Let's talk about movies

Director Andrew Haigh’s last movie was ALL OF US STRANGERS, which is amazing if you haven’t had a chance to see it. His latest movie has now been released in a couple film festivals, called A LONG WINTER. It’s a beautifully shot but incredibly slow film about grief, isolation, and the things families leave unsaid. There's a lot to appreciate here, but I can't say I was completely invested throughout. The cinematography is easily one of the film's biggest strengths. The snowy landscapes are stunning, and you can almost feel the loneliness and cold coming through the screen. Fred Hechinger gives a really understated, vulnerable performance, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach is equally convincing as a father who doesn't know how to deal with his emotions. My biggest issue is the pacing. I appreciate a slow-burn drama, especially one that relies on silence and subtle performances, but there were stretches where I felt the film was barely moving forward. The movie had a few interesting ideas, but it never followed through with them, making me frustrated. There's definitely something powerful underneath it all, I just wish the journey getting there had been a little more engaging. Overall, A LONG WINTER is a thoughtful, atmospheric film with strong performances, but one that ultimately left me admiring it more than connecting with it.

Tenía mis dudas con esta secuela. La original de 1998 no fue un éxito en su momento, pero se volvió de culto por la química de Sandra Bullock y Nicole Kidman como las hermanas Owens. Casi 28 años después, *Practical Magic 2* intenta hacer lo mismo pero con tres generaciones.La química entre Bullock y Kidman sigue intacta, se nota que se llevan bien fuera de cámaras. La dirección de Susanne Bier le da un tono más serio y menos comedia noventera que la primera, y visualmente está mejor trabajada, con esa casa de las Owens iluminada con velas que sale en tu póster.

Well, Colleen Hoover’s novels keep getting adapted. The newest one is VERITY. I went into this movie expecting a dark, disturbing psychological thriller that would leave me questioning everything. Instead, I got a Lifetime movie with an A-list budget and the confidence of someone who just discovered what a plot twist is. Every lingering stare, dramatic pause, and ominous musical cue feels like the filmmakers are standing behind me whispering, "Isn't this messed up?" Yes, movie. I get it. You can stop elbowing me in the ribs now. The performances are certainly... performances. Everyone seems to be competing in the International Championships of Looking Deeply Troubled, and nobody is willing to settle for silver. Subtlety apparently died during pre-production, and nobody bothered to investigate. My biggest issue is that this movie mistakes irrational behaviour for psychological complexity. Nobody communicates like a normal person. Nobody makes a remotely sensible decision. Most of the conflict could be resolved with one reasonable conversation, but apparently that would bring the movie to an abrupt 25-minute conclusion. Instead, everyone remains aggressively suspicious, emotionally unstable, and inexplicably horny. And then there are the twists. Oh, the twists. This movie throws so many at you that eventually they stop feeling like revelations and start feeling like the screenwriter desperately shaking a Magic 8 Ball. By the final act, I wasn't gasping in shock. I was mentally calculating how much longer I had to spend with these deeply unpleasant people. The movie desperately wants to be sexy and dangerous, but much of it feels like someone adapted a particularly horny Reddit confession and gave it dramatic lighting. There's nothing wrong with trashy entertainment, but this seems convinced it's delivering something far more sophisticated. But here's the annoying part: I was entertained. Not always for the intended reasons, but entertained nonetheless. I laughed, rolled my eyes, and occasionally even found myself genuinely invested. Unfortunately, those moments were usually interrupted by someone making another decision that would get them immediately disqualified from operating heavy machinery. Ultimately, I wanted a genuinely unsettling thriller that would get under my skin. Instead, I got beautiful people making catastrophic decisions in expensive surroundings while the soundtrack repeatedly informed me that something sinister was happening. Thanks for the heads-up. I never would've guessed. Overall, VERITY is not quite a good movie, but not quite a complete disaster. The real mystery isn't what happened in that house. It's how anyone involved survived this long without basic communication skills.

There’s a new Dreamworks animated movie out now called FORGOTTEN ISLAND. It’s the 1990’s in the Philippines. The rowdy and rebellious Jo (H.E.R) meets the ambitious and intelligent Raissa (Liza Soberano). They quickly become best friends, adding charms to their friendship bracelets for every core memory they make together. When they fall into a portal and land in Natalimutan Island (“forgotten” in Tagalog), they encounter many characters from Filipino folklore, such as Raww the were-aspin, a Tiyanak, a Batibat, a Kapre, a Duwende, a Kataw, and a fearsome Manananggal. I had a great time learning about these mythical beings, as well as Filipino culture in general. At its core, this is a movie about friendship, especially that painful point when you realize that growing up can mean growing apart. Jo and Raissa’s friendship feels genuine, and the idea of memories slowly disappearing gives the story a surprisingly emotional weight. It made me think about the people who have come in and out of my own life and how even the friendships that don’t last forever can still shape who we become. The animation is incredible. It’s colorful, weird, chaotic, beautiful, and constantly inventive. The island feels unpredictable and genuinely magical. It’s funny, imaginative, heartfelt, and much more bittersweet than I expected. By the end, I cared so much about these two and their friendship. Overall, FORGOTTEN ISLAND is definitely one of my favorite animated movies this year. Go support original movies!