by Parker Ashley, edited by J. Nagle
In my opinion, James Gunn’s Superman is the best film to have come out in the past couple of years. It has a compelling storyline, action-packed fight scenes, incredible characters, beautiful cinematography, and one of my all-time favorite soundtracks for a movie. It may seem as though I’m overhyping the film, but I don’t think I’ve even scratched the surface of how truly fantastic this movie is.
I think the most important thing to highlight from this film is its heart. You can tell that this movie was made with a lot of love and passion. In almost every moment of this film, you can feel the heart of it.
Another aspect of this movie that I adore is the comedy. This film is one of the few movies that has been able to make me laugh in the theatre as of late. The comedy in the movie is able to keep it lighthearted, but also still keeps the serious tone of the film. They also never force the comedy into your face; it always feels very natural and not like it’s being shoved down your throat.
Abandon all hope ye who enter here: There will be spoilers ahead. If you haven’t seen the film yet and plan to, then don’t read ahead.
One of the parts of the movie that is a prime example of how amazing the comedy in this film is the scene where Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) are waiting for the garage door to open. The gag of it was obviously the door taking a long time to open, but it didn’t feel drawn out. It was longish, but it didn’t overstay its welcome. This scene was hilarious, but also a much-needed palate cleanser. It was able to lighten the mood in a part of the film which was intense, but it also didn’t ruin the seriousness of previous scenes. Another thing this scene does well is show some of the character of Mr. Terrific, who, as Lois Lane says, has a flying saucer, but couldn’t get a faster garage door. It shows that despite him being the brains of the Justice Gang, he isn’t perfect.
Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) is by far my favorite movie villain of all time. His plans for the Boravian conflict and that he caused the Boravian conflict to kill Superman (David Corenswet), not the other way around, really showcased his hatred towards Superman and metahumans in general. His complete disregard for the destruction and loss of life is a stark contrast to Superman’s care for every single living thing. He started the Boravian conflict despite knowing many could die; he would’ve let the rift spread into an unevacuated area, while Superman even saves a squirrel because every single life matters to him. It showcases that Lex doesn’t care who will die or what will be destroyed; all he cares about is accomplishing his goal of killing Superman. Another scene that just showcases how great of a villain Lex Luthor is is his envy monologue. It is honestly one of my favorite quotes of all time. It is powerful, emotional, and amazingly delivered.
Lex Luthor reminds me of AM from Harlan Ellison’s I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, specifically the BBC Radio Drama version. If you are not familiar with it, I strongly recommend listening to it, but the similarities between AM and Lex Luthor, while obviously not being the exact same, are extremely noticeable, at least to me. One of the examples of this is when Lex Luthor says, “Because his strength illuminates how WEAK we all really are! So, my envy is a calling! It is the sole hope for humanity, because it is what has driven me to annihilate you!” Much like how AM hatred is driven by his envy of humans’ bodies, senses, their ability to wander, and their tendency to hope, Lex Luthor’s hatred of Superman and metahumans in general is driven by his envy of Superman.
Another thing that I thought was amazingly done was the big twist that Superman’s parents sent him to Earth to conquer and preserve the Kryptonian race instead of being sent to help humanity. It’s an amazing twist on the classic Superman backstory. Also, the change from him listening to his Kryptonian parents’ message to videos of his Earth parents was a powerful and beautiful touch, one of the many moments of the movie that showed off the heart of the film.
Another aspect of the film I thought was really amazing was how human everything felt. The interactions between characters felt so real and natural. On top of that, the characters are all very unique and human. Think about characters like Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio) and Mr. Terrific and even Superman, they all have flaws like Eve having “mutant toes”, Mr. Terrific is not as much of pacifist as superman and he doesn’t care much for people, and Superman who when was presented with the interview, ran away because he got upset and can come off as a little short sighted at times. These characters all have flaws, but that’s what makes them seem so human. None of the characters are perfect badass flawless people, they all have flaws and have imperfections, like Superman says, “I wake up every morning and despite not knowing what to do, I put one foot in front of the other and I try to make the best choices I can. I screw up all the time, but that is being human. And that’s my greatest strength.” Like being human is Superman’s greatest strength, I think it is also this film’s. The humanity of this film, along with its heart, makes it a truly amazing experience.
To wrap this review up, in my opinion, James Gunn’s Superman is the best movie that has come out in 2025. The story, the characters, the music, every part comes together amazingly well. It is a truly incredible film and has quickly become one of my favorite films of all time.
James Gunn’s Superman is now playing in theaters worldwide.
by J. Nagle
Early May saw the release of Andrew DeYoung’s Friendship through A24, starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd. The two actors have something of a cult following, the former being known for his over-the-top comedic performances in Netflix’s I Think You Should Leave and the latter in a multitude of comedies, as well as portraying Ant-Man in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. When on screen together in DeYoung’s directorial debut, they make for an absurd, unforgettable ride through the lives of two eccentric middle-aged men on two different—though not entirely incompatible—wavelengths.
With Robinson and Rudd’s unique and comedic chemistry throughout the film, it feels appropriate to question why the two haven’t co-starred in a segment of Robinson’s Netflix show before. Rudd is no stranger to the absurd in comedy, as can be seen in previous roles of his such as guest starring in Adult Swim’s Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! back in 2010. When the two meet on screen, their characters almost immediately click; the two strange men find comfort in their shared interest in the unusual around their small town. Part of the film’s fun comes from this varying level of respect between the two. Robinson’s character, Craig Waterman, finds himself with this almost parasocial bond between himself and this local weatherman he just met, played by Rudd. This weatherman, Austin Carmichael, fully acknowledges the instability of Craig as a person and their bond as a whole, but by the end of the film never fully loses this “respect”.
Friendship marks Paul Rudd’s second A24 excursion of the year, following Death of a Unicorn in which he co-starred with Scream’s Jenna Ortega as well as Will Poulter, recently known for his work in FX’s The Bear. The film so far has grossed over $15 million domestically in theaters, and will go on to earn more through today’s release of the film on digital platforms.
Friendship is now available for purchase and rental on Prime Video and YouTube Movies among other platforms, as well as select theaters across America.
By J. Nagle
From the first season of The Rehearsal, Nathan Fielder has consistently shown his fearlessness of blending reality with the uncanny and unconventional. However, in the second season of the comedian’s HBO docu-dramedy, Fielder discovers and explores his own fears in regards to a critical flaw he believes he has discovered in America’s aviation industry, making great use of the show’s budget where applicable.
In something of a freak coincidence, the April trailer announcing this “storyline” from the show lined up with a series of fatal aviation accidents in the United States, despite the season’s lengthy production timeline that extends well before most of the recent accidents publicized by the media this year. While the first season of The Rehearsal had a tendency to focus more on issues pertaining to the private lives of individuals, this new season demonstrates a broader focus on how investigating miscommunications between airplane pilots could save the lives of countless people aboard. In the first episode, Nathan makes it very clear to both former NTSB member John Goglia and the audience that HBO has given him the reach, financially and legally, to invest in this objective as much as is needed. In just six episodes, we see Fielder undergo a complete transformation of self and career in an attempt to change the entire process of piloting industry-wide, no matter what it takes.
While his style of helping countless individuals began life on Paramount’s Comedy Central network with Nathan For You, HBO is where Fielder finds his footing when tackling issues from a more cinematic and artistic perspective. No matter how trustworthy, eccentric, bland, or mundane any given person seems in the grand scheme of The Rehearsal, Nathan’s direction demonstrates this unique understanding of the human form that he fittingly explains the calculation of in its finale, as well as through subsequent episodes hinting at this. Fielder seems to take a “butterfly effect” approach to staging events and opportunities prior to their reality, where every single factor plays a part and even the slightest deviation from the reality of the situation could bring the whole experience into jeopardy on both ends.
It would be a disservice to just call The Rehearsal a work of comedy. With how many moving pieces and how much research is done just for a single episode of the series, it’s incredible that Nathan Fielder seems to have crafted a world of his own that, in reality, is simply the same to which we live in. The new season’s highs are breathtaking, and even its lows feel deliberately designed to land in the uncanny field that Fielder continues to excel at.
Season 2 of Nathan Fielder’s The Rehearsal is now streaming on Max.
by J. Nagle
Whether through Jack Black’s musical talents or his line deliveries—namely one of a combative avian variety—anyone keeping up with the theatrical release space has surely heard of the celebratory crowds of A Minecraft Movie screenings by now. Buying tickets to a showing of the film felt like a gamble from the start, never knowing whether the crowd would be respectful or start slinging whole buckets and even bags of popcorn around the theater. There was a point in the film’s “CHICKEN JOCKEY” online stardom in which a few of those in attendance brought a LIVE chicken to prop up during the scene, sitting on another’s shoulders as to mimic the telltale Chicken Jockey formation.
Though, most are aware this trend and borderline guerilla marketing campaign has already gone too far in a few places. For those unlucky enough to book a screening with most of these instigating fans, any amount of popcorn, soda, and other theater concessions could fly right onto them by a rowdy crowd, as was reported by user @conniedefc0n via @HollywoodHandle on X.
A theater full of cheering cinemagoers is far from a new concept, but Jared Hess’ A Minecraft Movie has breathed life into the execution in a way that will be hard for any other release to compete with. As an idea, chanting the names of various Minecraft blocks, items, and features alongside Jack Black with others in the theater can inevitably lead to some level of hilarity. I went to go see the film twice, and while the crowd did expectantly quote many of the mentioned lines, everyone was very physically and audibly respectful overall. I firmly believe most of the Minecraft movie screenings have not been forced to cease playback at the hands of the above “CHICKEN JOCKEY” scene, with most of the film’s reputation in theaters coming from a small but loud number of bad apples. This was my most fun theater experience since another video game adaptation, Five Nights at Freddy’s, back in October of 2023. Many showed up in costume, cheering like it was a Marvel movie every time something from the series was named. Though, there were no food or drinks flying, and some unaffiliated ticketholders even chatted with each other following the film’s conclusion. This specific connection, disassociated from everything shown of the worst A Minecraft Movie screenings online, is something I feel is essential to theater experience of films just like it. That sense of community is what made some of these people as big of fans of these series as they turned out to be, something that should be embraced on its own.
Warner Bros. clearly understands it has a hit on its hands with A Minecraft Movie, with executives reported to be fast-tracking a sequel right now as the film crosses the $720 million mark in box office revenue. If you want to see the film still but have been a bit put off by the tens of videos of crowd uproar, don’t let that deter you from seeing it in the comfort of a theater now that the more physical buzz has died down.
A Minecraft Movie is now playing in theaters worldwide.
by J. Nagle
Today, it was announced that Wes Anderson’s new film The Phoenician Scheme would be releasing just under two months from now, in late May. We had previously reported the development of Anderson’s film preceding the release of Asteroid City in July of 2023, during which we covered the rumored casting of Michael Cera, Benicio del Toro, and Jeffrey Goldblum. With the trailer released today by Focus Features, the casting of both Cera and del Toro have been confirmed with both actors in leading roles. However, no casting has yet been announced for Goldblum, if any. Linked below is the trailer for The Phoenician Scheme starring Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera, Tom Hanks, Bill Murray, and Scarlet Johansson among many others in one of Wes’ classic ensemble casts.
Wes has stated the film had been written prior to the release of his previous film Asteroid City (2023), with filming later taking place between March and June of 2024. The film notably foregoes a widescreen aspect ratio, as its contents were shot using 35mm film.
The Phoenician Scheme releases in theaters on May 30th, 2025.
by J. Nagle
For as many grievances as can be aired with its UI, Apple TV+ has been fairly consistent in producing some hit programming that gets people talking. Historically, series like Silo and Ted Lasso have made waves online for their ambition and unique charm, as well as the recent line of Peanuts animated programming produced by the service. Going into 2025, what’s gotten people talking is Severance, a series that ironically was an early 2022 release. However, the second season premiered this past January to the same widespread acclaim that got people talking in the first place.
What immediately grabbed me about Severance is its diving head-first into as many genres as it seems to tackle. At once, the show resembles a dark workplace comedy, a psychological drama-thriller, and a science fiction dystopia in its demeanor. As quirky and eccentric as its main characters and settings can be in nature right from the get-go, each moment the viewer spends with them plants subtle seeds for the more layered writing the show gets to as its seasons progress. Mark Scout’s (Adam Scott) prying nature eventually leads to his unraveling of what really goes on behind the scenes at Lumon, though similar attempts through the more direct nature of Irving Bailiff (John Turturro) later leads to his termination at the company. In his absence, however, the show focuses on his outie’s recurring confrontations with Burt Goodman (Christopher Walken), still employed at the company and giving cryptic hints as to how he got an in.
A lot of what surprised me about the show is its inherent comedic elements being balanced out and sometimes overpowered by such an emotionally loaded story. The show is primarily directed by Ben Stiller, an actor and filmmaker commonly known for his comedic work in both roles, whether you’re a fan of Night at the Museum or more of a Zoolander person. The lead, Mark Scout, is portrayed by Adam Scott, primarily known for his own comedic roles as well, in shows such as Parks and Recreation and The Good Place. However, taking on a series with a more serious lens, both Stiller and Scott find themselves in one of the most unique shows on television right now, and one of the highlights of both of their careers.
Severance was swiftly renewed for a third season following the premiere of its second season finale, teased by Stiller and swiftly confirmed by Tim Cook, head of Apple, on X later in the night. No one knows what to expect—especially following the haymaker that was the finale itself—but Stiller has promised fans that the third season of the series will not take nearly as long to launch. The season finale of Severance currently sits at an astonishing 9.6/10 on IMDb, joining the season one finale of Dexter and the series finale of The Good Place.
Season 2 of Severance is now streaming on Apple TV+.
Get Some Strange!
