TyTY

HouseMaid pulled me in pretty quickly with how it handled mystery and tension. The first half especially does a great job keeping you unsure about everyone, slowly building things up while throwing in little bits of misdirection that keep you guessing. I liked how it didn’t just reveal everything out right away. Performance-wise, Brandon Sklenar and Amanda Seyfried were easily the standouts for me—it’s honestly a tie. They both did an amazing job switching from normal, put-together people to completely unstable, and Brandon in particular surprised me since I usually see him playing more of a good guy. The second half does a solid job revealing what’s really going on, especially with the husband and how unhinged he actually is, but the third act is where it dips a bit. The payoff just didn’t hit as hard as I wanted it to, and it felt a little rushed compared to the strong buildup. Still, the acting and suspense carried it enough for me to enjoy it overall.

As a huge James Gunn DCU fan, my hype for Clayface is honestly on another level right now. I’m lowkey jealous of everyone who got to see that teaser at CinemaCon, because all I’ve been hearing is nothing but great things. Even with heavy hitters like Supergirl and Spider-Man on the way—both of which I’m insanely excited for—Clayface has always been the comic book movie I’ve been looking forward to the most this year. The fact that it’s written by Mike Flanagan and is leaning into a full R-rated horror vibe for the new DC Universe just makes it feel even more unique and bold. I already know Tom Rhys Harries is about to go crazy as Matt Hagen, and if everything lives up to the early buzz, this could easily end up being one of the standout comic book movies in a stacked year. I doubt it’ll happen, but you never know—I’d lose it if they used this movie to introduce the new DCU Batman, even if it’s just a silhouette or a quick shadowy tease. Something subtle like that would be insane and a perfect way to hint at what’s coming next.

I still prefer the first Mario movie overall, but I had a really fun time with this one. The story can feel a bit all over the place and rushed at times, but honestly it didn’t take away from the experience for me. I loved seeing all the different worlds they traveled to, and the amount of Easter eggs was amazing—it really felt like a celebration of the Mario games I grew up playing. Plus, adding in other iconic Mario/Nintendo characters like StarFox, R.O.B., Mr. Game & Watch, Pikmin, Yoshi, and Bowser Jr. made everything feel even bigger and more exciting. The visuals were easily one of the best parts of the movie. Every world had its own unique style, and the animation looked great throughout. The action scenes were especially fun—Peach’s fight at the casino was a highlight, and the opening with Bowser Jr. vs. Rosalina was really cool to watch. Overall, it’s a colorful, fast-paced, family-friendly movie that I genuinely enjoyed.

I went into Project Hail Mary completely blind since I never read the book, and wow… I absolutely LOVED this movie. I swear, you can never go wrong with a sci-fi film led by Ryan Gosling. He brings so much personality to this role it’s insane. One moment he has you genuinely laughing out loud with his awkward humor, comedic timing, and line delivery, and the next he’s hitting you with emotional weight that really lands. Those moments where you feel the reality of his situation—being sent into space with a very real chance of never making it back home hit hard. You can feel the fear, the isolation, and the sacrifice. Ryan Gosling absolutely carried this movie in the best way possible. His performance was AMAZING and easily one of my favorites from him. Visually, this movie had me in complete awe the entire time like jaw on the floor type of awe. The cinematography was beautiful, especially with the Adrian planet shifting from that eerie green into that stunning, surreal pink… I was honestly blown away by how incredible it looked. But what really stuck with me was the relationship between Rocky and Grace. Their chemistry felt so real, and the way their journeys paralleled each other made their bond even more powerful. Watching them grow, trust each other, and ultimately be willing to sacrifice and be brave for one another was such amazing storytelling. It had me locked in and on the edge of my seat the whole time. This is easily a 5 star movie for me, and I already know I need to rewatch this ASAP because I can’t stop thinking about it.