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Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie (2025)

Rent Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Matt Johnson & Jay McCarrol (based on the series created by), Matt Johnson & Jay McCarrol & Jared Raab & Curt Lobb & Matthew Miller & Matt Greyson & Luca Tarantini & Evan Morgan (story by), Matt Johnson & Jay McCarrol (written by)
Directed by: Matt Johnson
Starring: Matt Johnson, Jay McCarrol
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008.

Verdict
Borrowing heavily from Back to the Future (1985), two friends craft a ridiculous plan to book a performance at a local venue. This can be absolutely absurd and silly, even demented, while maintaining an infectious sense of energy. Above all it's entertaining from the very beginning. The way this develops the characters despite the ridiculousness is impressive. It's such an enjoyable adventure that asks you to ignore logic and just go with it. This is earnest enough to deliver on that.
Watch it.

Review
Originally a 2007–2009 web series and then a 2017–2018 television series, Matt (Matt Johnson) and Jay (Jay McCarrol) try to book a show at the Rivoli despite never having recorded a song.

While it liberally steals story bits from Back to the Future (1985), it adds such a layer of silliness and fun. Matt and Jay are planning their performance for an upcoming show at Rivoli except there isn't a show. They haven't booked it yet, and the dance sequence we see in the opening scenes is nowhere near as great as they think it is.

Matt Johnson, Jay McCarrol play Matt, Jay

Seventeen years later and they're still planning that show. To promote the show Matt proposes they skydive into the Toronto SkyDome from the CN Tower. I was wondering if they'd really jump and whether they even had chutes. They definitely do, but as they jump the SkyDom closes and they don't even make it in. It's a wild sequence, especially exhilarating just before they jump.

The movie has great energy, and it's quite funny. Matt's latest plan is to pose as a time traveler to convince the Rivoli to let them play. It's ridiculous, but that's what this movie is. Defying all reason and logic, the time travel idea works. There's no reason for it as they lack any kind of technology. That's part of the joke. It shouldn't work, but it does because that's the plot.

Matt Johnson plays Matt

While they travel back, they're forced to go to their apartment where they encounter their past selves, having to pretend to be their past selves. Matt decides to write a message on the marker board, and when they return, the present has been significantly altered. Matt is upset while Jay doesn't mind as much.

Just as I'm thinking Jay should remember the time travel, why doesn't he, this reveals that he does. I never knew where this plot would go. It's ridiculous in the best possible way with an infectious energy and charm. Matt and Jay are forced to harness lightning to go back to the past to fix their present. They connect an electrical cable from the CN Tower to an electrical box near their apartment. The shots of onlookers wondering what they're doing as they hook up the electrical cable is hilarious. This manages to be quite funny without trying. The fact this is so silly, so over the top and it still manages an emotional moment is impressive.

The Dead Zone Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

The Dead Zone (1983)

Rent The Dead Zone on Amazon Video (paid link) // Buy the book (paid link)
Written by: Stephen King (based on the novel by), Jeffrey Boam (screenplay by)
Directed by: David Cronenberg
Starring: Christopher Walken, Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom, Anthony Zerbe, Colleen Dewhurst, Martin Sheen
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Five years after a traffic accident that left him in a coma, a man awakens to discover that he has the ability to foresee future events and even prevent tragedies from happening.

Verdict
It's an amazing premise that doesn't manage to develop the plot anywhere near enough. I wonder if someone was forced to make this movie. That's the effort put into the story. This includes a bare minimum of scenes to establish Johnny without delving into how traumatizing and life altering this ability could be. The finale is a great ending, but this doesn't do anything to earn it. This could build the characters better so that we're emotionally invested, but for some reason this movie doesn't seem to care.
Skip it.

Review
Based on the 1979 novel, it was also developed as television series in 2002.

Johnny (Christopher Walken) is a schoolteacher that's soon to be married when he suffers a devastating car accident, leaving him in a coma. He wakes up to find he's been comatose for five years. The world has moved on and his former fiance is married. For him it's only been days, everyone else moved on. This doesn't delve into Johnny's emotional state at all. He would have to readjust to a world that left him behind. Instead the movie focuses on his premonitions about people and the future. By touching them he can see what they've done or will do. He immediately admits he has the ability. The press are curious but skeptical.

Christopher Walken plays Johnny Smith

Not only does this fail to develop the character and his circumstances, the pacing is way too slow. Nearly half way into the movie there's no plot, just a premise. That's when the cops ask him to help with a serial killer case. Initially he refuses before relenting. He has to touch the person to gain insight. At the latest crime scene he discovers not only the victim knew her attacker, he sees the person's face. Distraught that he couldn't stop Johnny moves away to hid from his abilities as he leaves rumors and speculation about him behind.

I'm surprised this was a theater release. It seems low budget, and the entire movie is a missed opportunity. While Johnny is tortured by the vision of the victim he couldn't save, his power grants him so much opportunity to help people yet he'll never have enough time to help them all. This never depicts him wrestling with those feelings.

Martin Sheen plays Greg Stillson

Johnny becomes tutor, and that's where he encounters Stillson (Martin Sheen). He's an upstart senate candidate that has a decent following and designs for higher office. Johnny shakes Stillson's hand and has a vision of Stillson starting a nuclear war as president. Johnny knows no one will believe him, and thus he feels obligated to protect the world. This concept by itself could be a movie, but this condenses it to mere minutes.

The best part of this movie is the conclusion. Johnny's attempt to intervene and stop Stillson goes awry, but ironically Stillon kills his own campaign. Stillson was never a good person, but he needed a situation that would push him past the edge and cause him to drop the facade. That's what Johnny unknowingly creates. That's when the public sees who Stillson really is.

While Johnny is underdeveloped, this could also explore Stillson. Maybe he's someone with good intentions that politics corrupted. Maybe he's corrupt and just wants a platform to bully people. We only know he's bad because of Johnny's vision. Johnny never wrestles with the opportunity his abilities present. He never once wonders if they're accurate, instead immediately accepting them. This could be a pretty good movie, but it never sets emotional stakes nor does it dive into how this power could affect a person.

Carrie Mini-series Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Carrie (2026)

Mini-series - 8 episodes
Watch Carrie on Amazon Prime (paid link) // Buy the book (paid link)
Based on: Carrie by Stephen King
Created by: Mike Flanagan
Starring: Summer H. Howell, Samantha Sloyan, Siena Agudong, Alison Thornton, Joel Oulette, Josie Totah, Arthur Conti, Thalia Dudek, Amber Midthunder, Matthew Lillard
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer

Plot
After her father's sudden death, sheltered teenager Carrie White, raised by her domineering mother, enters public high school. She faces a viral bullying scandal and the awakening of mysterious telekinetic powers.

Verdict
You could summarize this as two teens who's parents have stunted their growth, leading to turmoil and conflict. Carrie's life has expanded dramatically, and she's unprepared for it all. While she realizes her mother is an impediment to this world, Carrie has the additional burden of developing telekinetic powers. High school is difficult, even worse with the bullies. Chris is upset with her life and at her parents, taking it out on the unsuspecting Carrie. This does a great job of expanding the book, and developing the characters while also modernizing the details. This derives incredible tension from what Chris will do next to torment Carrie. With burgeoning ability, will Carrie retaliate? The series also doesn't shy away from the famous prom scene, giving us a quick clip in the first episode. While this is a limited series, it leaves a huge opening for additional seasons.
Watch It.

Review
Based on Stephen King's 1974 novel, that book launched his career. While this is advertised as a mini-series, creator Flanagan has stated his dream scenario would be a three season trilogy.

Mike Flanagan is best known for The Fall of the House of Usher (2023), Midnight Mass (2021), and The Haunting of Hill House (2018). He also directed the Stephen King inspired Doctor Sleep (2019) and Gerald's Game (2017). I love Mike Flanagan's projects, especially his series. He's adept at creating an unsettling mood.

Carrie (Summer H. Howell) deals with a new world, leaving her house for the first time and entering high school. Her parents, afraid of the world at large, isolated her. They believe that everything in the world is conspiratorial or dangerous. With her father's death in the first episode and the fact that her parents did register her home schooling, she's forced to go to public school until that can be resolved.

The series does a great job of bringing the story elements into modern life, highlighting the dangers of social media and even how online voting for the prom queen can be sabotaged. High school is difficult, even worse when Carrie is so unprepared and naive. Teenagers can be ruthless, and Carrie is somehow developing telekinetic abilities. Initially I wondered how this would expand the story, but it does a great job of fleshing out known characters while adding more.

E1: Summer H. Howell plays Carrie White

The first episode provides a preview of what's to come, showing us a fire at the high school that we assume is a result of Carrie. That's intercut with video interviews as students describe Carrie with varied and contradictory accounts. I appreciate that this doesn't hide from the prom moment. We get a teaser, and we know it's coming. By showing just a glimpse, it creates a sense of foreboding. As Carrie gets ready for her first day, it's clear this is wealthy high school. Carrie is not going to fit in. More than that, she's excited for school which puts her odds with her classmates. A school shooting drill frightens her. It's understandable as she's never seen such a thing. She didn't even realize shootings had ever occurred. Why the school uses a masked man with a rifle is levels beyond, but it works for the narrative.

Sue (Siena Agudong) and Chris (Alison Thornton) are best friends, both recently accepted to Duke. Chris's father can't afford it due to a separation and refuses financial aid due to social implications. He tells Chris he doesn't want her going into debt, but it's purely ego related. Chris's frustrations with her situation lead to her taking it out on Carrie, an easy target. It gets even worse when Carrie has her first period. Clearly her mom hasn't prepare her at all. That sets off an event where the class taunts and even films her in distress. In the age of social media, it's posted online which perpetuates the bullying.

In just the second episode we've had several glimpses of Carrie's telekinetic power, though she doesn't fully realize or understand it. We've also seen a group that is tracking her, though what that is or will lead to is unclear for much of the season.

Social media and cyber bullying makes this more relevant. Chris starts a social media account just to attack classmates and teachers, starting with Carrie. In the third episode she's nice to Carrie, but that seems like a setup to create another avenue to publicly humiliate her. Chris invites her to a party, and there's an impending sense of dread. What's going to happen and when? Will Carrie embarrass herself or will Chris do something?

While I don't condone Chris's action, I appreciate how this explores the character. Chris has never been taught how to cope with or address adversity. Her parents neglect her while her father throws money at any problem. She's never had to take accountability. Kids like Chris act out and react, attacking others. Her father has always gotten her out of it. Chris isn't the only person seeking control. Carrie's mom Margaret (Samantha Sloyan) deals with her dissatisfaction at her job passively aggressively. Carrie attempts to figure out where she fits in the world. Sue is stuck in the middle. Chris is her best friend, but Sue is distancing herself due to the bullying. Sue hanging out with Carrie only makes Chris more upset. In response, Chris gives Carrie edibles and takes her to the site where her father died.

By episode five, I began wondering about Carrie's friend Emaline. She's also new, and she's the one that figures out Carrie has powers. I wondered if she was linked to the organization that's tracking Carrie.

E6: Samantha Sloyan, Summer H. Howell play Margaret, Carrie White

Instead of realizing the harm she is causing, Chris adamantly refuses to shut down her social media account even when confronted by the school principal. That leads to her getting expelled, and of course her father is trying to re-negotiate and threatening the school. He's the reason Chris is a bully. In episode six, her media account claims another victim. It's a salacious turn, but it affects several characters. The school principal and counselor get Carrie, Chris, and their parents to agree to mediation. All Chris has to do is apologize. Margaret wants it public. Chris refuses. Even when Carrie asks for a simple apology without cameras, Chris again refuses. This sparks a protest outside of the school in Carrie's support. The few that support Chris seemingly just want to cause trouble. The school cancels the prom as a result of the protest with students arguing to keep it. A town hall style meeting leads to it being reinstated, and we know what that means.

It's a nice touch that the title card begins slightly pink, becoming more saturated and completely red by the seventh episode.

Margaret held Carrie hostage for years, with Carrie's newfound abilities, Margaret holds a lot less power. She's afraid of Carrie, even if she doesn't fully understand the telekinesis.

The final episode resumes the snippets of interviews we saw in the first episode, interspersing it with events at prom. That is more intense than I could have imagined. It's riveting with Carrie going on a rampage. With every second the collateral damage increases. The twist in the moment is that it is and isn't Carrie. The interviewer ends up being the person that provided voice over throughout the series of incredible stories where women exceeded all physical boundaries. She has an interest in people with unique abilities.

While this has been advertised as a mini-series, it ends on a cliff hanger. The looming question is what's next for Carrie? It's likely she's headed to see this group that seeks people with abilities.

This does a great job of showing us several people that are seeking control in a world full of hardships. Eventually all of them do something that causes harm to others. For some, all they know how to do is redirect their despair onto others, dragging everyone down. Carrie's mom sought safety in a scary society. Forced out of her home, she attacks her boss passively. Chris bullies the new kid, and Carrie's positivity and naivete reached a breaking point. While I don't feel bad for Chris, we see how her parents failed her and in turn shaped her. The show uses the famous prom scene to it's advantage, instead of saving it as some kind of reveal. We know it's coming, and the series shows a glimpse in the first episode. The question then becomes, how do things get to that point. This concludes with a revelation of Carrie's power while she leaves town. If this gets another season, I'm guessing Carrie will find a group with similar abilities.

Interview with the Vampire Season 3: The Vampire Lestat Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

nterview with the Vampire (2022-)

Season 3: The Vampire Lestat - 7 episodes (2026)
Rent Interview with the Vampire on Amazon Video (paid link)
Created by: Rolin Jones
Starring: Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Eric Bogosian, Assad Zaman, Delainey Hayles, Ben Daniels
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer

Plot
Based on Anne Rice's iconic novel, Louis de Pointe du Lac's epic story of love, blood, and the perils of immortality are told to journalist Daniel Molloy.

In season three, Lestat reinvents himself as an international rock star, embarking on a dark, theatrical, cross-country tour while confronting centuries of trauma and his complex relationships.

Verdict
This season changes the format, focusing on Lestat instead of Louis. It's a very different tone, which reflects Lestat, but this just doesn't have the depth despite the attempt. The first season was an introspective exploration of life and loneliness. This succumbs to vampire tropes, coasting on past seasons. Yes, Lestat is a tortured soul, but the overlay of this rock star persona, which is a response, dulls that exploration. The attempts to be shocking seems like a cheap ploy.
Skip it.

Review
The series began with journalist Daniel Molloy interviewing vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac who recounts his turbulent relationship with Lestat de Lioncourt beginning in 1910. They turn Claudia, hoping to find peace as a family to no avail. At the end of season one, Louis and Claudia betray Lestat.
In season two Louis and Claudia move to Paris, joining a theater troupe. They're eventually tried by Armand and the troupe for murdering Lestat. Louis thought Armand saved him from the sentence, starting their decades long relationship when Louis rejected Lestat again. Turns out it was a ruse. Louis only realizes it during the interview with Molloy. Lestat saved Louis, not Armand.

To open the season, Louis (Jacob Anderson) bids on Lestat's (Sam Reid) belongings at some point in the future. That includes a record from the rock star that serves as the season's narrative. In the present Lestat joins a band. Part of it is Lestat's affinity for theatrics, the rest he claims is to refute Molloy's book and provide his side of the story. He's not secretive about his powers, but it's not until a coven attacks him for that openness that his band discovers he's a vampire.

S3E3: Sam Reid plays Lestat de Lioncourt

This also delves into Lestat's past. He became a vampire to save his mother, but their relationship is complicated to say the least. That aspect of the story exists for shock value more than anything else. Lestat's mother becomes his first fledging. She reappears as Lestat emerges as a rock star.

I wondered how much time we'd spend with Lestat while he was with Louis. The answer is not much. Molloy published his interview with Louis despite objections. That created a rift in Louis and Lestat's second round. In turn Lestat hires Molly to create a documentary about him. While Lestat relays how he was turned and turned others, Molloy doubts the veracity of the story. He tries to get to the truth, but Lestat toys with him, unwilling to be so forthcoming.

Louis has yet to deal with his feelings over Claudia. He hires a woman to pretend to be Claudia. Times are tough and money talks. Armand also returns for apologies all around, though it seems to just fill episodes.

S3E6: Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid play Louis, Lestat

After a man attacks Lestat to prove he's a vampire that can't die, Lestat considers quitting before he begins recording a posthumous album. It's self referential and confessional. While there's a lot happening this season, it's like a band playing out of sync. His band is a way to work through his feelings. Less prominent is Lestat being used as a catalyst for the "great conversion" with vampires taking over and reducing the population. Without a great explanation, it seems more like a hollow threat to add tension to this season.

After a century apart, Louis and Lestat reconcile as they seek closure for Claudia through a witch. Molloy and Armand try to undermine them, but the end of episode six gets a big ending. Separately Louis and Lestat are forced to confront the past. Armand wants an apology from Louis, and Molloy wants to prevent intervening powers from capitalizing on Lestat's all but publicly admitting to being a vampire.

I appreciate how the first two seasons explore the loneliness of living forever. This season, like Lestat, is so over the top that it doesn't generate the same level of introspection. We explore how Lestat's persona is a mask to hide pain, grief, and trauma. It's just not as thoughtful as previous seasons.

Title Card

East of Eden Mini-series Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

East of Eden (2026)

Mini-series - 7 episodes
Buy the book (paid link)
Based on: East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Created and written by: Zoe Kazan
Starring: Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, Mike Faist, Hoon Lee, Ciarán Hinds
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer

Plot
In the farmlands of the Salinas Valley in California, successive generations of the Trask family wonder if the sins of the past can ever be erased and whether a new generation is doomed to repeat them.

Verdict
It's a tale of people doing what they must, at least that's their disposition. The problem is they neglect others in their pursuit. This is initially propelled by the family drama between brothers Adam and Charles. We then follow Adam and Cathy's children, tripping on the same potholes that plagued Adam's childhood. Cathy moves on, seeking control in a world that denies women so much. She's desperate for power, and it doesn't matter who gets in her way. Mistakes repeat, as do tragedies. All of these characters are seeking kindness and affection they can't find. The message is revealed in the fifth episode. These characters have the ability to choose. They aren't doomed to their mistakes, but we see that these characters have been hardened by their lives, and that makes it difficult to alter their trajectory. I like this more upon reflection than I did while actually watching it. The power in this story is unpacking the characters after the series ends. The message is powerful. While it comes early, giving us reason to hope for change, the rest of the episodes show us how difficult it is to confront and triumph over the past.
It depends.

Review
Steinbeck is best known for his 1939 novel, The Grapes of Wrath. This is based on the 1952 novel, and creator Zoe Kazan's grandfather Elia Kazan directed the 1955 film adaptation.

This opens with a gripping scene. A grievously injured woman crawls along the ground. We don't know what happened to her, but she ends up on the front porch of brothers Charles (Mike Faist) and Adam (Christopher Abbott). From there we jump back to their history.

Charles and Adam's mother dies young, leaving them in their care of their strict father who doesn't know kindness. His control leads them to compete for his attention and affection that would never come. He clearly treats them differently which only exacerbates their feelings of resentment.

E1: Mike Faist, Christopher Abbott play Charles Trask, Adam Trask

Charles stays home to farm while their father enlists Adam in the military. Adam doesn't return home, re-enlisting at the opposition of his father. Charles is afraid he's the reason Adam stayed away. How he doesn't realize it's their father, I can't fathom, though they each have a very different relationship with dad. This is a lot of preamble to the story proper. It's not necessary, but it does create a foundation for this family's future generations. Adam finally returns home, and not long after a gravely injured Cathy (Florence Pugh) crawls onto their porch. It seems like Cathy will pit the brothers against each other.

The second episode explores Cathy's backstory. We see her as a teen, her voice over describing how women attract men's attention and that can be used to gain power. It casts a shadow on this story as we question her motives then and now. If she's a manipulator, she could wreak havoc on these brothers. When she tells Adam a secret, implying she knows who beat her but did it to save someone, that could be the split between brothers. Charles doesn't like Cathy, telling her that game recognizes game.

E2: Florence Pugh plays Cathy Ames

Cathy was beaten by a man she was manipulating, his realization turning violent. Her interest in Adam seems like a trick, a ploy for his inheritance. When she in turn seduces Charles, her goal seems to be to take both brothers' money.

Adam and Cathy marry and move to California, hiring Lee (Hoon Lee) as help. He's provided depth in the third episode, admitting to a neighbor he 'acts' Chinese and uses an accent as that's what people expect. He tried but wasn't accepted as an American. He was too white for the Chinese and too Chinese for the whites. Adam and Cathy have twins. She didn't want children. She unsuccessfully tried to abort, but to cover that up she had to admit she was pregnant. Now she's stuck. She neglects the twins, never having wanted kids. Adam is still infatuated with her, he too neglects the kids to tend to Cathy. He thinks she's suffering from post-partum depression and will get better. The children suffer, tended by Lee who is the only parent they have.

E3: Mike Faist, Christopher Abbott, Florence Pugh play Charles Trask, Adam Trask, Cathy Ames

I wondered where the plot went from here. Initially it seemed like the plot would be Cathy creating havoc in the lives of two brothers, but at the end of the third episode she's moved on. I wondered what she wants. She's been hustling since she was a teen. Does she enjoy the thrill of duping people? Does she just want power and control in a time where women get little? Episode four provides insight. Women don't have independence. The only way she sees to own something is to run a brothel. It's one of the few jobs available for women. She starts as one of the girls, soon befriending the madam under the guise of helping, but she wants a promotion. Cathy learns to run the house, putting her in line to run this brothel or to start her own. Her plan when she takes over the brothel is to hire girls willing to do depraved acts to increase profits. It's at odds with the current madam who prides herself on running a respectable house. We never quite know what Cathy is planning. She wants to take over the house, and it seems like she poisons herself to gain sympathy and avoid suspicion.

In the fifth episode Adam confronts his past, that being Cathy. He realizes the wife he loved was a conjuration. He no longer has to mourn the life he lost. It never was. While he can focus on raising his boys Cal (Joseph Zada) and Aron (Joe Anders), is he too late? Lee is the one that's raised them. Adam has subjected his sons to the same treatment he resented growing up, a neglectful father. Lee goes off to make plans in San Francisco, but he must return, unable to make progress due to the discrimination of being Chinese.

E7: Joseph Zada, Joe Anders play Cal Trask, Aron Trask

Cal discovers his mother is alive, seeking her out. Both brothers try to figure out who they are, unaware of half of their history. Adam never told them about Cathy, telling them she died. Aron heads to college while Cal looks to make his own way. Cal is upset that his father won't let him participate in the produce business. Adam's venture ultimately proves to be a failure. Cal gets into bean futures, looking to offset his father's losses, really seeking affection. Adam isn't happy the money came at the expense of farmers. Aron joins the army, upsetting Adam, just as Adam did to his father.

Cathy is still the madam, though she seems plagued by her past. I'm not sure it's guilt but more the show wanting to create tension. We see a flashback when Cathy was a child, hinting that she was assaulted. This reiterates a scene from episode four, making the implication clearer. That experience is likely what has made her so pessimistic. She's forever seeking the control she didn't have in that moment. She's trying manipulate others before they can do to her.

This leaves us with the question of what's next. Cal and Aron's relationship mirrors that of Adam and Charles. Both sets of brothers were neglected by their father with no mother present. Adam pitted his sons against each other just as his father did to him. The difference is Lee who was a force of good in the boys life, a barrier between them and their father. Is it enough to break the cycle? A repulsive attack on Cathy set her on a course of unhappiness. Her desire for control is a reaction to what was taken from her, but she clearly will never fill that void. The crux of the message is revealed in episode five. Lee discusses Cain and Abel. The story summarizes the struggle of human beings, but Lee finds hope in the translation of the word "timshel." It means "thou mayest." Despite what these characters experienced, they have free will to make choices. They're not destined to repeat their mistakes.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Rent Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: William Goldman
Directed by: George Roy Hill
Starring: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer

Plot
In 1890s Wyoming, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid lead a band of outlaws. When a train robbery goes wrong, they find themselves on the run with a posse hard on their heels.

Verdict
With Newman and Redford, the charisma is off the charts as they banter like old friends. This was a different kind of western, and that would have been more prominent when released. Westerns were the laconic Clint Eastwood who shot first and asked questions later. This is more of a buddy comedy, at its best when they're on the run. It hits a lull in the second half while they struggle to find direction. The conclusion makes up for that. It's not typical, with the pair relegating themselves to their fate. It's a good movie but more important for what this did and didn't do in the genre.
Watch it.

Review
This is worth watching just for Newman and Redford together on screen. They play Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid respectively. A disclaimer or possibly a warning precedes the movie stating "most of what follows is true."

This opens like a typical western with Sundance playing cards and accused of cheating. His reputation precedes him when they find out who he is, apologizing for even accusing him. He's asked how good of a shot he is. He shoots a man's gun belt off, then shoots the fallen pistol several times, sending it skidding across the floor.

Robert Redford plays the Sundance Kid

Butch and Sundance make their way back to their gang, but due to Butch's frequent absences his gang has elected a new leader. To regain control he has to fight for it. He tries to argue his point, but ultimately resorts to fighting the new leader with a bit of deception. Butch proposes they rob a train and then another. That leads to a posse chasing them. The gang breaks up with Butch and Sundance trying to hide in a brothel. They're soon found and scurry away. Riding across the frontier, they can't get away as the posse continues following them.

Sundance is the practical one with Butch more apathetic. He's quick to think they've escaped only to discover the pursuit is ongoing. Down to one horse from two and soon on foot, the pair are cornered on a cliff. Sundance proposes they fight despite the odds. Butch, always quick to avoid a fight, argues that if' they'll die in a gunfight or jumping off the cliff into the river they might as well jump.

The railroad hired the posse to take them out. Butch proposes they run to Bolivia. He's talked it up as the next California gold rush. It's not quite what they expected. The place isn't even industrialized. Sundance isn't happy at all while Butch tries to play it off. They soon acclimate and get back to doing what they do best, robbing banks. The problem is complicated due to the language barrier. Based on legendary outlaws, they seem to stumble through each endeavor.

Robert Redford, Paul Newman plays the Sundance Kid, Butch Cassidy

The driving force is this posse that's after them. Even in another country, they're still looking over their shoulders. Most westerns have the protagonist confront any obstacle and almost always end up on top. This pair is just trying to survive. They try legal work but that isn't much safer. They're hijacked and end up in a shootout.

Their latest heist goes sideways. It's not a surprise. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid end up pinned down, facing long odds. They morbidly joke about the predicament, down to their last bullets. With no other choice, they reload and charge out the door. I love the ending. We can accurately guess what happenes, but this refuses to confirm it. The scene has to be a nod to typical westerns where the protagonists charge head first into battle. In any other movie we'd assume they'll somehow survive. With this movie, this is the first time they've confronted an obstacle and it seems insurmountable.

Driven Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Driven (2001)

Rent Driven on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Jan Skrentny & Neal Tabachnick (story), Sylvester Stallone (screenplay)
Directed by: Renny Harlin
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds, Kip Pardue, Til Schweiger, Gina Gershon, Estella Warren, Cristian de la Fuente
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
A young hot shot driver in the middle of a championship season is coming apart at the seams. A former CART champion is called in to give him guidance.

Verdict
It's a racing movie that provides enough thrills and character development to make it engaging, though it suffers from feeling generic. Stallone plays a washed up racer called to mentor a hotshot rookie. The racing is credible with the typical ups and downs that culminate in that final race to win it all. Will Stallone's leadership spell victory or is this kid not quite mature enough to handle the pressure?
It depends.

Review
Hotshot KART rookie racer Jimmy Bly (Kip Pardue) is doing well but becoming overwhelmed from the stardom and increasing obligations off the track. Retired veteran racer Joe Tanto (Sylvester Stallone) is called in to help the rookie. Joe thought he was called to race but soon learns from team owner Carl Henry (Burt Reynolds) this is just a temporary post. Joe impresses during a practice lap. When he's on there's no one better, and you know he's in the zone when he starts humming a tune. Jimmy automatically doesn't like Joe because he doesn't need help and the movie wouldn't have any tension otherwise.

Sylvester Stallone plays Joe Tanto

This is Tanto's first race since he almost died. He's seen hard times and cleaned up his act since then. This can be Tanto's redemption moment, though he'd rather fulfill that through racing instead of teaching. This movie checks all the boxes in the sports genre.

Jimmy just wants to focus on racing as reigning champ Beau (Til Schweiger) is coming for the top spot. Fame is becoming a distraction, and it doesn't help that his brother Demille (Robert Sean Leonard), acting as his manager, is more interested in the fame and fortune. Demille ignores his brother's subtle pleas for help. He's focused on getting rich off his cash cow. Jimmy gets involved with Beau's ex-girlfriend Sophia (Estella Warren) because movies in this genre need a love interest. It also provides a basis for Jimmy becoming completely overwhelmed when she goes back to Beau.

Estella Warren, Kip Pardue, Robert Sean Leonard play Sophia Simone, Jimmy Bly, Demille Bly

At a party for prototype KART cars Jimmy reacts to the pressure and gets in the prototype car, unleashing it on the streets. Tanto must save Jimmy from himself, chasing him down in the other prototype car. It's convenient there were two. They get into an argument and Jimmy finally starts listening to Tanto. He helps get Jimmy organized off the track which yields direct benefits on the track. With everything working as intended Carl Henry benches Tanto for another driver, Memo, because Henry and the writers like drama. Memo wants to prove himself in his first race back and ends up in a terrifying crash. Jimmy and Beau both forsake the race and get out of their cars to help Memo. It's a big hero moment as some things are more important than racing. The movie couldn't be more transparent if it tried, but that's what this movie is.

Brandenburg and Bly

Everything comes down to the final race, doesn't it always? Jimmy is injured and must prove his will to win and race. Since he didn't run the qualifier, he's all the way at the back. An early accident puts Tanto back there with him. They battle through the lineup together to reach the front and contend with Beau. This one race will dictate the season's winner. Will it be Beau of Jimmy? Jimmy's been racing so well that of course he loses his edge, putting everything he's worked for in peril. Tanto starts humming, so you know he means business. Who will finish first?

This movie wants to embody everything typical in a sports genre movie. Part of that has to be that Stallone knows the genre well. He wrote the prime example Rocky (1976) after all. While this came first, F1 (2025) does everything this attemptsed better. It's not a criticism that sports movies follow a pattern. That formula works well, driving tension and pushing viewers to root for the protagonist.

Conan the Destroyer Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Mon, 12 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Conan the Destroyer (1984)

Rent Conan the Destoryer on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Robert E. Howard (based on the character created by), Roy Thomas & Gerry Conway (story by), Stanley Mann (screenplay by)
Directed by: Richard Fleischer
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, Mako, Tracey Walter, Olivia d'Abo, Sarah Douglas
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer

Plot
Conan and his allies must track down a mystical horn and protect a beautiful young princess in order to bring Conan's love back from the dead.

Verdict
I liked the first Conan because it subverted several common movie concepts, mostly utilizing a lack of dialog. The sequel is crafted for mass appeal and completely loses the charm of the original. This is a standard fantasy story where the hero must save a princess. I wouldn't like this if I hadn't seen the first movie, but having seen it I distinctly realize how much better this could have been. The push for something more comedic robs this of the movie it could have been.
Skip it.

Review
This is a much more typical movie than Conan the Barbarian (1982). That movie's lack of dialog created a focus on the story. This leans into fantasy while also being more comedic. It's pandering. The first movie felt like a legendary tale. This is just a cash grab sequel.

Mercenaries attack Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) from the jump. It's a test to confirm his might as he's given a quest to escort the queen's niece, Princess Jehnna (Olivia d'Abo). It's a fetch quest. He refuses, not wanting to get involved with magic, but when the queen promises to resurrect Conan's deceased girlfriend, that's a deal too good to pass up. Conan rounds up a team to help him, two companions that add little and the queen's guard, Bombaata (Wilt Chamberlain). The adventure soon results in Conan fighting a wizard.

Wilt Chamberlain, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Olivia d'Abo, Tracey Walter, Mako play
Bombaata, Conan, Jehnna, Malak, Akiro

This abandons the serious tone set in the first movie. It doesn't exactly suffer from sequel bloat, the movie is designed for mass appeal, adding an ensemble cast including the comic relief sidekick. It's a movie I feel like I've seen before, and that's the complete opposite experience from watching the first movie.

The pacing is quick which keeps this entertaining, though it's not necessarily engaging. Conan does all the work in helping the princess get a gem and then a magic horn. He's betrayed by the queen's guard that accompanied them, but that's not where this adventure ends despite Conan realizing the queen lied to him.

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Conan

Conan's going to save the princess anyway, because the plot demands it. He fights a statue transformed into a giant beast. It's not the most believable monster I've ever seen, but Conan doesn't discriminate. He is the destroyer after all. The movie ends with Conan refusing the queen's advances and stating he'll start his own kingdom with text informing us that will be another adventure.

This movie is as generic as the first was unique. Trying to make this more comedic, likely to increase appeal, leads to a movie that doesn't live up to the legend that should be Conan.

Little House on the Prairie Seaon 1

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sun, 11 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Little House on the Prairie (2026-)

Season 1 - 8 episodes (2026 July 9)
Created by: Rebecca Sonnenshine
Starring: Luke Bracey, Crosby Fitzgerald, Alice Halsey, Skywalker Hughes, Warren Christie, Jocko Sims, Meegwun Fairbrother, Alyssa Wapanatâhk, Wren Zhawenim Gotts
Rated: TV-PG
Watch the trailer

Plot
The Ingalls family lives and works on a farm in Midwestern America during the late 19th century.

Verdict
While it touches upon the hardships of homesteading, the show is always geared for maximum drama. I wish it struck a better balance of feeling realistic. When does Charles even work? He's not nearly tired enough to be a one man farmer. The Ingalls are also the only just and righteous characters, even befriending the Osage. The family doesn't have to account for the fact they're stealing land. This show is designed to capitalize on nostalgia while creating something pleasing for the broadest possible audience. What results is unoriginal story lines that don't attempt to strive for anything more than mass appeal. It's a fantasy tale of settling the frontier.
Skip it.

Review
Based on the Little House on the Prairie books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder and published in the 1930s and 1940s, the most prominent adaptation was the television series of the same name starring Michael Landon that ran from 1974 to 1983.

The new adaptation visits the hardships of homesteading, but it's less documentary and more soap opera. These settlers never seem scrappy enough. Charles should be toiling in the fields all day, but he seems to have a lot of free time. The show doesn't explore the contradiction of being the only family to befriend the Osage while also settling stolen land.

The Ingalls family's journey becomes treacherous quickly when trying to cross a river. They make it across, losing their dog in the process. I guessed that was a bit of emotional manipulation, and I was right. The dog returns at the end of the episode. Charles Ingalls (Luke Bracey) and Caroline (Crosby Fitzgerald) are trying to make this dangerous venture work. They sold everything to move west, implying there's a reason behind it. Eldest daughter Mary (Skywalker Hughes) tries to remain proper, wishing they had stayed in the city. Precocious daughter Laura (Alice Halsey) is excited by the new adventure. She wants to make friends with the Osage who are being ousted. There's tension between them and the town as settlers are pushing the Osage out, hoping the government will sign off on the theft. Laura can't understand why there's violence.

E2: Luke Bracey, Crosby Fitzgerald play Charles, Caroline Ingalls

They get their cabin built in short order, though there is heightened drama with the help, Mr. Edwards (Warren Christie). It's obviously telegraphed

In the fourth episode all the characters have visions of home. I get they all have 'the fever' and this is an excuse to explore how they feel about the move, but once it happens to multiple characters it loses some intrigue.

Edwards is accused of stealing horses because why not. He's a great basis for a character, but the show only uses him as a means to add tension and drama. Carol is the most righteous one in the show, but it just makes her annoying. She encounters blatant racism against the owner of the general store. She doesn't take a stand, only pointing out how it's unjust.

It's winter in episode six, and I have go imagine it would be much more difficult than depicted. They should be freezing. People die in the winter during modern times. The episode is padded with drama between Mary and Laura. I get sisters fight, but this fails to explore the dynamic. Sisters clash and reconcile, but this fails to capture those moments. It's just tension leading to a big fight that's emotionally manipulative. It's forced and fake as we know it's a prelude to making up.

E5: Skywalker Hughes, Alice Halsey play Mary, Laura Ingalls

Frontier living is difficult, but this highlights dangers only as a way to create tension when needed. It's idealized. This portrays having a baby as incredibly oversimplified.

The reoccurring subplot is that all of these settlers are stealing Osage land. There's turmoil within the Osage as to whether they will sell or not. Most of them have resigned themselves to giving up, but this show doesn't delve into the violence and theft. It was easy enough to portray Charles as ignorant. He assumed it was just free land, as loaded as that is. Despite his lack of skepticism, once he works the land and builds his house he seems to consider it his. While he's befriended Osage, why do they see him as any better than others? While he talks to them, he still took their land.

With the nature of this show, I assumed the threat the family would be forced to leave was hollow and just finale episode drama. Surprisingly they are forced to leave Kansas and head to Minnesota. I'm curious how that works as they didn't have any money to start, never made any money, and racked up plenty of debt.

This show had the chance to be special. It could explore frontier conflict, the difficulties of starting with nothing, and what kind of people leave civilization behind to settle the west. Instead it opted for shallow stories and manufactured drama.

Conan the Barbarian Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Conan the Barbarian (1982)

Rent Conan the Barbarian on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Robert E. Howard (based on the character created by), John Milius and Oliver Stone (written by), Edward Summer
(story, uncredited)
Directed by: John Milius
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Earl Jones, Max von Sydow, Gerry Lopez, Sandahl Bergman
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A powerful warrior seeks to avenge the genocide of his people and the murder of his parents at the hands of a snake cult.

Verdict
I like a movie that can tell a narrative with very little dialog because at that point it has to rely on story. In turn the production design does a lot of work. There aren't many viking fantasy movies, so this manages to stand out in the crowd. It's a simple story of revenge, but Conan stumbles into the job as he was content living as a gladiator champion. When circumstances change and he has the chance to avenge his parents, he takes the opportunity. The problem is that he must defeat a snake worshiping cult's leader. It's unique and different. That's what sets it apart.
Watch It.

Review
The origin of Conan begins when he was a child and barbarians attacked his village. They take the children, forcing them to work a giant mill The difficult work makes Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) incredibly strong. When you look that strong, you become a gladiator. After a rocky start, Conan becomes quite adept and adored. That leads to training and education.

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Conan the Barbarian

There's very little dialog in the movie. It feels like the retelling of some kind of legend, and the production design only adds to the fantasy. The set design and world building is especially well done in adding to the mythic feel. I wish the story didn't resort to so many shortcuts. The movie is a photo album of Conan's biggest moments.

Conan is freed though it's unclear why. Even the narrator doesn't know, stating he was a wild animal caged too long. He stumbles upon adventure, finding a warrior's burial room and a sword. From there he encounters a witch and gains a sidekick, Subotai (Gerry Lopez). It's quite the streak of good luck. Conan decides to raid a tower because he hates snakes. That and it's full of riches. They have no plan whatsoever but run into Valeria (Sandahl Bergman) who also wants to raid the tower. The characters in this movie have impeccable timing.

Gerry Lopez, Sandahl Bergman, Arnold Schwarzenegger play Subotai, Valeria, Conan

What this does right is relying on set design and spectacle instead of dialog. Speech only harms the story being told.

A giant snake in the tower looks a bit comical, but it's better than CGI. Conan and his accomplices are captured because they recklessly spent the treasure they gained. You can't spend money all around town without someone noticing. While Conan is caught, the king tasks him with saving his daughter and defeating Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones). That's the same person that kidnapped Conan as a child. He readily agrees.

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Conan the Barbarian

Conan is quick to attack yet found and nearly killed. A wizard does what he can so that Conan can tackle the task again, launching another attack. It's one of those movies that's not bad, but since there are so few fantasy barbarian movies there also isn't much competition. The production design does a great job. A lesser movie would use dialog to try and fill in the several blanks. The movie is better for not attempting it. I like it for being different, even from movies at the time. It's a wild adventure, and it would have been even crazier to see someone looking like Schwarzenegger at the time. He was one of the largest actors for a long time, and in 1982 no actors worked out like that.

Dazed and Confused Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Fri, 9 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Dazed and Confused (1993)

Rent Dazed and Confused on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Richard Linklater
Directed by: Richard Linklater
Starring: Jason London, Ben Affleck, Matthew McConaughey, Milla Jovovich, Cole Hauser, Parker Posey, Adam Goldberg, Nicky Katt, Joey Lauren Adams, Rory Cochrane, Anthony Rapp
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
High school and junior high students find various adventures on the last day of school in May 1976.

Verdict
This has such a simple concept. It's just one day, the last day of class, for several high school students. The film excels at creating an atmosphere. While I don't know what school was like in the 70s this feels authentic. Even if I'm being fooled, many movies can't even do that. It seems like a time capsule, capturing the style and culture. Woven into the fabric of this one night are the stories of students; seniors graduating or new freshman and their escapades. Linklater is a master at creating a mood movie, a world you'd like to live in for a little bit. That alone would be enough, but this adds effective narratives.
Watch It.

Review
Linklater was inspired by American Graffiti (1973), which depicted seniors cruising the strip in 1962. Can't Hardly Wait (1998) seems like an analogous example depicting the 90s. All of the movies capture that time period as the characters hang out for a night.

It's the last day of high school in the 70s, and everyone is ready for the day to end. This captures the mood and feel instantly. Students already plan parties and the summer. Teachers are checked out. A few conversations are more intelligent than high school students could muster, but it does add levity. Just a few minutes in and I wanted to visit this world.

The rising seniors have a tradition of hazing incoming freshman. Mitch (Wiley Wiggins) gets caught and paddled by second year O'Bannion (Ben Affleck). Football quarterback Floyd (Jason London) gives Mitch a ride after and they hang out for a bit as Floyd recounts how he got paddled. Not all seniors delight in bullying.

Jason London, Wiley Wiggins, Matthew McConaughey play
Randall "Pink" Floyd, Mitch Kramer, David Wooderson

Pickford's plan for a house party goes awry when the keg arrives while his parents are still home. Instead everyone heads to the pool hall. How can you not like Wooderson? Matthew McConaughey does a great job in his break out role. What I like about the character is that Wooderson seems cool if you're a teen as you're hanging out with someone older that seems mature. When you're older, you realize how sad it is that his friends are high school students. He inhabits two spaces as an adult while still hanging out with teens. Wooderson hangs on to his past glory, and I'm sure he likes the adoration he gets. He's not that much different from Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite (2004).

Several plots are embedded in this hang out story. Floyd considered quitting football despite being the quarterback, torn between living up to expectations and forging his own path. Mitch gets to hang out with upperclassmen for the first time, impressing his friends. They eventually hatch a plan to get revenge on O'Bannion.

Sasha Jenson, Matthew McConaughey, Jason London, Wiley Wiggins play
Don Dawson, David Wooderson, Randall "Pink" Floyd, Mitch Kramer

From the pool hall, a keg party starts in the woods which leads to Floyd and his friends smoking on the football field. Floyd's torn over whether to play football. Wooderson gives him the sage advice of living his own life without worrying about the expectations of others.

This is one of those movies that captures a mood so completely. It manages to generate a feeling that few movies ever approach. We know people like these characters. Some of us were these people. It allows us to live another day in high school whether we were around in the 70s or not.

Human Vapor Season 1 Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Thu, 8 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Human Vapor [Gasu Ningen] (2026-)

Season 1 - 8 episodes (2026 July 2)
Based on: The Human Vapor (1960)
Created by: Yeon Sang-ho
Starring: Shun Oguri, Yū Aoi, Suzu Hirose, Kento Hayashi, Uta, Yutaka Takenouchi
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer

Plot
In this Japanese language series, a man that can transform into a gaseous state begins killing everyone involved in "the White Center" organization.

Verdict
This is an interesting idea, a man that can turn into a vapor, and it spins a big conspiracy behind that. The effects look great, but once you get past that concept, the police and journalist investigation are fairly standard genre pieces. Once I got the answer as to what happened, this didn't have anything else to offer. While this leaves it open ended, the season concludes the story. The reveals make this interesting enough, but ultimately this relies on graphics and plot twists.
It depends.

Review
The first episode has a great hook. Smoke, or in this case a vapor, enters a scientist during a live television interview and he explodes. There was a suspicious box in the studio. Was the vapor in that box? Does it have sentience? The next day a man sends a video to all news stations, claiming he orchestrated it. No one can figure out how. The Human Vapor claimed the "White Group" needs to pay for their crimes. Did they do this to him?

E1: Uta plays Ren, the Human Vapor

Police detective Kenji Okamoto (Shun Oguri) and his former girlfriend reporter Kyoko Kono (Yū Aoi) look for links to the White Center. Decades ago the White Center helped clean up a meteorite. Okamoto discovers a link between the Vapor and the Yakuza. That's when the Human Vapor attacks a Yakuza boss. It's a wild scene as the cloud follows the boss and then his car. There's also a cop involved with the Yakuza and trying to cover up connections to the White Center.

The fourth episode departs from the main plot to follow two video bloggers that happen to spot the Human Vapor in a music video. They investigate the abandoned warehouse, and I guessed we'd see the Vapor's lair. It's a long way around to get that reveal. We also discover that the Human Vapor is controlled by someone else, though the specifics are vague. A Rube Goldberg type machine activates the vapor, but there's got to be an easier way. Does someone really set up that contraption every single time?

E5: Yū Aoi, Shun Oguri play Shun Oguri, Kenji Okamoto

It turns out that the Vapor was at the clean up site. His name was Ren. The White Center got kids to clean up the meteorite. The kids wear jump suits while the adults don full hazmat suits and refuse to go near the meteorite. It's easy to see something is wrong with that.

The plight of this series is revenge against these men that exploited children and went on to have successful and lucrative careers. The layers of that run deeper than you might think.

The question of what and why drives this, but past the unique idea the conspiracy is typical. Greedy men exploited people and prospered. The vlogger sub-plot seems like filler. I don't know what a second season would offer. Without the mystery, the Vapor is just a weapon. Those that wronged him are gone, and the story is done.

Obsession Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Wed, 7 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Obsession (2025)

Rent Obsession on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Curry Barker
Directed by: Curry Barker
Starring: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, Andy Richter
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
After breaking the mysterious "One Wish Willow" to win his crush's heart, a hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for but soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price.

Verdict
You could simplify this to be careful what you wish for, but it's also more than that. Each scene slowly builds the plot. We know something is wrong, but it goes from unsettling to downright terrifying. Bear is now dating his crush, but soon he regrets that. This is a relationship where one person decides their feelings matter most. Bear forces a woman into a relationship she didn't want. What happens when your dream becomes a nightmare? While Bear regrets the choices he's made, there's no easy out. Since he's the main character, we're inclined to think he's the victim but he started this out of selfishness. I wondered how this would conclude, and it does a fantastic job.
Watch It.

Review
This opens with Bear (Michael Johnston) sharing his feelings to Sarah (Megan Lawless) in a diner. We realize he's practicing what he wants to say to his crush, Nikki (Inde Navarrette). He's trying to work up the courage to reveal how he feels to his coworker. His plan is to talk to her at trivia nigh, though his friend Ian (Cooper Tomlinson) warns him not to. He decides to buy her a necklace, but instead buys a "one wish willow."

Bear tries to find a moment to talk to Nikki, but it's trivia night at a bar so interruptions derail every attempt. He stumbles through failed attempts, retreating whenever he's close to telling her. She even puts him on the spot and asks him outright if he likes her. He freezes, stating they're good friends. Distraught that he failed again, he makes a wish with the willow branch that she'll love him more than anybody. Immediately Nikki's demeanor changes.

Inde Navarrette, Michael Johnston play Nikki, Bear

They start dating, but there's an edge to it. She's obsessive. We know it's the wish, though the mechanics of that are unclear. At first she seems mostly normal. Nikki's mood shifts between devotion and mania. Navarette does a great job of oscillating between these moods that become more extreme the longer they date. Each scene is another step into something we don't quite understand. Nikki seems like she's possessed or trapped within her own mind. This wish somehow overrides her personality. The dark size of this is that Bear got his desire at the expense of controlling Nikki and forcing her into this.

While others notice Nikki seems overly engrossed in Bear, even he begins to worry. Nikki snaps between these moments of obsession and a person trying to escape a mental prison. It's unnerving. Bear grows desperate to fix the situation, but you only get one wish as the box states. When he can no longer ignore what's happening, afraid for his own life, he takes action.

Inde Navarrette plays Nikki

The conclusion is wild, but it also manages to deftly reinforce the themes of the movie. There's a sinister underside to this. You could despair what Bear went through, but he caused all of this. He was afraid of rejection and took a shortcut. He didn't regret that until it affected him. Nikki is the one traumatized and forced into a relationship against her will. Bear knew that, but he decided his feelings were more important. What he endures is a situation he selfishly created.

Battle Los Angeles Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Tue, 6 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Battle Los Angeles [Battle Los: Angeles] (2011)

Rent Battle Los Angeles on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Christopher Bertolini
Directed by: Jonathan Liebesman
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Ramon Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan, Ne-Yo, Michael Peña
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
A squad of U.S. Marines becomes the last line of defense against a global invasion.

Verdict
This is a lot of fun. It's a war movie, but the twist is that the Marines are fighting aliens. That's a fresh take for the genre, and this manages to balance action with emotional moments despite the limited story. The crux of the plot is a Marine near retirement that's called into action. His squad mates question a prior tour, and in this movie he wins them over by stopping at nothing to fight the aliens. It's simple and effective while also widely exceeding my expectations. The fate of the world truly is at stake.
Watch It.

Review
The first scene begins with the military already at war, though we don't see the enemy. Then this flashes back to before the battle begins. Nantz (Aaron Eckhart) is a Marine ready to retire, but he's called into duty due to an emergency evacuation.

Meteors headed to many prominent coastal cities isn't a good thing. Knowing the premise of the movie, we know what it is. Why was no one concerned about the meteors? They seems rather precise. The Marines are tasked with helping to evacuate people in Los Angeles. Several scenes introduce us to various Marines, the ones we'll follow into battle. Nantz is transferred to a different unit where they're wary of him. We've heard his last deployment encountered problems.

Aaron Eckhart plays Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz

The meteors are an attack, and this wastes very little time getting into it. The situations has devolved so quickly that the military plans to destroy Santa Monica to push the aliens back. I wondered if we'd see the aliens. So far they've been obscured. It's the best way to do it to increase tension and leverage the audience's imagination.

The Marines are outmatched as a firefight ensures, and they're soon divided and retreating. The Lieutenant that was wary of Nantz and made a point to let Nantz know it's his platoon is shell shocked. He's now relying on Nantz. They coordinate a helicopter evacuation only to learn the aliens can easily disable aircraft.

It's a frenetic action movie from nearly the start as the Marines face a powerful foe. The soldiers manage to detain an injured alien, performing an impromptu dissection in an effort to find a weakness. These are strange looking creatures that live up to the suspense.

Michelle Rodriguez plays Technical Sergeant Elena Santos

What's left of the soldiers and a few found civilians try to escape on a bus. That's when Nantz realizes the aliens track them through radio and cellular waves. He manages to take out an alien drone, and this platoon that didn't trust him now fully counts on him. That adds a nice layer of emotion and stakes to these action scenes. We suspect there's more to Nantz, and that he's not as guilty as the soldiers seem to think.

Nantz faces a similar situation as this infamous past deployment where soldiers think he failed, and that's right after they began trusting him. That provides another moment when he proves himself. Unfortunately there's no more base and most of L.A. has been wiped out. What's left of the Marines stage another attack in the hopes they can take out a suspected alien base.

This sets itself apart from other war movies since the enemy is an alien. Nantz having to overcome rumors provides a subplot that makes us root for him personally in addition to hoping the Marines can defend Los Angeles. At the end of the movie, Nantz is leading the way with the platoon following right behind him. It's a nice ending to a movie that exceeded my expectations.

The Hawk Season 1 Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Mon, 5 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

The Hawk (2026-)

Season 1 - 10 episodes (2026 July 16)
Created by: Will Ferrell, Chris Henchy, Harper Steele
Starring: Will Ferrell, Molly Shannon, Jimmy Tatro, Fortune Feimster, David Hornsby, Luke Wilson
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer

Plot
Late in his career, Lonnie "The Hawk" Hawkins struggles to recapture the magic when he was 2004's top golfer, refusing to believe he's anything but one stroke away from golf's greatest comeback.

Verdict
Will Ferrell plays a crass, selfish, washed up golfer. He's offended everyone that knows him and anyone else that meets him. It's Ferrell playing his typical obnoxious and absurd role. While there are plenty of subplots to fill the episode count, the jokes lack variety. The Hawk manages to stage a late career comeback, playing against his estranged son. If you like Ferrell's brand of comedy you might like this, but I often don't and I didn't. This coasts for far too long both on Ferrell's past movies and the premise. This takes a Ferrell concept that should have been a movie and stretches it to the length of a season.
Skip it.

Review
"The Hawk" Hawkins (Will Ferrell) is a has been golfer. Long past his prime, he keeps playing hoping to regain former glory. When his caddie and best friend Old Henry dies, Hawk wants to keep playing as he's doing well and doesn't want to stop the round. Everything about the character plays to absurdity, or comedy depending on your perspective, from the way he talks to the golf ball, propensity to wear a thong, to how he finds a new caddie, Sam (Fortune Feimster), in a Walmart parking lot.

Will Ferrell plays Lonnie "The Hawk" Hawkins

Hawk starts playing better, working his way through tournaments and even getting to the PGA tour. His son Lance (Jimmy Tatro) is a promising golfer, and he doesn't have much of a relationship with his father. Lance is unnerved playing against Hawk. The better Hawk does, the worse Lance plays.

This is a typical Farrell comedy, absurd and outlandish. Ferrell makes several 2000s era jokes claiming it was a different time only to be rebuffed. That happens several times. There are several sub plots to fill time. Lance has a rocky relationship with his fiancee. Hawk's wife Stacy (Molly Shannon) tries to market an alcoholic drink called Teed Off. She appears for comic relief, at least I assume that intent. She's also another character off which Ferrell can bounce jokes as he's still infatuated with his ex-wife.

It's another Ferrell character, but this stretches every aspect, from the length of scenes, the repetition of similar jokes, to padding the episode count. You could trim this season down to a movie that has the potential of not wearing out its welcome.

Fortune Feimster, Will Ferrell play Sam, Lonnie "The Hawk" Hawkins

Hawk has the chance to win at Pebble Beach, the only course he couldn't beat. As promising as he was, he lost there and his career was never the same. With a second chance will Hawk play to win or defer to his son who's only just beginning? As selfish as he's been, it's easy to assume Hawk will have a redemptive moment. If you watch this, you'll see there aren't many of those.

This relies on Farrell's former hits without adding much more. It's still mired in the same comedy with no updates. The only reason to make this a series would be a ploy to gain more watch time.

The Living Daylights Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sun, 4 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

The Living Daylights (1987)

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Written by: Richard Maibaum and Michael G. Wilson (screenplay), Ian Fleming (story, uncredited)
Directed by: John Glen
Starring: Timothy Dalton, Maryam d'Abo, Joe Don Baker, Art Malik, Jeroen Krabbé
Rated: PG
Watch the trailer

Plot
James Bond is sent to investigate a KGB policy to kill all enemy spies, and uncovers an arms deal that potentially has major global ramifications.

Verdict
It might have been a good action movie for the time, but it's been lapped a few times since then. Actions scenes just don't have any tension. The only thing holding this together is the character of James Bond, more for what he represents than for what he actually does. Bond movies are also made and broken based on the villain. This antagonist is incredibly boring and his only goal is money. There's no depth whatsoever to that aspect of the story. Dalton is right for the part, he just doesn't get much with which to work.
Skip it.

Review
This was Dalton's first of two Bond movies. Brosnan auditioned for the role, but rumors led to a new season of his show Remington Steele which prevented him from getting the part. This movie also marks the return of Aston Martin, with Bond having used a Lotus in the prior two movies.

The opening scene is a training mission with MI6 agents where an assassin attempts to kill them. James Bond (Timothy Dalton) escapes harm and chases down the killer who perishes in a car crash.

Timothy Dalton plays Agent 007 James Bond

In Moscow, Bond attends an orchestra and then acts as a counter sniper as General Koskov (Jeroen Krabbé) defects. Bond is ordered to kill the sniper, but instead he shoots her gun. The sniper, Kara (Maryam d'Abo) was also part of the orchestra. Everyone jokes he avoided killing her because she's a woman. Bond tracks Kara, suspecting her of being in the KGB. She's Koskov's girlfriend. He eventually saves her when the KGB sends agents after her.

Bond is ever the suave gentleman, but the action leaves a lot to be desired. Granted, I grew up with the Brosnan and Craig Bond movies which are more action focused.

Maryam d'Abo, Timothy Dalton play Kara, James Bond

The plot is Soviets taking out spies as Koskov embezzles funds. Kara betrays Bond, and she's in turned betrayed by Koskov. They're both imprisoned, but Bond escapes of course. He's Bond. What did you expect? Koskov is just after money, and it makes for such a boring villain. He's a generic Soviet general. His motives are shallow. Because of that we're not given a good reason to root against him. Two-thirds of these movies are rooting for Bond to succeed, and the other third is rooting for the outrageous villain to fail. This movie lacks a major component.

The big finale is a fight on a plane that involves nearly all the characters. It's a fun concept that was certainly more original when this movie released. Bond movies are a product of the time, and the action in this movie feels dated. Action movies especially are prone to replication and improvement. Bond endures due to the concept of this super spy where ladies want him and men want to be him. The movies become a time capsule.

Hancock Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sat, 3 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Hancock (2008)

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Written by: Vy Vincent Ngo and Vince Gilligan
Directed by: Peter Berg
Starring: Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman, Eddie Marsan
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Hancock is a superhero whose careless behavior regularly causes damage in the millions. He begins to change when a person he saves tries to improve his public image.

Verdict
It's an interesting premise with a lot of promise that manages to completely pivot and botch the idea in the second half. We're introduced to a super hero whose powers have isolated him. Any help he provides is chaotic and reluctant. Everyone he encounters wants something. The second half of the story pivots to create lore and backstory where it isn't needed. As much as I liked the first half, I dislike the second half with a stronger passion precisely because it squandered what could have been an interesting character study.
Skip it.

Review
This wasn't a response to Marvel movies as it released only months after Iron Man (2008), which launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Hancock (Will Smith) is a super here that's a jerk, drunk, and reckless. While he helps catch bad guys, it seems like an obligation he doesn't enjoy. He leaves a wake of destruction wherever he goes. Being a super hero is incredibly isolating. Anyone that meets him is only interested in the novelty of his abilities.

Will Smith plays Hancock

Hancock happens to save a PR executive, Ray (Jason Bateman), that wants to help rehabilitate Hancock's image. The first step is turning himself in for the litany of crimes Hancock has committed so the city will realize his value when he isn't available. As Ray tells him, if he doesn't like prison it would be easy to escape. Hancock sticks with it, which as Ray states must mean part of Hancock cares what people think. That makes me think we're going to get a reveal. There must be something in Hancock's past that has made him so callous. This breakthrough will lead to a turnaround where Hancock becomes a role model.

The chief of police requests Hancock to leave prison and help in a hostage situation. Hancock tries to be helpful, awkwardly telling several cops "good job" before he intervenes. He manages to diffuse the situation without widespread destruction, and the crowd applauds him. That has to be a rare occurrence.

Will Smith plays Hancock

Hancock relates his history to Ray and Ray's wife Mary (Charlize Theron). He's over eighty years old. He remembers waking up in the hospital with no memory and healing rapidly, the start of his powers. He maligns the fact that no one claimed him when he ended up in the hospital. What kind of person was he that no one cared? Those feelings of rejection are the basis for his disdain for society.

Mary initially didn't care for Hancock's crassness, but she's moved by his story. That's where this movie takes a twist, initially generating a lot of questions and changing the trajectory of the plot. It had the potential to undermine the entire story, and that's exactly what happens. This becomes a different movie, one that's a lot less interesting. All the questions are answered, it's just that it makes for a dull narrative.

SPOILERS

Stake Land Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Fri, 2 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Stake Land (2010)

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Written by: Nick Damici & Jim Mickle
Directed by: Jim Mickle
Starring: Nick Damici, Connor Paolo, Michael Cerveris, Sean Nelson, Kelly McGillis, Danielle Harris, Bonnie Dennison
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
In a world of vampires, an expert vampire hunter and his young protégé travel toward sanctuary.

Verdict
While it includes vampires, it's more of a post apocalypse world hinging on survival. This is lower budget, and that gives this a raw and authentic feel. It's a bleak world and the movie accentuates that. I can imagine a big budget version of this that I'd like less precisely because it would include several big action set pieces and effects heavy shots as a means to impress the audience. The movie doesn't need that. Without those tricks, this movie's focus is the goal of surviving both monsters and humans.
Watch it.

Review
It's incredibly bleak, and that's what make this feel more authentic compared to other movies in the genre. It's the kind of movie we don't see anymore, a mid to low budget movie that is focused on story as it can't afford extensive effects.

The vampirism pandemic has spread across America, wiping out cities. What's left are fenced off areas and tribalism where humans can be nearly as dangerous as vampires. Martin's (Connor Paolo) family is slaughtered by vampires, but he's saved by Mister (Nick Damici) who quickly proves himself as an adept fighter.

Nick Damici, Connor Paolo play Mister, Martin

The two try to survive vampires as Mister trains Martin. I wondered why he partnered with the kid. Martin surmises it was to stave off loneliness as there isn't much to hold onto in this new world order. Mister is heading to New Eden, rumored to be the new seat of America. Passing through a town, one of the people states he heard New Eden doesn't exist. Mister doesn't believe it, but he may by blindly holding on to hope.

When people are isolated and afraid they lash out at everything. People pose more of a threat as they will lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead. Vampires only attack. Mister has a strict sense of justice. While he mercilessly kills vampires, when he sees two men attacking a woman he kills them without hesitation. Mister and Martin encounter a camp that appears like the group killed themselves. It's a ruse, and the pair are captured. They leave Mister out as vampire bait, but they underestimate just how skilled he is.

Bonnie Dennison, Connor Paolo play Peggy, Martin

Martin manages to escape and find Mister where they hit the road again. They find yet another wandering soul to join their party. There is no shortage of people trying to get somewhere better. They camp at a house where Martin finds a kid vampire. Together he and Mister stake it. Mister has this rage and maybe a sense of justice, but Martin is more likely to hesitate. He has trouble separating the task with the idea that these vampires don't still have some semblance of humanity.

Everyone that joins Mister and Martin seems to meet an untimely end. It's tough times and you have to be ruthless to survive. It's rare to find someone like Mister that's a killer with a sense of justice. They encounter a vampire that's smarter than any they've seen before. I don't find it completely believable, but it works in service of the story. Mister and Martin run into yet another person, Peggy (Bonnie Dennison). Mister realizes this is where Martin belongs, and that the only way to separate is to leave Martin during the night. It's a fitting end to their journey. Mister was never one for any kind of emotional confrontation.

Star City Season 1 Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Thu, 1 Oct 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Star City (2026-)

Season 1 - 8 episodes (2026)
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Created by: Ronald D. Moore, Ben Nedivi, Matt Wolpert
Starring: Rhys Ifans, Anna Maxwell Martin, Agnes O'Casey, Alice Englert, Solly McLeod, Adam Nagaitis, Ruby Ashbourne Serkis, Josef Davies, Priya Kansara
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer

Plot
Soviet cosmonauts, engineers, and intelligence officers risk everything in an ambitious space program aiming to be the first to reach the moon.

Verdict
Depicting the space race from the Russian perspective, paranoia and fear rule as the KGB surveil everyone. Even risking your life as a cosmonaut doesn't put you above suspicion. It's an oppressive regime that refuses to acknowledge failure, wanting to prove superiority while imposing strict conformity. It's a contrast to the American space race that relied on individuality and creativity. The other aspect to this show is that For All Mankind was an alternate history. I wouldn't know what's altered in this show's timeline which changes the dynamic. Instead of a unique take on the space race, it's just another perspective on the oppressive Soviet regime. That and I never connected to the show. It doesn't develop the characters as much as I had hoped, though that's also due to their circumstances. I admit it's likely my fault as much as the show's. It wasn't quite what I expected. My favorite part of For All Mankind was how changing one event altered the entire timeline of history.
It depends.

Review
This spin-off of For All Mankind (2019) focuses on the Soviet Union perspective in the 1960s. In an alternate-history space race, the Soviet Union reached the moon first which changed the direction of the NASA program and space exploration around the globe.

I like the themes and what this tries to do. I just never rooted for the characters liked I did in For All Mankind. While this is a distinctly different show, they share a connection and comparisons are inevitable. American astronauts have a cultural cache, test pilots are admired. For Russian cosmonauts, no one is above the movement. It's about total control for everyone. In this world's alternate history America didn't get to the moon first. I wouldn't know whether this show is an alternate timeline or not. While I know Yuri Gargarin, he's only mentioned in the series.

This explores the paranoia and oppression present during Russia's space race. A repressive regime rules, wanting victory on their own terms and exactly as they prescribe it. This is more than a drive to win, they don't want to admit to any failure while proclaiming Russian superiority at the fear of being toppled. To do that everyone is forced to conform to an ideal image. It's a contrast to America that used their individuality to succeed, rooted in optimism. Americans were exuberant to explore the boundaries of the known world.

After reaching the moon first, Russia schedules Yana, the first woman, for the moon. She's accused of being a spy and leaking plans. The KGB beat her until she confesses content they're correct, though we know she's innocent. Her replacement, Anastasia Belikova (Alice Englert), has only three days to train as they refuse to reschedule the launch. No one welcomes the situation as it invites failure, but Russia refuses to look weak.

E2: plays Agnes O'Casey plays Irina Morozova

New surveillance operative Irina Morozova (Agnes O'Casey) listens in on people all day. She overhears evidence that Yana is not a spy, but the KGB refuses to admit mistakes. Irina's superior Raskova (Anna Maxwell Martin) thanks her but makes it explicitly clear that the decision will not be reversed. Guilt is determined upon accusation, and that's final.

Anastaia's mission is ultimately successful, but upon her return to Earth, Russia demands she marry for appearance's sake.

E5: Rhys Ifans, Josef Davies play Chief Designer, Sergei Nikulov

The Chief Designer (Rhys Ifans), the space programs leader whose victories remain private lest he become a target, wants to go to Venus. Russia wants to establish a lunar base before the Americans. When they find a transmitter in their equipment they suspect western tampering, moving even quicker to establish the base.

The default bad guy is Raskova as head of the KGB. She suspects everyone, certain traitors exist. She's willing to kill all the astronauts on the Venus mission to eliminate one of them suspected of leaking information. Suspicion breeds paranoia, and Irina is asked to bug her boss Raskova's apartment.

E7: Anna Maxwell Martin plays Lyudmilla Raskova

The Venus crew works with a select number of supporters in mission control who try to thwart the KGB. You have this split police state where the KGB wants to eliminate any threat, even if they aren't validated. The Chief Director and others in the program just want to explore space. They know some of these charges are fabricated. The KGB wants to look good and prove their worth. To do that they arrest people and beat them until they confess. When suspects deny it they can claim that's exactly what traitors would do. It's a scenario of boosting the stats to dire results.

Despite being heroes for exploring space, their own country doesn't treat them as such. It's a country run on paranoia. The Venus crew returns to Earth with a firing squad at the ready. The Chief Director intervenes to save them, but in this show, aligning yourself with the accused is never a good thing. It's wild to think the cosmonauts survived the dangers in space only to face unsubstantiated accusations back on Earth.

This has such a different tone compared to the American space race. With so much discord due to the KGB, it's a wonder anything was accomplished. The Chief Director held the program together, but if the KGB knew what he did, he'd be in a cell. As fresh as For All Mankind felt, this feels like another typical story portraying the Soviet's oppressive nature. Even the triumphant moments are tempered by the KGB around the corner waiting to arrest anyone.

Redux Redux Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Redux Redux (2025)

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Written by: Kevin McManus, Matthew McManus (screenwritr)
Directed by: Kevin McManus, Matthew McManus
Starring: Michaela McManus, Stella Marcus, Jeremy Holm
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
Irene Kelly travels through parallel universes, repeatedly killing her daughter's murderer. As she becomes consumed by vengeance, her humanity hangs in the balance.

Verdict
It's an interesting premise where a woman is consumed and fueled by vengeance. When she helps out a teenager she realizes that there is room in her life for more than violence. All of that is heightened as they hop between worlds. Irene's job is never done because the object of her revenge is always alive. She can never reach closure. This doesn't try to explain too much, not that you could, but it does just enough to make it seem credible. The underlying question is whether Irene can find something to replace the desire to kill.
Watch It.

Review
Kevin, Matthew, and Michaela McManus are siblings.

This begins with quite an image. Irene stands over a man tied to a chair as he burns to death. Wow.

If you didn't know the premise, this would be wildly confusing. Irene (Michaela McManus) kills the same guy twice. She goes to the same diner a second time, looking for the guy she killed. The question is how more than why. She confronts this guy at home, and it's clear he killed her daughter and that's the reason she's after him, or them rather.

Michaela McManus plays Irene Kelly

It's not exactly time travel but dimension hopping through parallel worlds. We don't know where she got this device, but this has a great mood. In this world her counterpart is dead. She's likely traveled through many worlds, but this mission is isolating. She admits to a guy she's had a fling with across worlds that she's done this hundreds of times. He doesn't know what to think about her confession. I wondered why she would tell him, but she's likely lonely. This guy is the closest person she has where she can share this story, and she once spent two months with him. She has more feelings than he does. She's looking for a world where her daughter lived, but she still hasn't found it. It's a plot dump for the audience, but it also has a basis in a woman that's completely alone in this world she's created.

Irene attempts to kill this guy one more time and encounters Mia (Stella Marcus) locked up in his house. She's another pending victim, and they're forced to work together. Irene plans to continue her mission, but Mia doesn't want to split. She may be lonely or it could be the trauma from being abducted. She's afraid the guy is still out there. When they get into a jam, they hop universes together. Mia is shocked yet curious.

Stella Marcus, Michaela McManus play Mia, Irene

This is the dark variant of Groundhog Day (1993). Irene has killed this guy hundreds of times. I doubt this will answer how she got this machine, not that any answer would be satisfying. It is curious. I imagine she was a typical person with a family, but how do you become a universe hopper? I can understand the vengeance as a result of grief.

When her machine breaks Irene contacts smugglers for parts through a code in the newspaper. We get another information dump from the smugglers. They inhabit many worlds. Irene called her world 0,0 and the smugglers understood. I though their point of reference would be different, but this technology only exists on Irene's world.

This quest for vengeance was all Irene had, but now she's taking care of Mia. Due to that she wants to stop traveling. Mia is new to the concept, but she still wants revenge. That's what leads to trouble. Both of them have to figure out where they want to be in the world. Mia pursues violence and discovers it's not for her while Irene finds the world she's been seeking. She leaves it, as it's not for her. She's not going to leave Mia behind. Vengeance has a cost, but Irene found the one thing that could pull her back from the edge, and that was caring for another person. She didn't realize she still had the capacity.

Quantum of Solace Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Quantum of Solace (2008)

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Written by: Paul Haggis and Neal Purvis & Robert Wade
Directed by: Marc Forster
Starring: Daniel Craig, Olga Kurylenko, Mathieu Amalric, Giancarlo Giannini, Jeffrey Wright, Judi Dench
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
James Bond tries to stop an organisation from eliminating a country's most valuable resource.

Verdict
It's a lot of action, and that's the best part of this movie. The story is nearly non-existent, serving only to create a framework for one action scene after another. I'd like a better narrative to serve as the foundation. Substituting action for character development and plot isn't sufficient.
Skip it.

Review
Taking place immediately after Casino Royale (2006) where James Bond (Daniel Craig) captured Mr. White, this begins with Bond transporting White so he can question him. It turns into a car chase, but the action is subdued compared to the other Bond movie openers. The interrogation is just an interlude to a parkour style chase when Bond encounters yet another double agent. Chasing him inside a church getting remodeled, Bond uses the environment to his advantage and takes care of the rogue agent.

Daniel Craig plays Agent 007 James Bond

Greene (Mathieu Amalric), the main villain, wants to get an exiled Bolivian general back in power. He's willing to hire a hit man to take out his girlfriend Camille (Olga Kurylenko) over it because he's got big plans. Bond stops that because it's a beautiful woman. Greene is part of a secret organization, Quantum. Bond infiltrates the group who are meeting during an opera with earphones. While it's an interesting scene for the movie, it seems like a silly way to conduct business. Bond identifies them and a fight ensues. Bond is incriminated by the Quantum group and ordered to return to MI6. He doesn't, because he's Bond and knows more than everyone else.

This movie definitely tries to fill the action quota quickly. I'm not sure I even understand the story other than a secret criminal organization wants to cause chaos and or profit. Strawberry Fields (Gemma Arterton) is sent to bring Bond back to London. He seduces her by asking her to help him find stationary. It seems like some kind of joke with how ridiculous it is. She states she's mad at herself for being seduced which makes the line even worse. How do you fall for a line about stationary? If she wanted to bed Bond I would understand. She's mad that she succumbed to Bond's raw sex appeal, but who could resist?

Olga Kurylenko, Daniel Craig play Camille Montes, James Bond

Unfortunately the story is mainly a means to link action scenes and have Bond fly around the world. Greene helped the general so that he could help himself. The general is forced to make a deal with Greene who managed to get a water monopoly in Bolivia. The movie didn't explain the motivations very well. I think the intention was mysterious and it ended up being incompetent. That or it's just an excuse for Bond and Camille to take a trip to the desert.

This ends with what's supposed to be an emotional moment for Bond as he reconciles events from the previous movie. Maybe that would work better if this had a better story, but any time this movie mentions Vesper Lynd, it just seems like the movie is reaching and trying to add stakes it hasn't earned.

Title Card

Skyfall Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Skyfall (2012)

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Written by: Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and John Logan (written by), Ian Fleming (characters)
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Starring: Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Bérénice Marlohe, Albert Finney, Judi Dench
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
James Bond's loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her. When MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

Verdict
This includes a few great action set pieces, and I like the portrayal of a more vulnerable Bond. The story is simple enough, it's revenge, and the villain has parallels with Bond that add a nice amount of depth. The problem is that this is too long, and it seems like the movie wanted to add just a few more action scenes when it should have focused on quality instead of quantity. As much as I liked this, my interest began to wane towards the end.
It depends.

Review
This is Craig's third Bond movie of the five he would eventually do.

James Bond (Daniel Craig) and Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) chase a mercenary with a stolen hard drive containing sensitive information. From cars to motorcycles, they eventually end up on top of a train where Bond is apparently shot and falls into a river. Bond enjoys his 'death,' using the assumption to retire. When MI6 is attacked, he returns though he's not quite in mission shape, mentally or physically.

Daniel Craig plays Agent 007 James Bond

I appreciate how the Craig movies portray Bond's limitations and injuries. Craig is a more physical portrayal of the character, and you'd never seen Brosnan's version jumping up a wall to hang on to an ascending elevator.

Bond tracks a mercenary to Shanghai and then to Macau before he's introduced to this movie's villain, Raoul Silva (Javier Bardem). Silva is a different take on a villain. He's a bit flirty with Bond, and he's also a former MI6 agent. Silva is the kind of over the top villain these movies need. Part of that is due to Bardem's portrayal. Silva knows Bond failed all of his tests and shouldn't have been reinstated. He forces Bond to shoot a shot glass resting on a woman's head. We know Bond isn't up to the task, and that makes for an intense sequence.

Javier Bardem plays Raoul Silva

Silva is out for revenge against M, who he claims betrayed him. Silva was captured, tortured, and M did nothing. Bond can certainly relate. The two are mirrors. Silva is outraged that M valued the mission over his life. In the first sequence, M risked Bond's life for the job, calling for a shot that resulted in Bond's apparent death. It's more depth to this movie than we typically see.

Silva is captured, having orchestrated his imprisonment. To draw Silva out, Bond plans to use M. He also drives the classic, silver 1965 Aston Martin DB5 in the process. Bond sets the trap, knowing Silva will go to any length to get M. I assume Silva knows it's a trap, but he's bent on revenge no matter the cost. It's not about the result but the principal.

It's not a bad movie, and I like the parallels it draws between the protagonist and villain. Unfortunately this continues well after it should have ended. My interest began to fade as this stuffs the run time with action scenes at the detriment of the story.

Die Another Day Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sun, 27 Sep 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Die Another Day (2002)

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Written by: Ian Fleming (characters), Neal Purvis & Robert Wade (written by)
Directed by: Lee Tamahori
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Rosamund Pike, Toby Stephens, Rick Yune, John Cleese, Judi Dench, Will Yun Lee
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
James Bond is sent to investigate the connection between a North Korean terrorist and a diamond mogul who's funding the development of an international space weapon.

Verdict
The most fun Brosnan Bond movie because it also embraces the ludicrous aspects of the franchise. I want to see Bond fighting silly villains in ridiculous locations. It's never less than entertaining with an action packed pacing. The villain builds himself an ice palace and loves space lasers. He also just wants his father's love. This rarely misses a chance for a pun. What I want from this franchise is to be entertained, and this brings it. Bond movies need a good villain with a purpose, and far too many movies include a bad guy that exists just to fill space opposite Bond. In this movie we get a guy unhinged on multiple levels.
Watch It.

Review
This was Brosnan's fourth and final Bond movie before he was replaced by Daniel Craig.

This opens with spy surfers infiltrating a military base. Turns out it's James Bond (Pierce Brosnan). We don't often see him working with a team. He's there to meet Colonel Moon (Will Yun Lee) and Zao (Rick Yune), posing as a smuggler. Just so we know Moon is bad, he uses a person hung up as a punching bag. The kicker is that guy is his anger therapist. Bond is trading diamonds for weapons with this warlord, but they figure out he's a spy and blow up his helicopter. A hovercraft chase follows, which is fun, but Bond is captured and imprisoned. It's rare for Bond to ever lose.

Pierce Brosnan plays Agent 007 James Bond

MI6 can't be certain Bond didn't leak information during his imprisonment so they revoke his 00 status. I like that this movie actually puts Bond at a disadvantage. That never happens. Bond manages to control his heart rate and escape MI6. It's so wild I like it.

Bond has to clear his name, but he always meets the exact people to further the plot. He meets Jinx (Halle Berry) in Cuba, and she's immediately swept off her feet. Big surprise. They're both looking into a gene facial reconstruction clinic. Bond finds Zao there, and diamonds link him to Graves (Toby Stephens). Graves recently became famous after finding a diamond vein in Iceland. Bond checks in on Graves who happens to be fencing. They begin dueling which turns rather competitive, leading to real swords and fighting through the building. Madonna makes an appearance as a fencing instructor, a trade off for her singing the title song.

Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry play James Bond, Jinx Johnson

Since it's been half the movie and Bond destroyed a building, he's restored to 00 status and given a Aston Martin V12 Vanquish so he can head to Graves's Ice Palace in style. The place looks like an amusement park. Graves has created a space laser that can mimic sunlight and help grow crops in isolated areas. He's holding a conference to show it off, but the problem with this space laser is that it can also be used to destroy things.

I like the villains in this, in part as it's such a weird and wild swing. This movie is a lot of fun because it goes for the ridiculous. Fancy cars drifting through an ice palace, an invisible car, and villain reveals are only part of it. There are too many tropes for this to be as serious as some of the franchise's movies, and while this is on the sillier side, it's entertaining. The villain made himself an ice palace. Several of the Bond movies suffer from a boring villain that exists just to give Bond an enemy. Not only does this villain want to restart the Korean war, he just wants his dad to be proud of him. While all the movies do it, this one really loves its puns. This might be my favorite Brosnan Bond movie purely for the fun factor.

I'd rank the Brosnan movies in order as Die Another Day, Tomorrow Never Dies, Goldeneye, The World is Not Enough.

The World Is Not Enough Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 02:00:00 -0400

The World Is Not Enough (1999)

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Written by: Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Bruce Feirstein (screenplay by), Neal Purvis & Robert Wade (story by), Ian Fleming (characters, uncredited)
Directed by: Michael Apted
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Robert Carlyle, Denise Richards, Robbie Coltrane, Judi Dench
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
James Bond uncovers a nuclear explosives plot while protecting an oil heiress from her former kidnapper, an international terrorist who can't feel pain.

Verdict
It's an action focused Bond movie and that's to cover up for the lack of story. We get a bad guy that can't feel pain, and I wondered what kind of fight we'd get out of that. The answers is absolutely nothing. While Bond seduces two women and a second villain appears, it's all to obscure the fact this movie is basically a collection of action scenes with a several regrettable one liners.
Skip it.

Review
Brosnan's third Bond film, the previous two started with planes and this changes it up with boats. An oil tycoon is killed with money James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) recovered, forcing Bond to chase the assassin by boat. Bond's boat impresses as it dives and flies all while chasing the assassin. The sequence can't stay out of the sky as the assassin steals a hot air balloon.

Bond is tasked with protecting the tycoon's daughter, Elektra King (Sophie Marceau). Bond is smitten with Elektra, what a shocker. She's attracted to him because every woman is. Bond also feels really bad that her father was killed during his operation. He does get a BMW Z8 which eases the pain. This car is more fun looking than the 750 in the last movie.

Pierce Brosnan plays Agent 007 James Bond

The villain, Renard (Robert Carlyle), can't feel pain. It's a great attribute that's absolutely wasted. Renard wants to steal a nuclear bomb. I'm not sure why other than it's a villain thing to do, and he'd rather not disappoint anyone. Bond begins wondering if Elektra is helping Renard. He had kidnapped her previously, and they may have a connection no one realizes.

What helped Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) is a villain with a clear goal. What is Renard after, a bomb to extort money? He exists just to give Bond someone to fight. While this tries to create a twist to the villain, I ultimately don't care. Bond goes to the most likely location where Renard could steal a nuclear bomb. That entire setup seems way too easy to exploit, and Renard does just that. Bond tries to stop him while also wooing scientist Christmas Jones (Denise Richards). It's a blatant case of fan service, even for James Bond movie standards.

Robbie Coltrane, Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau play Zukovsky, James Bond, Elektra King

I didn't like Renard, but it turns out he's not the real villain. The actual twist provides motive, something Renard sorely lacked. I did expect the movie to capitalize on a bad guy that can't feel pain. You could delete that detail and it wouldn't change anything which makes it an utter waste.

Bond has to save the world as he does in every movie. He also saves Dr. Christmas. Unfortunate as it leads to the movie concluding with Bond asking, "I thought Christmas only came once a year." It's worse than it sounds. It's not a great movie, and it manages to get even worse with only one line.

Tomorrow Never Dies Movie Review

ward@fridaysonthefly.com (Ward) — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 02:00:00 -0400

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Rent Tomorrow Never Dies on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Bruce Feirstein (written by), Ian Fleming (characters, uncredited)
Directed by: Roger Spottiswoode
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Jonathan Pryce, Michelle Yeoh, Teri Hatcher, Joe Don Baker, Judi Dench
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer

Plot
James Bond is sent to disrupt a media mogul's plot to foment a war between China and the United Kingdom.

Verdict
Another exciting introduction starts the movie. This provides a villain with credible goals instead of existing solely to give Bond something to do. A media tycoon decides to start wars and create news to enrich his brand. The franchise overall can be a bit pulpy, but this movie leans into it more. A villain with a purpose gives the entire film a better foundation and a reason for Bond to succeed that's more than just stop the bad guy because he's mean. All of that makes this more fun.
Watch It.

Review
Brosnan's second Bond film, opens with Agent 007 infiltrating a military base, escaping in a jet before the base is bombed, and even defeating another jet that follows him.

Media mogul Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce) wants to create news by starting a war between China and UK. By creating the news he can be the first to cover it. He's also so powerful that he can blackmail world leaders as it suits him. Bond is suspicious of Carver as he knew about the crisis between the countries before MI6. Only someone that caused the event could have the information so quickly. As it happens, Carver's trophy wife, Paris Carver (Teri Hatcher), is Bond's ex-girlfriend. She's mad upon initially seeing Bond, but no woman can resist Bond's charms. She's with him that very night.

Pierce Brosnan play Agent 007 James Bond

When Bond infiltrates Carver's facility, it's revealed that Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh) is also an agent looking for information on Carver.

This feels like a Bond movie. He has gadgets for very specific situations, like the wire cutter that's part of his car's hood ornament that manages to be the exact right height to cut wire that was supposed to stop the car. That's in addition to his remote control car. I like the story of this movie. Media feels predatory, and this movie just assumes that those corporations are. I don't mind James Bond movies leaning into being pulpy. That's the fun. GoldenEye never leaned into it enough. A media mogul controlling the news seem ahead of its time. That's an apt villain even now.

Pierce Brosnan Michelle Yeoh play James Bond Wei Lin

Bond and Wai Lin are captured by Carver's henchman. They're handcuffed together but manage to escape despite the predicament, even riding a motorcycle together and fighting off more goons simultaneously. Bond's charms don't work on her, and she ditches him, stating she works alone. It's a great in-joke in a franchise where Bond always gets the girl.

With Bond movies, a villain with a good goal helps, even if it is completely delusional. With some of these movies, the villains seem to exists just to give Bond something to do. If the story isn't going to give us a completely over the top bad guy then making them interesting like Carver helps. Bond isn't just bringing down Carver, he's attacking the media at large.