Movie Review - Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 145 minutes
Year: 2026
Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo, Sadie Sink, Florence Pugh
 
Description: A forgotten Peter Parker (Tom Holland) lives alone as a full-time Spider-Man until mounting pressure triggers a dangerous change and a powerful new enemy emerges.
 
Review: Ever since Spider-Man found his way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we’ve already been treated to three movies in which his personal motivations have consistently been simple and clear. No matter how crazy the stakes of the Spider-Man narrative became in “Spider-Man: No Way Home”, at the end of the day. Peter Parker just wanted to go to college with his two best friends. In “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” as well, the reason behind his actions is clear and person: he misses his friends.

Since the previous movie, Peter has been erased from the memories of everyone alive, and now he’s decided to just be Spider-Man full-time. From a distance, he watches as his high school friends Ned and MJ go through college without him. Meanwhile, he saves New York from the bad guys. But then a threat emerges that our superhero struggles with: something, or someone, that can jump from the body of one citizen to that of another.

His main companion in this film is Frank Caste, also known as the Punisher. Another lone wolf. And then there’s the character, who I won’t discuss because of spoilers, played by Sadie Sink. I was very excited that she was in it and I had some theories about who she was playing. I was right and it made me even more excited. Her role involves loneliness and loss. And in that way, she mirrors Peter Parker’s experiences. This was the heart of the film and gave it emotional depth.

There is something reassuring about the fact that tis young man with superpowers just can’t seem to get his life together. Peter Parker always feels a little like one of us. And like someone who makes obvious mistakes, from which he has to learn. No matter how super-intelligent or strong he is, this is a hero with very relatable problems. Mixed with superhero problems, sure, but at its core, it’s about thinks we all feel. And that’s definitely the rock-solid foundation of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”.

Rating: 4/ 5

20s Movie Review - We Live in Time

Director: John Crowley
Genre: Romance/ Drama
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh

Description: After an unusual encounter, a talented chef (Florence Pugh) and a recently divorcée (Andrew Garfield) fall in love and build the home and family they’ve always dreamed of, until a painful truth puts their love story to the test.

Review: We meet Tobias and Almut, who fall in love after an unusual encounter. But their world crashes down when Almut is diagnosed with cancer.

The story has a non-linear narrative, going back and forth between when they first meet to the life after they get the bad news. It’s original, but seems unnecessary. I could easily tell where in time we were, but it could be confusing for some people.

The actors are the highlight of the film. Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh really elevate this movie with their performances, because the central plot of the film is not very innovative and has been done before. But because of Garfield and Pugh’s chemistry and also their separate performances, the movie is a lot more engaging.

Although the film has a heavy theme, the story never really grabbed me. I’m a very emotional person and even though I was moved by some moments in the film, I never really related or felt connected with the characters on a deeper level. I also felt like some of the scenes felt implausible.

I had expectations, but this movie didn’t live up to them, sadly. I loved Garfield and Pugh, they were great. If it wasn’t for them, I would probably not even watch it. But the film never grabbed me, I didn’t feel the emotional connection, that I did expect to have with a film with this topic. I don’t know why, probably just me.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Thunderbolts*

Director: Jake Schreier
Genre: Action/ Science Fiction/ Adventure
Runtime: 127 minutes
Year: 2025
Starring: Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Lewis Pullman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hannah John-Kamen, Olga Kurylenko
 
Description: After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, an unconventional team of antiheroes must go on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
 
Review: Yelena, Black Widow’s sister, leads and empty and useless existence filled with running errands for the current CIA director, Valentina Alegra de Fontaine. When Yelena is sent to stop a thief who wants to crack a safe containing secrets that must never see the light of day, things turn our differently than expected.

After a short opening scene, which introduce both Yelena’s fighting skills and her depression, Yelena is sent to the safe, located somewhere in the American desert. The film then takes place around that location for over an hour. To keep this interesting, no openings to other dimensions are needed, no do entire areas need to be razed to the ground. The conflict is clear and simple, and the characters are diverse enough for amusing interaction.

In addition to Yelena, we see Taskmaster and The Red Guardian (all three introduced in “Black Widow”), John Walker joins the party as second-hand Captain America, and Bucky Barnes shows up as Winter Soldier. But even if this is your first Marvel movie, it’s pretty clear that these characters have a history.

There is also a character named Bob, introduced as a clumsy, everyday man. But he becomes more important as the story goes along. And Bob is incidentally also a big part of the theme: dealing with depression. This superhero story successfully addresses that subject.

Even though the characters are diverse, we don’t get to know each of them well enough. Ava Starr aka Ghost, for example, stays a bit on the surface. Would’ve liked to get to know her a little better too.
The threat in this film is big, but its only present for a short time. I think the final conflict could have been stretched out. “Thunderbolts” would have benefited from a longer runtime.

The Thunderbolts, being renamed the New Avengers, will be back. And I’m kind of excited about it. I enjoyed “Thunderbolts” a lot more then I expected, I wasn’t really interested when it was announced.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

Movie Review - Dune: Part Two

Director: Denis Villeneuve
Genre: Science Fiction/ Drama/ Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 166 minutes
Year: 2024
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Javier Bardem, Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Léa Seydoux
 
Description: Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.

Review: It’s finally here: Denis Villeneuve’s long-awaited second part of his epic film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel. “Dune: Part Two” offers an engaging, lucid and spectacular continuation of the story and tells interesting things about myths, colonialism, ecology, religion and fate. But it impresses above all with its great visuals.

It is a sequel, because it’s the second film, but they are not two separate films. They form a whole and one can not be viewed without the other. Part two picks up when Paul Atreides and his mother Lady Jessica have been taken in by the Fremen, the indigenous people of sand planet Arrakis. What follows is the evolution of Duke’s chils Paul into Maud-Dib, or Lisan al-Gaib. An evolution with extreme consequences.

Villeneuve has focused on the development of Paul, who brings together moderates and fanatics and struggles with his identity. The film has a geopolitical and (post-) colonial layer, with Arrakis as the oil-rich Middle Each, House Atreides as the more progressive Europe, House Harkonnen as representatives of the nihilistic dictatorships pursuing unscrupulous colonial policies and the emperor as the puppeteer.
I was very impressed by Austin Butler, who is a new character and the villain Feyd-Rautha of this second part. Timothée Chalamet manages again to proof that he can easily lead a big film. And Rebecca Ferguson, as Lady Jessica, really showed a nice transformation of her character.

The camerawork is mesmerizing, the way these amazing action scenes were shot.

I already loved the first film, but “Dune: Part Two” is even slightly better. It’s a true epic sci-fi saga, with a complex world with equally complex characters. I just can’t wait for this saga to continue.  

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Oppenheimer

Director: Christopher Nolan
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 180 minutes
Year: 2023
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Alden Ehrenreich, Jason Clarke, Kenneth Branagh, David Krumholtz, Alex Wolff, Matthew Modine, Dane DeHaan, Jack Quaid, Josh Peck, Casey Affleck, Gary Oldman
 
Description: The story of American scientist, J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.

Review: The life and work of J. Robert Oppenheimer is the subject and object of Christopher Nolan’s twelfth feature film. Where his “Tenet” already got the brain cells working hard because of the almost inimitable plot and juggling with timelines, the same may be said of this three-hour-long yet satisfying war of attrition. To temper expectations immediately: “Oppenheimer” is driven by dialogue, has a killer pace and an almost endless array of characters played by A-listers.

We are introduced to Oppenheimer who, as a young student at Cambridge, becomes inspired by peers such as Albert Einstein and Niel Bohr. Soon the young scientist turns out to be more drawn to theory than practice. He develops in quantum mechanics, at the time an unexplored branch of physics. In parallel, we see the questioning fire that an older Oppenheimer gets thrown at him because the FBI has been tipped off. The physicist is accused of communist sentiments and poses a danger to national security because of his extreme views.

A third storyline, shot in black and white, revolves around a former soldier and director of the renowned Princeton University. A hard-to-recognize Robert Downey Jr. shapes Lewis Strauss, who enlists Oppenheimer after the war. before a Senate committee, Strauss must prove his suitability as Secretary of Commerce in President Eisenhower’s administration.

Only in the last hour does it become clear how these matters relate to each other. Here, some knowledge of the McCarthy era and his pursuit of communism, would come in handy. Director Nolan provides little to no context and focuses entirely on his characters. Oppenheimer and his immediate colleagues have the hopeful but naïve attitude that with the detonation of the atomic bomb, wars will be a thing of the past. In reality, the theoretical physicist created a weapon of mass destruction, opening the door to the Cold War.

If you intend to watch it, be aware that “Oppenheimer” is a long sit that requires you to constantly keep your head up. The intelligent, thoughtful writing makes this anything but a punishment, but Nolan feeds us so much that this alone warrants a second viewing. Truly magisterial is the build-up to the aforementioned trial under the name Trinity. We all know the direction the experiment took world history. Nolan builds it in such a way it feels like we are learning about it for the first time.

Nolan sees himself backed by a large list of big names, with lead actors Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr. not only getting the most screen time but also leaving the biggest impression despite sharing few scenes. The female characters, such as Oppenheimer’s wife Kitty, are sidelines. Their relationship is touched upon, not explored.

“Oppenheimer” is a perfect blend of an actor’s drama and political thriller, like Oliver Stone used to make them. Nolan’s twelfth movie requires considerable investment, constant attention and patience. It is impossible to fathom everything in detail. Damn, what a good movie.

Rating: 5/ 5

Movie Review - Don't Worry Darling

Director: Olivia Wilde
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 123 minutes
Year: 2022
Starring: Florence Pugh, Olivia Wilde, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, Kiki Layne, Gemma Chan, Nick Kroll
 
Description: A 1950s housewife (Florence Pugh) living with her husband (Harry Styles) in an utopian experimental community begins to worry that his glamorous company could be hiding disturbing secrets.

Review: Almost nothing more iconic than the suburb of an American city in the 1950s. industrious housewives wave their husbands off each morning as they head off to work in their shiny cars. In the evening, a sumptuous meal is on the table. During the day, the women gossip and chat, in between cleaning their houses, ballet class and taking care of the children. the American dream in a nutshell, but we all know the dark side.

The perfect families, always smiling, never troubles and always neat and tidy. The families who have moved into the suburbs of the thriller “Don’t Worry Darling” van flawlessly go along with the ideal image. What exactly their husbands do in the Californian desert is a mystery to the wives, but they aren’t allowed to ask either. The families are part of the utopian Victory project, started by their employer who also lives in this neighborhood. Jack and his wife Alice are one of the couples. Their perfect life is in danger when Alice does the very thing she is not supposed to do: ask questions.

The second directorial project for Olivia Wilde, who also has a supporting role, had quite a few issues. After Wilde’s debut movie, studios fought over het next project. The casting was anything but flawless: Shia LeBeouf was fired after misconduct and apparently Wilde did not get along with leading lady Florence Pugh. None of this shows. For a long time, this suspenseful drama is driven by a pleasant sense of alienation and mystery. It all begins after Alice makes a curious observation in the desert and goes to investigate. And why is the neighbor behaving so hysterically?

Then there is the benefactor of the project who is bursting with charm and charisma but in the meantime wants to control everything. Wilde plays the entrenched image od the American middle class in the 1950s complete with its attendant gender roles. No man van excel without a woman by his side. That the latter must above all meekly keep her mouth shut and follow order in an environment of narrow-mindedness is conveniently omitted.

These circumstances combined with Alice’s curious nature are bound to cause problems. The unhappy housewife, who maintains a passionate relationship with her husband Jack, undergoes the usual patterns of her own disbelief, not being believed herself and facing opposition from those around her. We have seen this pattern passed by before, but it’s embedded in unusual circumstances and performed by a downright heroine whose resistance she experiences only makes her more combative.

That something is quite wrong in peaceful Victory is obvious, and along with Alice, the viewer sets out to investigate. The film is not at all predictable, even though you know something bad is going to happen.

Wilde directs tightly but vividly, with the bright colors of the 1950s and the sweltering desert heat becoming increasingly stifling.

Once unfolded, “Don’t Worry Darling” evokes a host of comparisons to other films, which I will not list to avoid spoilers. The excellent acting completes the picture. even former One Direction star Harry Styles does a fine job. Not genius, but certainly a refreshingly unconventional mindfuck.

Rating: 4/ 5

Movie Review - Black Widow

Director: Cate Shortland
Genre: Action/ Adventure
Runtime: 133 minutes
Year: 2021
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz, Ray Winstone, Ever Anderson, William Hurt, Olga Kurylenko
 
Description: Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises.

Review: Anyone who browses the Marvel encyclopedia is unlikely to pinpoint Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow as their favorite character. While the heroine is slightly skilled in all forms of martial arts and acrobatics, despite this she still stands out a bit flimsy from her superhero colleagues such as Thor, Captain America, Ant-Man, Iron Man and the Hulk. Perhaps this is not entirely justified, as in previous Marvel films Black Widow always had to settle neatly into the supporting role, which meant that she never got the chance, attention or depth she actually deserved.
Finally the Russian heroine gets a solid backstory, where we get more insight into her thoughts and motivations. Given the events in “Avengers: Endgame”, it makes sense we’d have to go back in time for that; to be exact, the moment when Natasha Romanoff has only just violated the Sokovia Accord. Commander Ross and his armed men have opened the hunt for her, but around the same time, a very different specter from Romanoff’s past also presents itself: Task Master. The villain is somehow linked to Romanoff’s traumatic past and therefore feels just a bit more tragic than usual with the marvel universe.
On the other hand, the villain played by Ray Winstone is a one-dimensional figure with rather predictable, megalomaniacal motives. It almost seems like a joke to perform such a character.   
For me, the highlight of the film was Florence Pugh, who plays Yelena, Natasha’s sister. She is cynical, yet the connection between Yelena and Natasha is the heart of the movie. Most laughs are for Alexei/ Red Guardian, played by David Harbour.
“Black Widow” is the kick-off for Marvel’s Phase Four, the fourth phase in which Marvel will once again interconnect a series of upcoming superhero films and work towards a common endpoint.
I enjoyed “Black Widow”, but it was nothing special. It was overall very standard.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Review - Little Women

Director: Greta Gerwig
Genre: Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 135 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper, James Norton, Louis Garrel

Description: Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters: four young women, each determined to live life on her own terms.

Review: Louisa May Alcott’s novel “Little Women” has stimulated filmmaker’s fantasies for over a hundred years. The story, which revolves around four sister who tried to develop their artistic talent during the American Civil War, has been adapted for film several times. But never as good as now. After the highly praised “Lady Bird”, director Great Gerwig once again delivers a feminist tour de force, bubbling with life. “Little Women” is an anything but stiff and old-fashioned costume drama. See for example the smooth dialogue Gerwig has written for her female protagonists. The ladies don’t wait their turn before they are allowed to speak, but tumble verbally constantly. This gives the film a lot of dynamic.
Louisa May Alcott’s novel is divided into two separate periods, in which the youth and adulthood of the sisters Jo, Amy, Beth and Meg March are the focus. Gerwig remains faithful to the content of this story, but fortunately does not opt for the same, predictable structure of the book. She cuts up the two timelines and mixes them up, creating a story structure that is actually much more exciting. Because only gradually does it become clear how the past exactly influenced the present.
Although the story takes place in the nineteenth century, “Little Women” often feels surprisingly contemporary. This is mainly because the traditional division of roles between men and women is changing. Whereas the women with their fiery ambitions are the driving force behind this story, the men are merely on the sidelines as spectators or desperate love interests. And yet it is inevitable that even the sisters come up against certain limits set by sexism as they travel their ambitious life path.
Jo in particular is sick and tired of doing what is expected by society. She has no interest whatsoever in marrying a rich man, but above all she wants to be independent and publish her own novel. Even if this means ending up lonely and poor. Sister Amy, on the other hand, is much more willing to give up her dreams in exchange for security and prosperity. It is there kinds od contradictions from which the subtle drama in “Little Women” derives its power. Gradually, the bond between the sisters dissolves in the flow of time, after which each one chooses her own path and different destinies become visible.
Finally, it should be mentioned that Greta Gerwig has brought together a star cast for “Little Women”. Afterwards the performances by Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh, both nominated for an Oscar, will remain in the memory. But the real star is Greta Gerwig herself, who, with her skillfully crafted costume drama, once again resounds a strong feminist sound in Hollywood. Sadly the Academy didn’t acknowledged her great direction for an award.
I can’t fault “Little Women”, it’s a movie I could watch over and over again.

Rating: 5 / 5

10s Movie Review - Fighting with My Family

Director: Stephen Merchant
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 108 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Florence Pugh, Nick Frost, Lena Heady, Dwayne Johnson, Vince Vaughn, Stephen Merchant, Jack Lowden

Description: A former wrestler and his family make a living performing at small venues around the country while his kids dream of joining World Wrestling Entertainment.

Review: There are families where all the member devote themselves to the same passion or hobby and the entire family will be dedicated to this activity. For Rick Knight, his wife Julia and kids Zak and Saraya, it’s wrestling. They run a wrestling school in Norwich and both kids are big fans of the WWE.
The real Saraya managed to become the youngest Diva-champion for the WWE, as her alter ego Paige. She was only 21 when she won. And she didn’t only grow to become a phenomenon, she managed to make the sport popular with women.
The story of a simple girl growing up in a warm, working class family is gold for film makers. Especially when it’s based on a true story and they can add Dwayne Johnson to it. It forms the base for “Fighting with My Family”, which is directed by comedian Stephen Merchant.
The life of the Knight family is fully focused on show wrestling. Rick and Julia wrestled themselves and now have all hopes for their children Zak and Saraya. When they get a call from the WWE, after they saw a video of them in action, Zak and Saraya are invited for try-outs. It’s a dream come true. But for one this dream ends quickly, because only Saraya manages to go on to the next round and travel to Florida for a training camp.
That wrestling is based on mutual trust and agreements isn’t enough. Merchant shows that wrestling is a very complex sport. When former models, dancers and actors enter the ring, Saraya judges them, because they never wrestled. But Saraya herself has a lot to learn about showmanship and learns that these ‘pretty faces’ have more to it than just that.
Because this ‘American world’ is showed from the perspective of a down-to-earth British family, the film has a lot more heart and humor to it. It could have easily become a typical Hollywood film with juvenile slapstick jokes. But with a lot of humor and ability to put things into perspective we see a stranger that stands out among the American fashion dolls because of her nonchalant appearance, jet-black hair and piercings.
“Fighting with My Family” was made with a lot of love and has a lot of heart. The direct humor, the sympathetic character and the great story of Paige make this comedic true story a very enjoyable film that I absolutely loved.

Rating: 4 / 5

10s Movie Review - Midsommar

Director: Ari Aster
Genre: Drama/ Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 147 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Will Poulter, Vilhelm Blomgren, William Jackson Harper, Ellora Torchia, Archie Madekwe, Henrik Norlén, Gunnel Fred, Isabelle Grill, Agnes Westerlund Rase, Julia Ragnarsson, Mats Blomgren, Lars Väringer

Description: A couple travels to Sweden to visit a rural hometown’s fabled mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.

Review: With “Hereditary” director Ari Aster had a dream debut. The horror genre is a tough genre to rise in, since it lacks originality, but Aster manager to stand out. It also resulted in a fantastic leading performance by Toni Collette, that was totally ignored by the Academy, but that happens often with movies like this. Little more than a year later, Aster brings us “Midsommar” and it shows that his debut wasn’t just a lucky shot. Again a horror film that shows how great he is with visuals. And the first original part is that it’s a horror film in broad daylight. I can’t really explain fully what I just watched, but I am going to try. One thing is sure, it’s a good film that will haunt you for a while.
“Hereditary” was in basis a family drama that eventually turned in to a horror film. “Midsommar” presents itself as a relationship drama that undergoes a similar transformation. Dani and Christian are a young couple and their relationship is a bit lost. Christian has tried to end the relationship, but after Dani loses her parents and sister in a strange suicide pact, Christian decides to stick with her for a while longer. Since it would send Dani into a deeper depression. Christian thinks he can escape from all the misery when he plans a trip to Sweden with his friends. Eventually he asks Dani with him on the trip.
The Americans don’t take the typical eurotrip. One of Christian’s friends is Pelle, a Swedish exchange student, and they travel to his hometown. It’s not your standard village, but a commune that fully surrenders itself to pagan rituals during a 9-day mid-summer festival. It gives you an insight in the different culture, but you also know that this idyllic place has a dark side. Aster takes his time, it’s a so-called ‘slow burn’. There are hints along the way. Fortunately, during that descent into madness (which takes increasingly grotesque forms) the relationship drama is never lost. Even in the somewhat absurd finale, this remains the backbone of the film.
Despite this, “Midsommar is unmistakably a horror film, but in many ways Aster manages to avoid the conventions of the genre. Like the black friend in the company is not the comic relief this time, but and anthropology student with serious interest in the Swedish traditions. And, as I mentioned before, the fact that most of the film is set in broad daylight instead of during night time. And doing this and still manage to make this film creepy as it is and very disturbing, is a talent on its own.
“Hereditary” had all the film press applauding, but the big audience was a bit indifferent about it. And that will not be different for “Midsommar”. It’s dares to be different and doesn’t compare to any modern day horror films. No jump scares, no stereotypical characters or predictable storylines. Aster made some long shots, without cutting away and gives them time. As a viewer you feel discomfort settling in and it stars to feel a bit uneasy. “Midsommar” is not for everyone. but when you open up it, you can expect something you haven’t seen before.

Rating: 4 / 5