On the record
Criticism and explainers — not a stream
Film writing and legal discovery
Spotlight
In this issue
-
Spider-Man: Brand New Day Review: Peter Parker Grows Up, Even If Marvel Won’t
Tom Holland gives Peter Parker a more bruised, adult edge in Brand New Day, a sequel with real emotional weight trapped inside familiar franchise machinery.
-
The Odyssey Review: Christopher Nolan Goes to War With Myth
Christopher Nolan turns Homer’s epic into a huge, tactile story about war, memory and the dangerous power of storytelling, led by Matt Damon as Odysseus.
-
Toy Story 5 Review: Pixar Finds a Smart New Enemy — the Screen
Toy Story 5 pits Woody, Buzz and Jessie against Lilypad, a tablet that makes the toys question whether playtime itself is becoming obsolete.
-
Practical Magic 2 Review: The Owens Sisters Still Cast a Messy Spell
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return to the Owens family in a sequel full of ancestral curses, sisterhood, autumn atmosphere and charming disorder.
-
The Love Hypothesis Review: A Fake-Dating Rom-Com With Actual Chemistry
Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman make Ali Hazelwood’s academic romance work where it matters most: the awkward, funny space between pretending and falling in love.
-
Mayday Review: Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh Go Full ’80s Buddy Movie
Mayday sends Ryan Reynolds behind enemy lines and pairs him with Kenneth Branagh in a Cold War action-comedy that proudly wears its 1980s influences.
-
The Whisper Man Review: A Great Nightmare Trapped in an Ordinary Thriller
Netflix’s adaptation has an unnerving premise and a strong cast, but Adam Scott and Robert De Niro are left fighting a thriller that rarely becomes as disturbing as it should.
-
Backrooms Review: The Internet’s Empty Hallways Become a Real Nightmare
Kane Parsons expands the viral Backrooms concept into a feature that understands why fluorescent lights, beige walls and endless empty space can be terrifying.
-
Mortal Kombat II Review: More Fatalities, More Fan Service, Same Old Problem
Karl Urban joins the tournament as Mortal Kombat II delivers the fights and gore fans expect, while the connective story still struggles to match the combat.
-
Scream 7 Review: Ghostface Knows the Routine Too Well
Neve Campbell returns as Sidney Prescott, but Scream 7’s devotion to franchise history often makes Ghostface’s latest rampage feel more familiar than frightening.
-
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come Review: The Deadly Game Gets Bigger and Weirder
Samara Weaving returns as Grace in a sequel that blows up the first film’s deadly-family premise into a bloodier, stranger mythology.
-
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Review: Ufotable Turns the Final Arc Into Spectacle
Infinity Castle begins Demon Slayer’s climactic film trilogy with astonishing animation, brutal battles and emotional flashbacks that sometimes interrupt its momentum.
-
Avatar: Fire and Ash Review: Pandora Is Still Stunning, but the Story Feels Familiar
James Cameron expands Pandora with the Ash People and Wind Traders, delivering extraordinary spectacle while revisiting conflicts the series has already explored.
-
The Mandalorian and Grogu Review: Big-Screen Star Wars, Small-Screen Soul
Din Djarin and Grogu make the jump from Disney+ to a feature-length adventure full of charm and action, even if the story still feels episodic.
-
How Aspect Ratio Changes What a Movie Frame Can Express
Discover how different aspect ratios influence the visual storytelling of films, affecting everything from composition to audience perception.
-
What Day-for-Night Photography Is and Why It Looks Uncanny
Discover the art of day-for-night photography, its historical significance, and how digital advancements have transformed its application in modern cinema.
-
Why Off-Screen Sound Makes a Horror Scene Unsettling
Off-screen sound frightens us by suggesting an unseen threat whose location, shape, and intentions remain uncertain.
-
The End of Oak Street Review: Suburban Wonder Becomes Dinosaur Panic
A spoiler-light review of The End of Oak Street, examining its suburban period design, tonal swerves, creature spectacle and family dynamics.
-
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma Review: A Slasher About Movie Memory
A detailed spoiler-light review of Jane Schoenbrun's Camp Miasma, with focus on Gillian Anderson, Hannah Einbinder, slasher form and movie nostalgia.