictional story into a spellbinding film. Three out of four stars for The Dog Stars.

Film reviews

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma Review

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Writer and director Jane Schoenbrun has a creative eye for making films about filmmakers. After being astonished by I Saw the TV Glow back in 2024, I knew that I was going to be sold on Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. It is a vivid portrait of art that correlates filmmaking, falling in love, and a slasher direction altogether. It does so with mind-boggling colors. As a director, she has a vision for a movie to come to life, she dives deep in Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.

 

The film focuses on Kris, played by Hannah Einbinder. She is trying to reboot a film series called Camp Miasma. She decides to travel to the lost places where it was filmed, and her goal is to cast the ‘final girl’ from the original movie. That “girl” is Billy, played by Gillian Anderson. She invites Kris into her home, and they begin to fall into a deep connection with each other while having many movie nights. Deep-down, as Kris is absorbing the loving hospitality, she starts to feel love for Billy. She finds that there is more to Camp Miasma than she expected.

 

The film begins to feel like a mental rollercoaster ride. Kris gets very surreal with how she wants the franchise to be rebooted. The constant presence of Billy inspires her voice and also moments where she finds her quirkier aspects coming out. The new movie camp is called Camp Tivoli, and there are many clues surrounding where the film finds its brilliance. For Kris, she is back and forth with how her filmmaking is meant to speak. She struggles with what the studios want from her, but her love for Billy and rebooting the franchise of Camp Miasma is her defense in remaining true to her vision.

 

There are moments where Kris gets over her head. Especially when she is talking with her colleagues about launching the project. Her silly moments though are what makes the film feel real. They make audiences think about how the days of becoming a successful filmmaker have gotten more difficult. With Kris though, her character is the one that shines in Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.

 

As the story unfolds, there are moments when the darkness gets even more horrid. The bond between Billy and Kris begins to have red flags. As Kris opens about her sexual dynamic and relationships, Billy keeps pushing for her to expose more.  Kris tells her that she is polyamorous and questions her ability to love. This makes Billy try to force Kris out of her shell even more and the two eventually falls into romance. Even more, Camp Tivoli has some areas that begin to make a questionable, yet brilliant journey throughout the film. It is a clever and artistic work-of-art that I believe is one of the best films of 2026. Four out of four stars.

Film reviews

The End of Oak Street Review

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Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, returning with a new project. One where it is IT Follows meets Jurassic Park. A portrayal of a world hitting its breaking point and evolving into uncharted territory.  There are dinosaurs and prehistoric forests growing, yet the year is 1982. There is a clever setup of nostalgia with a family trying to be happy, but with too many flaws in the dynamics. All normalcy goes downhill in an adventurous way. The End of Oak Street has some entertaining moments for many audiences.

 

With an apocalyptic setting that comes from the ground, the creativity is vibrant. The film focuses on a family. The mother and father are Denise and Greg (Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor). The daughter and son are Audrey and Brian (Maisy Stella and Christian Convery). Many family struggles abound asGreg struggles to hold down a job, and Denise tries to write a book. Brian has issues with friends and experiments with cigarettes. Audrey is seen as just a normal and social human. They have their issues, however, and the dynamic of how a family sticks together holds lots of faith. This is tested here, because outside of their home, there are dinosaurs. The new apocalypse rises in The End of Oak Street. 

 

Mitchell’s directing has stepped up. He knows how to add comedic value in The End of Oak Street with dinosaurs hopping out in one moment and new worlds colliding in another. There is deep sense of satisfaction in watching all of this–I was sold with The End of Oak Street. The survival modes had me especially roped in.  Many films surrounding the “fighting to live” scenariohave predictable flaws, putting limitations on the action. That is not the case with The End of Oak Street.

 

As the family tries to survive in the neighborhood, Denise and Greg hit a bad patch, and Hathaway and McGregor show that they are one-of-a-kind when it comes to these things. With being used to seeing McGregor as Obi-Wan from Star Wars, it is like watching a former jedi trying to survive on a Jurassic Worldplanet. Also, with being used to viewing Hathaway as the nerd employee from The Devil Wears Prada, I found when watchingher play a woman dealing with pure disaster her outbursts are astounding.

 

The End of Oak Street feels like a Steven Spielberg flick, but it is one where Mitchell definitely has his own vision. I applaud the fun he incorporates. It is quirky and not so perfect. However, the characterizations and the era of the film speak true, making for an unusual gem here. This is one that will be fun for teens and up. Even though it is rated PG-13, some graphics go a bit over the top for the rating itself, especially surrounding some of the violence and nature moments. There are also some odd innuendos. The offbeat direction of Mitchell is what makes The End of Oak Street a classic. Three out of four stars.