My Movie Picks & Pans for July 2026, Part 2: "The Devil Wears Prada 2," "Remarkably Bright Creatures" and "Obsession"

[I review "The Devil Wears Prada 2," "Remarkably Bright Creatures," and "Obsession"]

The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026)

 

Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) and Amanda Priestley (Meryl Streep) are together again at Runway Magazine 20 years later, but this time the magazine and Amanda are in trouble.  What to do?

Two decades after leaving her position as an assistant at the fashion magazine, Runway, Andrea "Andy" Sachs (Hathaway) has become a respected reporter in New York City. However, when she finds herself abruptly laid off, Irv Ravitz (Tibor Feldman), the owner of Runway's parent company, Elias-Clarke, hires Andy as the features editor.  However, he doesn't tell Miranda Priestley (Streep), Andy's old boss who just happens to still be at Runway, much to her annoyance. Miranda is in her usual bad mood especially because she is under fire for publishing a story about a brand that uses sweatshop labor. Also Miranda is struggling to navigate modern fashion media and HR complaints have toned down her tyrannical office behavior. 

Miranda's right-hand man, Nigel Kipling (Stanley Tucci), is also still at the magazine and explains to Andy that nobody reads print magazines anymore and AI is cramping their style. They have been forced to embrace media to maintain profits and relationships with advertisers. One key advertiser is Dior, which employs Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt), Andy's former Runway co-worker. 

Andy improves her standing at Runway by getting a coveted interview with Sasha Barnes (Lucy Liu), the reclusive divorcée of a Silicon Valley billionaire and Irv promises to make Miranda global head of content at Elias-Clarke, but before he can do that he dies from a heart attack at his 75th birthday party. His son, Jay (B.J. Novak), takes over Elias-Clarke, but is not inclined to keep Runway so he puts Miranda's promotion on hold and begins cost-cutting. 

Will Runway be saved? Do we care?

I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when the powers that be got together 20 years after the first "Devil Wears Prada" movie and decided they needed to bring these characters back.  Like I said, i don't believe in sequels unless it's "The Godfather Part II." I don't like having to say, "It wasn't as good as the first one." I like to remember the first film and not mess up that memory with a lesser version.  

And, sorry, this one wasn't as good as the first one, but despite that fact, and that I have a thing against sequels, this one can stand alone. Hubby had never seen the first one and was able to enjoy these latest shenanigans without asking me what was going on. And Anne Hathaway is looking better than ever. Curiously, Emily Blunt didn't really look like herself which made me wonder what that means.  Mmmm (if you know what I mean). And she really didn't have that much to do.  Neither did Stanley Tucci, though he plays his usual droll self, but who wouldn't want to watch Meryl Streep chew the scenery?  She is the Queen of all things acting, and she shows another side of the usually imperious Miranda. 

Directed by David Frankel and written by Aline Brosh McKenna in an adaptation of Lauren Weisberger’s bestseller, it was fun seeing Milan, the fashions and all of the famous people in the modeling world show up. There is even a performance by Lady Gaga. The actors were great, and I give the film props for highlighting how bad things are for print media and journalism in general these days.  I have always been a huge fan of magazines and lament their going the way of the albatross.

Rosy the Reviewer says...did we need this sequel?  Not really, but if you missed these characters and love fashion, this can be a fun diversion. (For rent or purchase on Amazon Prime and available to stream on Hulu and Disney+ on July 29)

Remarkably Bright Creatures (2026)

Lonely widow, Tova, forms an unlikely bond with a young stranger and makes a life-changing discovery.

Tova Sullivan (Sally Field) is an elderly widow who works as a night janitor at an aquarium in the fictional town of Sowell Bay, Washington (and as happens often when depicting Washington State, the movie was actually filmed in Vancouver, B.C. and environs).

After the death of her son Erik years earlier, and more recently, her husband, Tova has become more withdrawn from her everyday life, including her friend group she dubs the "Knitwits" who spend more time gossiping than knitting. She tells them she doesn't like gossip, but at work, she lets it all hang out sharing her frirends' gossip with Marcellus, an elderly but wise octopus who longs to escape from the aquarium. Marcellus (the voice of Alfred Molina) shares his view of life and humans throughout the film and very much wants to help Tova.

One day, Marcellus attempts an escape but is discovered by Tova, who finds him by tracking a slippery path on the floor. After attempting to return him to his aquarium, she slips, injuring her ankle, requiring her to take time off to heal. Tova is also planning to sell her house and move to a senior community. 

Around the same time, Cameron Cassmore (Lewis Pullman, son of actor, Bill), an aspiring musician and a member of a band called "Moth Sausage," ends up in town after experiencing motor trouble. Broke, he seeks temporary work to pay for the repairs to the van his recently deceased mother Daphne left him. Cameron had found a ring with the letters EELS in her van supposedly belonging to his real father along with a picture with the name Simon Brinks (Chris William Martin).  So Cameron wants to find Brinks and collect all of that child support that he feels his dad owed his mother.

Cameron is hired to replace Tova at the aquarium while she recuperates. Unable to stay away, she happens upon Cameron at work and gets on his case for what she perceives as his slacker attitude. She shows Cameron the value of taking pride in his work and shares her relationship with Marcellus, creating a bond between her and Cameron. Tova also discovers that Marcellus doesn't have long to live.  

How these characters, both human and non-human, come together is at the core of this heart-warming story written by Olivia Newman and John Whittington and directed by Newman (based on the book by Shelby Von Pelt).

I was never a huge fan of Sally Field, but I have to say she was absolutely amazing in this film, and I am thinking we are going to have to hear her say "You like me, you really like me" again when she wins an Oscar for this performance.  And I won't mind because she would deserve it.

But Marcellus, who narrates the film, is also the star. He laments that  "Humans, for the most part, are dull and blundering, but occasionally, you can be remarkably bright creatures." And Marcellus is an amazing creature who gives this film an originality it might not have had without him.  And since octopuses are  "remarkably bright creatures," I can't see how people can eat them. Ever since I saw the award-winning documentary "My Octopus Teacher," I couldn't imagine eating octopus.

Rosy the Reviewer says...highly sentimental and I saw the ending coming a mile away, but at the same time, the locations are breathtaking, and the film cast a spell, drew me in for an enjoyable film experience. (Netflix)

Obsession (2025)

This film is a perfect example of the platitude - "Be careful what you wish for."

Baron "Bear" Bailey (Michael Johnston) has romantic feelings for his friend Nikki Freeman (Inde Navarrette), but she sees them both as just friends. They work at a music store with friends Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) and Sarah (Megan Lawless). Bear visits a crystal shop and is drawn to buy a "One Wish Willow," a novelty toy that claims to grant one wish per person when broken in half. After dropping Nikki off at her house, Bear breaks the One Wish Willow, wishing that Nikki loved him more than anyone in the world and, wouldn't you know, Nikki suddenly reappears and asks to stay at Bear's house where she confesses her mutual feelings and the two begin dating.  

All is well for awhile and then...remember what I said about being careful what you wish for?  And let me remind you of the title of this film. All kinds of crazy stuff happens as Nikki's behavior becomes more and more erratic and Bear wonders how he can reverse the spell.  Maybe he doesn't really want Nikki to love him more than anyone in the world.

This very low-budget supernatural horror film starring virtual unknowns was shot in Los Angeles for only $750,000. It was written, directed and edited by Curry Barker (no relation to Clive) and premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival where it was critically acclaimed. Focus Features acquired the distribution rights for $14–$15 million, the highest price commanded by a genre film in TIFF history, and Jason Blum came on board as an executive producer under Blumhouse Productions.  And it has been a huge critical and commercial success making $427 million worldwide, setting multiple box-office records as the seventh highest grossing film of 2026. 

So you don't want to miss out! There are strong acting performances, especially from Navarrette and the production values are great.  You would never know this was a low-low budget film. But be warned.  There are some highly disturbing moments.

Rosy the Reviewer says...I was obsessed! (for rent or purchase on Apple+ and Amazon Prime and now streaming on Peacock)

See You Next Time!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, X, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer where I share short reviews about TV shows I am watching, books I am reading and all sorts of other fun stuff that doesn't appear here!

And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critics Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!

Horror Movies! Some Pretend Horror to Take Your Mind Off the Horror of Real Life!

[It's a potpourri of horror tropes: monsters, children in jeopardy, a diabolical house and... sports.  I review "The Bride!" "Bring Her Back," "The Deliverance" and "Him."]

The Bride! (2026)

A remake of  "The Bride of Frankenstein."

There is the Jessie Buckley who played Agnes, Shakespeare's wife, in "Hamnet" for which she won a Best Actress Academy Award, and then there is the Jessie Buckley as the Bride, in this new version of "The Bride of Frankenstein" and never the twain shall meet. Well, they do, because between those two roles, Buckley is able to show her acting range. And then there's Christian Bale.  His twain has been met so many times that's not actually a descriptive phrase for him because he has played many more than two divergent roles, playing every oddball character there is to play. But believe it or not, he is toned down here and plays second fiddle to Jessie who is as out there as an actress can get both as Ida, who becomes the Bride and as Mary Shelley herself, the author of "Frankenstein," who keeps popping up and wishing she had written "The Bride of Frankenstein."  Sorry, Mary, but at least it was a movie.

Written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, this is a reworking of the original horror movie, an interesting film noir version but, as the movie progressed, the story and characters were so over-the-top that I suspected it was also a comic version, though very dark.  But I guess I could also say the original "Bride of Frankenstein" would probably come off today as a bit of a comedy. 

Anyway, the film begins with Mary Shelley (Buckley) speaking from the afterlife lamenting that she had died before she could write "The Bride of Frankenstein," so she comes back to life by possessing Ida (also played by Buckley), a woman living in 1936 Chicago, who drunkenly proceeds to discuss the criminal activities of crime boss Lupino while with a group in a bar. Lupino's henchmen Clyde (John Magaro) and James (Matthew Maher) are there and take her aside where she conveniently falls down a flight of stairs to her death. The Mary Shelley character keeps coming back throughout the film adding her two cents and possessing Ida and the proceedings, and that was a theatrical device I could have done without. I found it annoying.

Anyway, in the meantime, Frankenstein's monster, AKA "Frank (Bale)," arrives at the house of scientist Dr. Cornelia Euphronius (Annette Benning sporting some fake teeth to make her look more doctor-like, I guess). Having read about Euphronius' work on "reanimation," Frank begs her to create a companion for him because he has been alone for a century and is, well, lonely. He wants a mate, a relationship, okay...sex.  Euphronius and Frank just happen to dig up Ida's corpse and successfully revive her, but Ida loses her memory in the process. Frank takes advantage of this and states that she is his bride and lost her memory in an accident. Well, I guess falling down some stairs could be considered an accident.

So Frank and Ida get to know each other and go off to see a movie featuring Frank's favorite actor, Ronnie Reed. Frank is obsessed with Busby Berkeley-style movies and "The Dubious Detective" starring Ronnie Reed is his favorite (it's also an opportunity for Maggie's brother, Jake, to have a cameo as Reed). After the movie, they go dancing at a club. As they leave, two men attempt to assault Ida and Frank kills them as a monster is inclined to do. The two escape and stow away on a train to New York City. So now the police are after them and Detective Jake Wiles (Peter Sarsgaard) and his assistant Myrna Malloy (Penelope Cruz) are on the case and follow them to New York.

Since Ida can't remember anything from her past, Frank tells her that her name is Penelope Rogers (he wanted to call her Ginger Rogers in homage to his love of 30's musicals and dancing like Fred Astaire, but thought better of it, so he settled on Penelope). They crash a high class party where Ronnie Reed, Frank's idol, just happens to be a guest. Wanting to impress Reed, Frank begins to dance like Reed does in his films, with Penelope joining him, as well as the other party-goers, turning it into a dance very much like the Time Warp in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."  So you get the idea.  This is a very original take on the Frankenstein story.  

But then things fall apart again because Ida/Penelope just can't shut up and the two are recognized. Their crime spree becomes publicized, Ida becomes a bit of a feminist icon and Mob boss Lupino (Zlatko Buric) recognizes her in a newspaper article and dispatches his minions to kill her. So now it's like Bonnie and Clyde, or I should say, Frankie and the Bride, on the run, not just from the police but also from the Mob.  

Why does the Mob want Ida/Penelope dead? And will these crazy monsters manage to escape, get married and live happily ever after?  Duh. C'mon, this may be a dark comedy, but it's still horror.

The film has an all-star cast but this movie is all about Jessie. Yes, she is totally over-the-top, unhinged at times, but I can't help but be impressed by an actress who is so all in, no matter what.  And she is.  And Christian? He let's her have the spotlight, but he's still Christian Bale. He's always all in. But here he also shows his tender side because Frank clearly loves Ida.

And if I was still wondering if this was a comedy or not, "Monster Mash" plays at the end over the credits.  So, yes, it's a a sort of comedy, though a dark one and, yes, it's about monsters, but it is also a romantic story, in a monster kind of way. And speaking of the credits, be sure to keep watching the credits, because there is more.

Rosy the Reviewer says...if you like Monster Horror that is really wild and uninhibited with a feminist bent, you might like this, but I recommend that if you go for it, that you add a big glass of wine (or a cocktail) and an open mind because it's a wild ride. (For rent or purchase of Amazon Prime)

Bring Her Back (2025)

Seventeen-year-old Andy and his visually impaired sister, Piper, find their dad, Phil, dead in the shower, leaving them orphans.  And then things get worse.  They get the foster mother from hell.

When Andy (Billy Barratt) and his sister, Piper (Sora Wong), are orphaned, they are sent to live with eccentric former counselor Laura (Sally Hawkins), who is also fostering a pre-teen boy named Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips). Laura claims Oliver has stopped talking since the death of Laura's daughter, Cathy, who was also visually impaired and drowned in their backyard pool. Oliver is a bit of a mystery. Let me just say that he is one creepy kid, especially when he tries to eat a kitchen knife.  Oliver clearly has issues. But then there is Laura, who seems to inappropriately favor Piper. How she ever became a counselor is beyond me. She steals a lock of Phil's hair at his funeral and kisses his corpse, which is strange enough, but then the kids discover a secret that Laura has been keeping and things go from bad to worse for these kids.

There is a whole very, very convoluted plot about Laura's plan and how Andy and Piper figure into that plan, but in the meantime, she wreacks havoc on Andy and Piper and tries to drive them apart.  And what's the deal with Oliver? It's not a pretty sight watching Oliver eating inanimate objects as well as parts of his own body, but, okay, like I said, he has issues. Who doesn't?  But who is this kid?  Well, we eventually find out his story too.

Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou and written by Danny and Bill Hinzman, this has your classic horror tropes of young people in jeopardy, a creepy child and a malevolent caretaker which makes for good creepy fun, er, horror, and the film does a good job of creating tension and suspense. Nothing really scary happens for the first 40 minutes but then it goes from zero to 100 very quickly.  The ending is horrific...but also sad. 

Sally Hawkins is always good in quirky, and sometimes, creepy roles. Here she shows what can happen to someone who is consumed by grief. There is horror in that alone.  If you are not sure who Hawkins is, she won an Academy Award nomination in 2018 for "The Shape of Water" where she fell in love with an amphibian. Like I said, some creepy roles. But by the way, that movie won the Best Picture Oscar. But kudos, too, to Barratt and Wong who are also wonderful in this.

Rosy the Reviewer says...there is some very quirky and over-the-top gross "children in jeopardy" horror here, but at the same time, this is also a poignant take on grief and the lengths someone might go to assuage that grief. (HBO Max) 

The Deliverance (2024)

Single mother Ebony Jackson has just recently moved into a new house with her three children, not realizing it is the portal to hell. 

This is the third move in a short time for single mother, Ebony Jackson (Andra Day) and her eldest teenage son Nate (Caleb McLaughlin), teenage daughter Shante (Demi Singleton), and youngest son Dre (Anthony B. Jenkins). They are joined by Ebony's recently-turned religious mother Alberta (Glenn Close), who has cancer. She struts around in various wigs and revealing clothes and has no problem criticizing Ebony, who is ironically struggling financially because she has been paying Alberta's medical costs. The two have a very contentious relationship.  It doesn't help that Ebony has a criminal past and issues with alcohol.  Child Protective Services has been involved and Ebony must work with caseworker, Cynthia Henry (Mo'Nique), and Ebony is not happy about that. Let's just say that Ebony and Cynthia also have a contentious relationship.

Shortly after moving, Dre begins speaking to and about an unseen presence he calls Tre, claiming it lives alternately in the basement and his bedroom closet. Dre gets catatonic from time to time especially after being down in that basement, and Nate and Shante also begin acting strangely. All three children experience unexplained psychiatric episodes at school and are hospitalized. However, doctors find no underlying issues, and they are discharged. 

Then there is the strange woman in the car watching the house.  She eventually approaches Ebony, introducing herself as Rev. Bernice James (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor), a Pentecostal pastor who tells Ebony she had tried to stop a tragedy in Ebony's house 20 years prior.  A woman had killed her family before killing herself, because she was possessed by a demon and James insists that the demon is still in the house. Uh-oh. That certainly explains some things.

Well, you know how these possessed house stories go, right? And there is always a basement, right? That's so we can yell at the screen - "Don't go down there!"  But of course the characters always do. But I get that particular horror trope. In real life, dark basements scare me.  Growing up we had one with a basement door off the kitchen.  When that door was open, and I couldn't see down the stairs, I would sneak up on the door and quckly slam it shut, just in case there was something down there. Dark basements are a horror unto themselves. 

This film was actually inspired by the real story of Latoya Ammans who encountered strange happenings and disturbing behavior by her children in her house in Gary, Indiana in 2011 where a priest eventually performed an exorcism.  

So is there really a demon possessing Ebony's house and can these characters overcome it?

This is supernatural horror, but it's not your typical gotcha horror film, because it also explores the psychological horror of family dysfunction, and there is lots of that here too. It takes about an hour before the real horror begins, but director Lee Daniels, who won an Oscar for his film "Precious," creates tension early on in this beautifully and stylishing directed film written by David Coggeshall and Elijah Bynum. And Daniels makes you care about the characters. Even though Ebony has some big issues, you care about her.

And speaking of Ebony, Andra Day is excellent here, as are all of the actors, but the revelation is Glenn Close. We have always known Glenn Close is one of our great actresses, but this is Glenn Close as you have never seen her. In her wigs and tarty clothes and bitter mouth, she isn't your typical mom and grandmother. She is actually kind of a monster.  But then she goes from monstrous mom to a real monster. Prepare yourself for some epic teeth!

Rosy the Reviewer says...this film has a "Get Out" vibe with some of "The Exorcist" thrown in, so if you like supernatural horror featuring a classic diabolical house with a scary basement that will have you saying to the screen "Don't go down there," you will like this one. (Netflix)

Him (2025)

Rising football star, Cameron "Cam" Wade gets the chance to train with his idol, legendary quarterback Isaiah White - but things take a very dark turn.

The film begins with young Cameron "Cam" Cade watching his favorite football team, the San Antonio Saviors, win the league championship. But his joy turns to distress when his quarterback idol, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), suffers a violent, possibly career-ending injury while scoring the winning touchdown. Cam's father tells him that real men are willing to make such sacrifices. He says to young Cam, "Who are you?" And young Cam replies, "Him!"

Fast forward.  Now, Cam's father has died, and Cam (Tyriqu Withers) is himself a rising football star. Encouraged by his family and girlfriend Jasmine (Heather Lynn Harris), he trains for the league Combine, but while practicing late on an empty field, Cam is ambushed and assaulted by an unidentified figure in a goat costume, causing a head injury that endangers his career.

However, despite his brain injury and motivated by his agent, Tom (Tim Heidecker), Cam plans to still attend the Combine to pursue the Saviors' quarterback position, even though he risks permanent brain damage if he incurs another injury. Tom later reveals to Cam that Isaiah White is considering retirement and has offered to train Cam for a week at a remote desert compound. Cam accepts and travels there, encountering some crazed Isaiah fans, which sets the tone for the crazy stuff that is going to ensue ata Isaiah's compound. 

Of course, Isaiah's compound is out in the middle of nowhere "horror movie style," and looks more like a prison than a house. When Cam arrives, Isaiah says Cam is going to experience "radical detachment" - no phone, no porno, no Grinder, no Only Fans, just football. Is that what Cam was using his phone for? 

Cam is put through some disturbing challenges, such as a practice drill where a Jugs machine hits a player every time Cam misses a pass. Also, Cam secretly receives shots of Isaiah's blood, which he is led to believe is an energy booster, and he experiences frequent hallucinations of masked figures, which he attributes to the concussion. Isaiah's wife, Elsie (Julia Fox), is a nutter and tries to seduce Cam and that whole thing with Isaiah's blood?  It's part of Isaiah's evil plan.

Written by Skip Bronkie, Zack Akers, and Justin Tipping and directed by Tipping, the film is beautifully produced and very operatic, but isn't that just like most sports - beautiful, dramatic and often tragic? Sports fans might enjoy the football motif and drills and horror fans might enjoy the requisite blood and gore, which comes eventually, but though I got football as a metaphor for the drive to be the greatest no matter what and how professional sports can chew up and spit out players, the film is almost too symbolic, nutty, even, and much is unexplained. So despite an interesting idea, good acting and good production values, the film just lost its way.

But speaking of acting, this is the first big feature film role for Withers after toiling in several TV series, and I predict a long career for him. He is a good actor and a handsome film presence. And Marlon, the younger brother of Keenan Ivory and Damon Wayans, who appeared with them on their comedy show "In Living Color." has come a long way from those days and shows his ability as a dramatic actor. I just wish the film had a been a better showcase for them.

Rosy the Reviewer says...sports can be a horror for anyone who doesn't like sports - okay, now, now, I'm kidding - but this film actually uses football as a metaphor to highlight the horrors of wanting fame at all costs. However, I just wish the film had been better. (Netflix)

See You Next Time!

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to like it and share it on Facebook, X, or other sites; email it to your friends and/or follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rosythereviewer where I share short reviews about TV shows I am watching, books I am reading and all sorts of other fun stuff that doesn't appear here!

And next time you are wondering whether or not to watch a particular film, check out my reviews on IMDB (The International Movie Database). Go to IMDB.com, find the movie you are interested in.  Scroll over to the right of the synopsis to where it says "Critics Reviews" - Click on that and if I have reviewed that film, you will find Rosy the Reviewer alphabetically on the list (NOTE:  IMDB keeps moving stuff around so if you don't find "Critics Reviews" where I am sending you, look around.  It's worth it)!

Get Ready For The 2026 Golden Globes With These Golden Globe Nominated Performances, Part 2!

I review these Golden Globe nominated performances: George Clooney and Adam Sandler in  "Jay Kelly," Jennifer Lawrence in "Die My Love," Julia Roberts in "After the Hunt," Amy Madigan in "Weapons" and Tessa Thompson in "Hedda"]

Jay Kelly (2025)

Even famous, successful actors have regrets.

George Clooney stars as famous actor Jay Kelly, who finds himself looking back on his life.  After his latest film wraps, Jay wants to spend some time with his daughter, Daisy (Grace Edwards), but she has booked a trip to Europe with her friends.  Later, Jay is sad to hear that Peter Schneider (Jim Broadbent), the director who discovered him, has died, especially since Peter had asked Jay for some financial help and Jay had declined. And then Jay meets up with his former acting school roommate, Tim Galligan (Billy Crudup), and the two go for drinks and reminisce.  But the evening turns into a fistfight in the parking lot when Tim accuses Jay of stealing a part, one that would have made Tim famous. Jay is shaken by Peter's death and this incident.

So the next morning, Jay abruptly decides to forego his upcoming film, leave everything behind and head to Europe to find Daisy.  When Jay's manager, Ron (Adam Sandler), warns him that leaving the film will hurt his career, Jay ties the trip to a career tribute award ceremony in Italy that he had originally declined. When Jay arrives in Paris with Ron and his publicist, Liz (Laura Dern), he finds Daisy boarding a train, so they follow, but things don't go as planned. Jay invites Daisy to his tribute ceremony, but she declines, and later, Jay has flashbacks to his past, especially his strained relationship with his other daughter, Jessica (Riley Keough), who resents him for cheating on her mother. Things get worse for Jay as he discovers that Tim has filed a lawsuit against him for the fight, members of his team leave, a meeting with his dad (Stacy Keach) doesn't go well, Ron questions his relationship with Jay, and Jay questions his life, wondering if his success has been worth the sacrifices. 

"All my memories are movies."

Written by Noah Baumbach and Emily Mortimer (she also has a small role in the film) and directed by Baumbach, this is the kind of intimate comedy Baumbach is known for ("The Squid and the Whale," "Mistress America," "Marriage Story").  He has often collaborated with his wife, actress/director Greta Gerwig, who is also in this film. I have been a big fan of writer/director Baumbach's films, and this was another good one with a wonderful ensemble cast.  It says something about Baumbach's films that so many stars want to work with him, even playing cameos. 

But this film is all about Clooney, giving him a chance to show his softer side. It is said in the film that Jay plays a version of himself in all of his films. The same could be said about George, so one can't help but wonder how much of this film is about Jay and how much about George himself. But the film is also all about Sandler, the stoic sidekick, who pnce again exercises those same dramatic chops we saw in "Uncut Gems," toning down his comedic side to show his vulnerability. The two work well together here. Both have been nominated for Golden Globes - Clooney for "Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture -Comedy or Musical" and Sandler for "Best Supporting Actor..." 

I have to say that Crudup was overlooked.  Even though his part was small, he should have gotten a Best Supporting Actor nod as well, because when he was on screen, he killed it. He may have only been on screen for a short time but that shouldn't matter. As famous Russian director and theatre practitioner Konstantin Stanislavski said, "There are no small parts, only small actors." And Beatrice Straight won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for "Network" in 1976 and she was only on screen for five minutes!

So will Clooney and Sandler win Golden Globes in their categories?

Prediction:  I say no. Too much competition.

Rosy the Reviewer says...an intimate examination of the price of fame. (Netflix)

Die My Love (2025)

s an upcoming American dark comedy horror film directed by Lynne Ramsay and co-written by Enda Walsh. It is an adaptation of the 2017 novel by Ariana Harwicz about a new mother in the French countryside who develops postpartum depression and enters psychosis.

Jackson and Grace move into a remote house that Jackson inherited from his uncle, and after giving birth, Grace develops post-partum depression - in a big way.

Jennifer Lawrence stars as Grace in this film based on the 2012 novel by Ariana Harwicz adapted by Enda Walsh, Alice Birch and Lynne Ramsay and directed by Ramsay. Grace and Jackson (Robert Pattinson) move into a house in rural Montana left to him by his uncle.  They have moved there from New York. Grace is a writer, and they are happy there at first, indulging in rough sex, which I guess was fun for them - I don't judge - but then Grace gets pregnant, and after the baby's birth, problems arise.  Jackson is away for long periods, leaving Grace alone, lonely and bored, which results in masturbation, knife wielding, crawling in the grass, the killing of a dog, sitting in the refrigerator, spitting out drinks and nudity. Lots. Ever since Lawrence did full frontal nudity in "No Hard Feelings," the clothes are coming off. Lawrence has come a long way from Katniss Everdeen.

Things get worse and worse and worse for Grace and so does this overlong movie, despite an all-star cast.

Sissy Spacek and Nick Nolte also star, and though Spacek plays a key role as Jackson's mother, Nolte wonders what he is doing in this film. 

But the movie itself aside, Lawrence is nominated for a "Best Actor Female in a Motion Picture-Drama" Golden Globe and the film is really all about her, and she is all in, playing a woman with post-partum depression who falls into psychosis, but sadly the movie itself lets her down.

Will she win?

Prediction:  I say no.  Lawrence is good, but the movie isn't, so I think that will hurt her chances, and she has a lot of competition in this category. 

Rosy the Reviewer says...remember how I say "I see the bad ones so you don't have to?" Trust me. I saw it.  You won't like this. (available to rent on Amazon Prime - but don't do it)!

American dark comedy horror film directed by Lynne Ramsay and co-written by Enda Walsh. It is an adaptation of the 2017 novel by Ariana Harwicz about a new mother in the French countryside who develops postpartum depression and enters psychosis. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, with the former producing through her production compan

After the Hunt (2025)

A college professor finds herself in personal and professional conflict when her favorite student levels an accusation against a colleague and friend.

Julia Roberts plays Alma Imhoff, a philosophy professor at Yale.  She is married to Frederik (Michael Stuhlbarg), a therapist.  Alma has recently returned to work after an extended medical leave, but she is still experiencing frequent bouts of pain and may have a bit of a prescription drug problem. 

Frederik and Alma host a dinner party for Alma's fellow academics and students.  In attendance are Hank Gibson (Andrew Garfield), another professor and Maggie Resnick (Ayo Edebiri), Alma's top PhD student and a gay woman in a relationship with a non-binary partner. After the party, Hank and Maggie leave together.

The next day Maggie is absent from Alma's class, and when Alma returns home, she finds Maggie huddled outside her apartment, and Maggie confides in Alma that Hank had sexually assaulted her the night before.  Maggie's reaction is not particularly supportive, so Maggie leaves.  Later, when Maggie confronts Hank, he vehemently denies the allegation, asserting that Maggie came on to him and is making all of this up because he accused her of plagiarizing her dissertation.

What is Alma to do?  

Maggie is her favorite student and Maggie's parents are rich college donors, but Alma and Hank are also very close. You sense that there is, or has been, something closer between them. Both Alma and Hank are up for tenure. This could ruin his career but Alma also needs to do the right thing to protect her own tenure bid. Shouldn't women support women?  Who should she believe and what should she do?  Turns out Alma is carrying a secret that may have something to do with her reluctance to get involved.

Though not sure I like Julia as a blonde, she was good in this film, though I didn't particularly like her character.  Her "Pretty Woman" days are over, but she is still a pretty woman and a very good actress, and she showed an interesting side of herself. It's not often she plays a rather unsympathetic character.  Edebiri, who broke out as an actress in the TV series "The Bear," is also good but her character isn't particularly likeable either.

Written by Nora Garrett and directed by Luca Guadagnino ("Challengers," "Call Me By Your Name"), the film began with a very, very annoying soundtrack of what sounded like a ticking time bomb, and I guess as the movie played out, a case could be made for that, but the annoying sound went on too long and came and went a few other times during the film. Actually, the whole soundtrack was distracting and annoying. Most of the characters were also annoying, highlighting some of the worst kinds of academics. Chloe Sevigne was almost unrecognizable as a university psychiatrist, and she and Andrew Garfield didn't really have that much to do. In general, despite the serious subject matter, I just didn't really care about these characters. 

The ticking time bomb sound notwithstanding, the film lacked the tension one would expect for a movie on the subjects of the #MeToo Movement, an accusation of sexual assault, workplace misconduct and generational misunderstanding. It was a strange little movie that went on too long and didn't really seem to take a stand on any of the subjects or come to a real conclusion. And much was unexplained. For example, what does the title have to do with this movie?

Julia is nominated for a "Best Female Actor in a Motion Picture-Drama" Golden Globe.  Will she win?

Prediction: No.  She has too much competition from the other nominated actresses.

Rosy the Reviewer says...I can appreciate Julia's acting in this, but I didn't appreciate the film. (Amazon Prime)

Weapons (2025)

Seventeen children from a third-grade classroom in the town of Maybrook, Pennsylvania, run out of their homes at 2:17 a.m. and disappear. Only one student remains. Because it is only those children in that class who disappear, their teacher, Justine Gandy (Julia Garner), is blamed and thought to be a witch. 

Teacher Justine is suspended from teaching by principal Marcus Miller (Benedict Wong) under suspicion that she had something to do with the disappearance of the children. However, despite being treated like a pariah, she is determined to find out who is responsible. Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher) was the only child from her class who didn't disappear, so she stakes out little Alex's house and discovers something unsettling. In the meantime, she drinks a bit, okay a lot, and has a one-night stand with her married ex-boyfriend, Paul (Alden Ehrenreich), a local cop.

Archer (Josh Brolin), one of the parents of a missing child, is very suspicious of Justine and growing frustrated with the police investigation, so he starts his own. James (Austin Abrams), a homeless young drug addict, who while burgling Alex's house, also comes across something unsettling but before he can report it, he is caught by Paul. 

And then there is Gladys (Amy Madigan).  A flashback shows Gladys moving in with Alex and his family.  Gladys is a distant relative of Alex's mother and she is homeless and suffering from an incurable illness. She is also what one might call an odd duck.

Written and directed by Zach Cregger, the film plays out in a series of vignettes from each character's point of view - Justine, Archer, Paul, James, Marcus, and Alex - and eventually we see how they are all connected when their stories converge, resulting in a very gross ending. It's a tense horror/thriller made all the more horrific as it plays out in a mundane, quiet suburbia and feeds on the nightmares of parents - something happening to their children. Sometimes there is horror in the mundane. The story is original and nail-biting (watch out for those jump scares), the ensemble of actors excellent and the production values first rate. I really enjoyed it.  Sometimes I like a little fake horror in my life. My only complaints would be that the reason the children disappeared wasn't really explained well and who was that little girl narrating?

Amy Madigan recently won the Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Gladys and is up for a Golden Globe for "Best Supporting Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture," which is interesting because she doesn't appear in the film until almost 90 minutes in, but she is a pivotal, and shall I say, an eccentric character?  She reminded me of Bette Davis in "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?"

And I have to say that Julia Garner was wonderful in this and should have also been up for a Golden Globe as Best Actor.  A big snub.

The film itself is also up for an award for "Cinematic and Box Office Achievement," that made-up category I don't like meant to award films that aren't that arty but that did well at the box office. However, in this case, I think they did the film a disserve putting it there because this is a really good horror film and deserves to be in the "Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy" category - yes, it is horror but also sort of a comedy, though very, very dark.

Will Amy win? Will the film be recognized?

Prediction: I am thinking perhaps yes for Amy because she already has been recognized. As for this film, I think it deserves to win, but if "Sinners" doesn't win in the Drama category, it could win here.  I wouldn't like that because I didn't like that film.

Rosy the Reviewer says...a favorite.  If you like horror films, don't miss this one. (HBO Max)

Hedda (2025)

A modern reimaging of "Hedda Gabler," the classic play by Henrik Ibsen.

Norwegian playwright Ibsen's classic play involves Hedda Tesman (nee Gabler). Hedda is a bored, aristocratic newlywed as she struggles with a loveless marriage to George, a dull academic.  She gets involved with Eilert Lovborn, a writer, and the affair gives her a sense of power which, of course, considering the play was written in the 19th century, has to end in tragedy.  A woman couldn't take control of her own life in those days, especially if she was having an affair. And that is not a spoiler. I have to assume you know the story of Hedda Gabler. It's a classic often taught in school. 

Anyway, writer/director Nia DaCosta has taken this classic story and updated it to 1950's London instead of the late 19th century, compressed the story into a single night, totally changed the love triangle and given the story an ambiguous ending. Now instead of Eilert Lovborn, a man, Hedda (Tessa Thompson) is involved with Eileen Lovborn (Nina Hoss), a woman. Gee, I wonder what theatregoers in the 19th century would have thought of that!

The film begins with Hedda being interviewed by police at her estate after a shooting. Then flashback to 24 hours earlier when Dr. Eileen Lovborn arrives at a party that Hedda is hosting to help her husband, George (Tom Bateman), secure a professorship. Hedda and George are living above their means and George really needs this job.  However, Eileen is not only Hedda's past love but a rival for George's professorship.

When Eileen arrives at the party, it becomes evident that she and Hedda were formerly lovers. The sight of Eileen triggers an intense emotional response in Hedda, who still harbors feelings for her. However, during a private conversation, Eileen rejects Hedda's advances and declares that she has moved on with Thea (Imogen Poots), a new love. Eileen characterizes Hedda as a coward for refusing to pursue their relationship openly and instead choosing a conventional marriage to George.

The party doesn't go well with Hedda sabotaging her guests (she is not a very nice woman), especially Thea, Eileen's new love, and Eileen, by getting Eileen, who has become sober, to drink.  Then Hedda steals a manuscript from Eileen who was hoping to show it to a professor at the party and help secure the position and Eileen loses Thea. Things get worse and the party doesn't end well.

I am not a fan of the changes to this story, and the film lost me about half-way through. "Hedda Gabler" is often described as a female variation of "Hamlet" and hailed as a masterpiece of literary realism. If you have never read this play or seen it, and you want to, this is probably not your best introduction,  It has been changed quite a bit from the original, and not sure if I can recommend this version. You might try a 1975 film version - "Hedda" -  starring Glenda Jackson for a more faithful version. 

But that said, kudos to Thompson for a bravura and fierce performance as a woman pursuing her own goals at the expense of others. And I should say, Hoss was equally amazing.

Tessa Thompson is nominated for a "Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture-Drama."  Will she win?

Prediction: No.

Rosy the Reviewer says...very British, which I usually like, but very talky, which I didn't. I also didn't really like this version. (Amazon Prime)

See You At The Golden Globes!

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