26 Jan 2026

Witness for the Persecution: “Mercy,” “The Lost Bus,” “Come See Me in the Good Light,” and “The Ugly Stepsister”

By Mike Schulz

The mildly futuristic, vaguely sci-fi thriller Mercy is a rather confused movie, which, of course, isn't the same thing as a confusing one.

22 Jan 2026

The 2026 Academy Awards Nominations

By Mike Schulz

The biggest story regarding contenders for the 98th Oscars, which were revealed this morning by Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman at 7:30 a.m. CT, is Sinners. And it's quite literally The Biggest Story, as Ryan Coogler's period vampire musical flew away with 16 nods – the most citations for one movie in Academy Awards history.

19 Jan 2026

Iron Maiden Voyage: “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” “No Other Choice,” and “The Rip”

By Mike Schulz

I couldn't wait for last year's 28 Years Later to end. I was disappointed when this one did, as another half-hour or so would've been totally fine by me.

15 Jan 2026

Predicting the 2026 Academy Award Nominations

By Mike Schulz

This year, One Battle After Another and Sinners appear poised to not only tie but update the most-Oscar-nods-ever stat … and their tallies might not even end at 15.

12 Jan 2026

Rabid, Run: “Primate,” “Is This Thing On?”, and “Father Mother Sister Brother”

By Mike Schulz

One can only hope that director/co-writer Johannes Roberts' Primate remains the worst 2026 horror flick to feature a previous Oscar winner. It should be said, however, that Troy Kotsur, who earned a deserved Best Supporting Actor trophy for 2021's CODA, is the finest thing that could've happened to a dopey, rather repugnant shocker about a chimp gone ape.

05 Jan 2026

Robbed Zombies: “We Bury the Dead” and “The Secret Agent”

By Mike Schulz

As has become a common ritual, the first weekend of the new year brought with it a low-budget horror movie. Unlike releases of the M3GAN/Night Swim variety, however, this most recent release doesn't appear all that interested in being a horror movie – which is largely to its credit.

03 Jan 2026

Mississippi Quiver: Reminiscences on the 2025 Movie Year

By Mike Schulz

Thanks for turning my favorite movie of the year – of many, many years – into the financial, cultural, and awards-season behemoth it's become.

28 Dec 2025

Up a Creek with a Paddle: “Marty Supreme,” “Song Sung Blue,” and “Anaconda”

By Mike Schulz

I found this latest showcase for “hilarious” abhorrent behavior grossly self-satisfied and almost unfailingly obnoxious. The opening credits, though, are a hoot.

20 Dec 2025

Pandora Express: “Avatar: Fire & Ash” and “The Housemaid”

By Mike Schulz

James Cameron can always be counted on to deliver visual wonders the likes of which we've never seen before. No, wait: I take that back. I meant to say that James Cameron could always be counted on to deliver visual wonders the likes of which we've never seen before.

14 Dec 2025

You're Gonna Fake It After All: “Ella McCay,” “Silent Night, Deadly Night,” and “Oh. What. Fun.”

By Mike Schulz

James L. Brooks' first feature since 2010's How Do You Know isn't the worst picture of 2025. It's quite possibly the strangest, though, and suggests that not only has Brooks not made a film in 15 years, but perhaps hasn't seen a film in 15 years.

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