Bunny!!. Writer/director Trấn Thành and co-writer Thao Nguyen have made a suspenseful, provocative, unflinching and genuinely heartfelt psychological thriller with surprising twists and turns. The tension escalates gradually as Linh uncovers more truths about her husband and Bunny, who's also his assistant. Linh and Phong seem like a happy couple initially. He's a successful businessman and she's hosting a popular talk show where she gives romantic advice to guests. Figuring out how to untangle the mess after discovering that Phong might have cheated on her with Bunny turns out to be more difficult and frustrating than she could ever have imagined. Phong, of course, denies the affair. Although Bunny!! does a fair share of psychological thrills, Bunny!! focuses more on the relationships and on the emotional struggles of Linh, Phong and Bunny which makes the film an honest portrait of a dysfunctional marriage. The filmmakers have a great command of exposition which means that the audience knows as much as Linh does and that they can feel the same way that she does every step of the way, especially when she's confused about what's actually going on.
Who should she trust? Who should the audience trust? Is Phong or Bunny gaslighting her? Or perhaps they're both gaslighting her? There are even more characters like Bunny's live-in boyfriend, Linh's sister and her brother-in-law which add more emotional depth and complexity to the film. Moreover, the performances by LyLy, Trần Lê Vĩnh Đam and Pháo are superb and emotionally convincing. Everything from the costume design, hair & makeup, production design, editing and cinematography provide both style and substance, i.e. a small detail like Bunny's hairstyle that eventually resembles Linh's hairstyle. Prepare for an emotional roller coaster ride with a shocking and intense third act. Bravo to the filmmakers for not being afraid to go into dark territory. It's one of the most wildly entertaining thrillers since Send Help and The Housemaid and Parasite, so it'd be best to watch it with a large crowd. At a running time of 2 hours and 7 minutes, Bunny!! is now play at select theaters nationwide via 3388 Films.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
Floria (Leonie Benesch) works the late night shift at an understaffed hospital ward in Late Shift. Overworked, exhausted and over-stressed she gets into trouble when she angrily throws a patient's expensive watch out of the window. Writer/director Petra Volpe has made an engrossing and unflinching drama with a heartfelt and raw performance by Leonie Benesch. Every scene feels true-to-life without any contrivance or unnecessary subplots. Volpe does an impeccable job of getting the audience inside the heart, mind and soul of Floria from the very first moment until the very last. She goes through a wide variety of emotions, many of which she must bottle up inside of her to be professional, but her patience begins to wear thin. Nonetheless, she's not a bad person, and she shows signs of genuine remorse and introspection. Don't be surprised if you'll be able to palpably feel her exhaustion and relate to her frustrations. It's interesting to observe how she interacts with her coworkers---you can sense that she has worked there for a while, that they trust her and they've built a rapport with one another. Case in point: when one of those coworkers laughs with Floria after she admits to her that she threw the watch out of the window. The third act has a surprise that won't be spoiled here, but it feels organic
Despite that Late Shift remains set in one location with only a few exteriors shots, it never feels stuffy, tedious or dull. Leonie Benesch's emotionally convincing performance grounds it in humanity, warmth and authenticity much like her performance in The Teachers' Lounge which would be an interesting double feature along with the French drama Full Time also about someone who's overworked. Kudos to Benesch for her emotionally honest and generous performance which makes the film an intense and immersive experience that might change the way you look at hospital nurses afterward. At a running time of 1 hour and 31 minutes, Late Shift is now playing at Quad Cinema via Music Box Films.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
In Hoppers, Mabel (voice of Piper Curda), a college student and environmental activist, comes up with a plan to save a sacred place in nature called the Glades. She uses her university's secret technology called "hopping", developed by her professor, Dr. Sam (Kathy Najimy), to stop the town's mayor, Jerry (voice Jon Hamm), from building a highway that will destroy the Glades. "Hopping" allows Mabel to transfer her consciousness to a robotic animal, in this case a beaver who befriends another beaver, George (Bobby Moynihan), hoping to convince him and the other animals to save the Glades. Director Daniel Chang and screenwriter Jesse Andrews have made a funny, exuberant, heartfelt and exhilarating animated adventure that will entertain audiences young and old. It's one of Pixar's best movies since Inside Out and also has a narrative that's filled with memorable characters and many surprises along the way. There are some sight gags and outrageously funny humor that land both for kids and for adults simultaneously. Kudos to the filmmakers for not pandering to younger audiences and for not being afraid to let the plot go into somewhat darker territory during the last thirty minutes.
Beyond all of the comedy, action and thrills, Hoppers also manages to wear its heart on its sleeve without becoming cheesy. The bond between Mabel and George feels palpable and might make you teary-eyed at times. The film's pro-environment message is vital and inspirational, especially for kids, which makes it kindred spirits with Wall-E. Everything from the stunning CGI animation to the use of music and the witty screenplay makes it even more exceptional and destined to become a new Disney classic. Don't be surprised if it gets nominated for Best Animated Feature Film during the next awards season. Please be sure to stay through the end credits for a mid-credits scene and a sweet post-credits scene. At a running time of 1 hour and 44 minutes, Hoppers is now playing nationwide via Walt Disney Pictures.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
In "Wuthering Heights", Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) has fallen in love with Catherine (Margot Robbie), whom he has known ever since they were children when her father, Mr. Earnshaw (Martin Clunes), adopted him off the streets. When her father struggles financially after gambling his money away, Catherine marries Edgar (Shazar Latif), who comes from a wealthy family. Heathcliff, now jealous and heartbroken, marries Edgar's sister, Isabella (Alison Oliver), out of spite.
Writer/director Emerald Fennell has made a sexy, exhilarating and visually stunning adaptation of the classic novel by Emily Brontë. She does a great job of introducing the characters and developing the bond between Heathcliff and Catherine in the first act during their childhood, so the beats land when Catherine eventually marries the wealthier Edgar and when Heathcliff gets his revenge by becoming wealthy himself and marrying Edgar's sister. They're both emotionally immature and somewhat deranged yet currently madly in love with each other. It's exciting and a guilty pleasure to watch just how far each of them will go to make them other one jealous or to express their vindictiveness through pranks and mind games---putting raw eggs, shell-on under Healthcliff's bed sheets, for instance, happens to be among those pranks. So, "Wuthering Heights" feels thoroughly captivating without any dull moments.
The other major strengths of "Wuthering Heights" include the breathtaking cinematography, use of color, costume design and production design which become part of the film's substance. Nearly every shot looks like a painting. The entire ensemble cast is superb, even those in supporting role like Martin Clunes, Alison Oliver and Hong Chau who plays Nelly, another orphan that Mr. Earnshaw takes in and puts her to work as his housekeeper. Most importantly, though, Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie are well-cast and have palpable chemistry together. They help to make "Wuthering Heights" engrossing from start to finish. At a running time of 2 hour and 16 minutes, Wuthering Heights opens nationwide on February 13th, 2026 via Warner Bros. Pictures. Don't be surprised if it gets nominated for awards during the next awards season.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
A mysterious man (Sam Rockwell) from the future recruits a group of patrons from a diner to help him save the world from Artificial Intelligence in Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die. The team he assembles includes Ingrid (Haley Lu Richardson), Mark (Michael Peña), Janet (Zazie Beetz), Scott (Asim Chaudhry), Marie (Georgia Goodman), and Susan (Juno Temple). Director Gore Verbinski and screenwriter Matthew Robinson have made a wildly entertaining sci-fi action comedy that's funny, thrilling, campy and delightfully bonkers. The concept of time traveller going back in time over and over again to try to save the world from AI sounds intriguing and timely. Fortunately, it works without getting stretched too thinly because the filmmakers take the time to expand the backstories of each of the patrons before they embark on their mission. Susan has the most interesting and profound backstory because she communicates with her dead son through AI. The man from the future also gets his own backstory eventually, so it's great how the exposition is peppered throughout the film without the filmmakers bombarding the audience with it all at once.
Besides the blend of outrageously funny comedy and thrills sans tonal unevenness or clunkiness, the other strengths include a few memorable surprises and very stylish visual effects as well as production design. Moreover, each member of the ensemble cast has their moment to shine and is well-cast, especially Sam Rockwell who has a lot of fun with his role. Be prepared for a wild, crowd-pleasing ride that's best experienced while high. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don't Die deserves to be a cult classic like Donnie Darko and 12 Monkeys. At a running time of 2 hours and 14 minutes, it opens nationwide on February 13th, 2026 via Briarcliff Entertainment.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
After their plane crashes during a business trip, Linda (Rachel McAdams) and her domineering boss, Bradley (Dylan O'Brien), get stranded on a deserted island together in Send Help. Director Sam Raimi and co-writers Damian Shannon and Mark Swift have made a wildly entertaining, wickedly funny and exhilarating thrill ride from start to finish. The first act spends at least 15 minutes or so with exposition which makes it clear that Bradley, Linda's new boss and CEO of the company, is a sexist bully who's about to marry his fiancée, Zuri (Edyll Ismail), who's just as shallow and toxic as he is. Send Help begins with an off-kilter albeit light tone before it veers toward dark comedy in a way that's over-the-top and even somewhat crowd-pleasing. There's one particularly well-written scene that provides some humanizing backstory to Linda and Bradley while also grounding the film in some tenderness. You'll even learn a little bit about Bradley's childhood and how he ended up such an asshole without any flashbacks. That said, there's one flashback, though, in the third act that spoon-feeds the audience too much without trusting their intelligence enough. There are plenty of clever twists and turns here including a particularly memorable one that involves the filmmakers' trust in the audience's imagination. To be fair, the third act feels somewhat rushed and leaves too many plot holes behind while requiring some suspension of disbelief. Logic isn't among the film's many strengths. However, that's forgivable because, as Hitchcock once astutely observed, logic is dull; imagination is more important.,
Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien play off of each other amazingly well, especially when they banter. They both are clearly having a lot of fun in their roles while handling the dramatic and comedic moments very convincingly. Of course, there's also the breathtaking scenery on the island which becomes a character in itself. The pace moves briskly enough and slows down at just the right moments. It's also worth mentioning the terrific music score by Danny Elfman. Ultimately, Send Help manages to be as fun and exciting as the third chapter of Triangle of Sadness with as much biting satire and tongue-in-cheek humor. At a running time of 1 hour and 53 minutes, it's now playing nationwide via 20 Century Studios.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
In Two Sleepy People, Syd (Baron Ryan) lives with his wife, Donna (Sarah J. Bartholomew). Every night, he has the same dream as his new co-worker, Lucy (Caroline Grossman), where they're both married to each other. Writer/director Baron Ryan and co-writer Caroline Grossman have made an honest, wise, heartfelt and refreshingly un-Hollywood romantic dramedy brimming with wit, humor and genuine warmth. Syd feels happy in his dreams with Lucy where Donna is his ex-wife while he's less happy with Donna in his waking life because their marriage has gone stale and they're no longer compatible. Although there are no villains, it could be argued that Donna has some degree of narcissism because she seems selfish, emotionally immature, lacks introspection, and doesn't acknowledge her hurtful actions toward Syd nor the consequences of her action even when he finds the courage to confront her with them. Syd is flawed, too, though, because he doesn't stand up for himself around her and when he tries to, she tries to guilt trip him. Lucy, as it turns out, also has flaws of her own, so even though she's his dream girl, she's infallible. Fundamentally, she and Syd help each other to innately grow through introspection, and to learn how to truly love and empathize with their true selves while attaining an intrinsically valuable asset: self worth.
Bravo to writer/director Baron Ryan and co-writer Caroline Grossman for grasping the complexity of human nature, relationships and psychology. The dialogue sounds organic without any stiltedness, the romance between Syd and Lucy avoids schmaltz, and the inventive plot has the right amount of exposition while leaving just enough room for interpretation. The filmmakers trust the audience's emotions, imagination and intelligence which is a rare feat these days. At a running time of 1 hour and 33 minutes, Two Sleepy People opens on January 23rd, 2026 in select theaters nationwide via Camp Studios. It would be a great double feature with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind , (500) Days of Summer, Before Sunrise, Shirley Valentine and any Eric Rohmer movie.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
Highly Recommended Movies
In Two Sleepy People, Syd (Baron Ryan) lives with his wife, Donna (Sarah J. Bartholomew). Every night, he has the same dream as his new co-worker, Lucy (Caroline Grossman), where they're both married to each other. Writer/director Baron Ryan and co-writer Caroline Grossman have made an honest, wise, heartfelt and refreshingly un-Hollywood romantic dramedy brimming with wit, humor and genuine warmth. Syd feels happy in his dreams with Lucy where Donna is his ex-wife while he's less happy with Donna in his waking life because their marriage has gone stale and they're no longer compatible. Although there are no villains, it could be argued that Donna has some degree of narcissism because she seems selfish, emotionally immature, lacks introspection, and doesn't acknowledge her hurtful actions toward Syd nor the consequences of her action even when he finds the courage to confront her with them. Syd is flawed, too, though, because he doesn't stand up for himself around her and when he tries to, she tries to guilt trip him. Lucy, as it turns out, also has flaws of her own, so even though she's his dream girl, she's infallible. Fundamentally, she and Syd help each other to innately grow through introspection, and to learn how to truly love and empathize with their true selves while attaining an intrinsically valuable asset: self worth.
Bravo to writer/director Baron Ryan and co-writer Caroline Grossman for grasping the complexity of human nature, relationships and psychology. The dialogue sounds organic without any stiltedness, the romance between Syd and Lucy avoids schmaltz, and the inventive plot has the right amount of exposition while leaving just enough room for interpretation. The filmmakers trust the audience's emotions, imagination and intelligence which is a rare feat these days. At a running time of 1 hour and 33 minutes, Two Sleepy People opens on January 23rd, 2026 in select theaters nationwide via Camp Studios. It would be a great double feature with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, (500) Days of Summer, Before Sunrise, Shirley Valentine and any Eric Rohmer movie.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
