August 26, 2026
jmunney
Cinema, Movie Reviews
Alicia MacDonald, Amber Grappy, Angourie Rice, Anthony J. Abraham, Carl Blakeley, Cora Kirk, Dalu Thebe, Emily Ash, Faye Campbell, Finding Emily, Fiona Allen, Hannah Greensmith, Harry Trevaldwyn, Isabella Laughland, Jack Riddiford, Julia Rogers, Kat Ronney, Minnie Driver, Nadia Parkes, Nathan Foad, Phil Wang, Prasanna Puwanarajah, Sadie Soverall, Scarlett-Mai Grant, Spike Fearn, Tash Major, Timothy Innes, Toby Rothwell, Trudy Akobeng, Yali Topol Margalith
You got to know where to look. (CREDIT: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2026 FOCUS FEATURES LLC)
Starring: Spike Fearn, Angourie Rice, Minnie Driver, Sadie Soverall, Cora Kirk, Jack Riddiford, Isabella Laughland, Yali Topol Margalith, Kat Ronney, Phil Wang, Timothy Innes, Nadia Parkes, Prasanna Puwanarajah, Amber Grappy, Anthony J. Abraham, Scarlett-Mai Grant, Faye Campbell, Tash Major, Carl Blakeley, Julia Rogers, Trudy Akobeng, Fiona Allen, Toby Rothwell, Dalu Thebe, Emily Ash, Nathan Foad, Hannah Greensmith, Harry Trevaldwyn
Director: Alicia MacDonald
Running Time: 110 Minutes
Rating: PG-13 for A Few Crude Moments
Release Date: August 28, 2026 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: Owen Brompton (Spike Fearn) isn’t a university student, but he does spend a lot of time at the (fictional) Manchester City University. That’s because he’s working as a sound engineer at a student union bar, where one night he has a whirlwind encounter with a cute girl dressed as a fairy. Sparks fly enough for her to give him his phone number, but she mistypes it. With just a name to go on, he tries to track down the mysterious Emily all across campus. That’s how he ends up meeting psychology student Emily Raine (Angourie Rice), who’s not Fairy Emily. But she is happy to spend plenty of time with him, because she’s working on a thesis about how romantic love is a kind of self-sabotaging madness, and she sees in Owen the perfect case study. She encourages him to email everyone named Emily enrolled at the school, which makes Owen’s story go viral and unites many of the Emilys over concerns about how their privacy has been breached. Meanwhile, Owen and Emily Raine are getting closer and closer, but the deception underlying all of their interactions is just waiting to be fully exposed.
What Made an Impression?: A Hopeful Romantic: Finding Emily could be quite the star-making turn for Spike Fearn (even though I imagine that American audiences will only be able to understand about 50-75% of his dialogue through his thick English accent). He plays Owen as a thoroughly sweet fellow who doesn’t quite understand why he gets so much guff from the world around him. You get the sense that he’s been unlucky in love because he’s perhaps overly focused on the superficial aspects of romance. But he’s more self-aware and thoughtful than he’s often given credit for, making him the sort of person you can easily open up to. Also, he’s quite the musician.
Somehow It Works: What about our other lead sparring partner? Well, Angourie Rice has quite the knack for being charming despite playing such a frequently dishonest character. (More on that deception in a bit.) Emily R. is also just so casually cruel and thoughtless to those around her that it’s a wonder that we can still be on our side. It helps that Rice always make sure that we can see the anxiety surrounding her efforts to keep her best self alive.
Taking the Bait: Among Finding Emily‘s sprawling cast, I want to highlight Nadia Parkes as the host of a podcast focusing on gossipy campus news. She shamelessly dives right into a role that’s all about manipulative pot-stirring. It makes you want to go, “Girl, if you want to deliver the news, do some actual reporting.”
A Silly Streak: Real quick, I’ve got to mention that this movie is happy to provide some playfully naughty humor. That’s epitomized by a scene involving a buttocks-shaped apology cake. And yes, there is chocolate lurking beneath the surface once you poke through.
A Therapeutic Assessment: As you can imagine given the billing and the nature of this genre, it’s Emily Raine and not Fairy Emily whose destiny is magnetized in Owen’s direction. But can a healthy relationship possibly emerge after beginning with such heavy deception? It all builds towards a grand romantic gesture that is actually low-key by rom-com standards, but still kind of overwhelming by real life standards. It’s meant as a genuine apology more than just a declaration of love, which is nice, but what Owen really wants more than anything is for people to be honest with him. Ultimately, I think the happy resolution works according to cinematic logic, but with the caveat that this situation ought to be handled a little bit differently should you ever find yourself in a similar conflict. So enjoy Finding Emily for all of the joy that it offers, but meet it with skepticism when that’s warranted.
Finding Emily is Recommended If You Like: Space for redemption, Conversing with cynicism, Questionable Freudian references
Grade: 4 out of 5 Emilys
August 25, 2026
jmunney
Cinema, Movie Reviews
Dave Franco, Idiots, Kiernan Shipka, Killer Mike, Macon Blair, Mason Thames, Nicholas Braun, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Peter Dinklage
How idiotic IS it?! (CREDIT: Independent Film Company)
Starring: Dave Franco, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Mason Thames, Kiernan Shipka, Peter Dinklage, Nicholas Braun, Macon Blair, Killer Mike
Director: Macon Blair
Running Time: 100 Minutes
Rating: R for Up-Close-and-Personal Violence, Unhinged Language, Some Sexuality, and Drug-Fueled Scatology
Release Date: August 28, 2026 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: Mark (Dave Franco) and Davis (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) are an odd couple who find themselves thrust together by the winds of economic uncertainty. After losing their respective jobs, they accept a gig transporting rich teenager Sheridan Kimberley (Mason Thames) to rehab. It sounds simple enough, except for the fact that Sheridan is a sociopath with a frighteningly loyal social media following. Look, it might be possible that they could eventually arrive at the rehab joint. But that’s not going to happen without Sheridan manipulating his charges against each other and torturing them to no end.
What Made an Impression?: Exactly Where They’re Supposed to Be: Considering its extreme setup, Idiots is a surprisingly contemplative film. Amidst all the drug use, gunfire, and general transgression, there are plenty of conversations about our place in the universe. Davis is devoutly religious, in contrast to and in conflict with Mark’s more secular philosophical ramblings. Eventually everyone settles within this movie’s foundational perspective that we’re all just doing our best. That belief is a little self-serving in context, but it’s also filled with grace. If you ever find yourself resorting to extreme measures while in charge of a sociopath, it’ll be a good idea to grant yourself some forgiveness.
Who’s That Lady?: As a striving hustler and a charming scuzzball, respectively, Jackson and Franco are right in their wheelhouses, while Thames offers a complete 180 of pretty much everything he’s done before. But the true revelation here is an unrecognizable Kiernan Shipka as a stripper who teams up with Mark and Davis to attempt to subdue Sheridan. It’s a part that’s nowhere near the vicinity of Peggy Draper and Sabrina Spellman, and the kind of performance that makes you go, “I thought we were witnessing the birth of a new star, but instead it’s a rebirth.” Even if you do somehow recognize her, that doesn’t take away one bit from how compelling she is.
How Much Idiocy Can We Take?: When I watch a violent, shenanigan-filled movie like Idiots, I can’t help but ask, “Was it all worth it?” And well, I chuckled more than I winced, so that’s certainly a big point in its favor. I think it also helped that this movie is filled with real daylight, and sunny skies rarely fail to put me in a good mood. Plus, the philosophical bent puts a glass-half-full spin on all the danger. This is a movie about surviving, and survive it we shall.
Idiots is Recommended If You Like: Perseverance
Grade: 3.5 out of 5 Idiots
August 24, 2026
jmunney
Cinema, Movie Reviews
Amelia Eve, Brandon Perea, Insidious, Insidious: Out of the Further, Island Austin, Jacob Chase, Joseph Bishara, Joshua Lopez, Laura Gordon, Lin Shaye, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Robina Beard, Sam Spruell, Susan Grey
Is there anything Further, Insidious? (CREDIT: Sony Pictures)
Starring: Amelia Eve, Brandon Perea, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Lin Shaye, Sam Spruell, Island Austin, Laura Gordon, Joshua Lopez, Robina Beard, Susan Grey, Joseph Bishara
Director: Jacob Chase
Running Time: 106 Minutes
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: August 21, 2026 (Theaters)
Dang, Out of the Further is the sixth Insidious movie? What a resilient franchise! I guess astral projecting is good work if you can get it. I definitely don’t want to reside in the Further forever, but maybe I can develop my supernatural abilities and pick up a few gigs. It could be a potentially lucrative side hustle. Although, of course, I’m not a big fan of side hustle culture. But maybe it could just be a hobby. Could it then be as invigorating as a daily ice bath? It’s worth exploring, I’m sure.
Grade: 3.5 out of 5 Acolytes
August 21, 2026
jmunney
Cinema, Entertainment To-Do List, Music, Television
Brandon Flowers, Conan O'Brien Must Go, Gold Album, Grace Potter, Hazel Eyes, Insidious: Out of the Further, It Ends, Jeopardy! Masters, Mutiny, Sam Smith, The Simpsons, THRASHER, Trespasser, Weezer, Yellow Mirror
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–Insidious: Out of the Further (Theaters)
–It Ends (Theaters)
–Mutiny (Theaters)
TV
–Conan O’Brien Must Go Season 3 Premiere (August 21 on HBO Max) – India, Netherlands, Morocco, and Philippines are on the agenda this season.
–Jeopardy! Masters Season 4 Premiere (August 25 on ABC)
–The Simpsons, “Yellow Mirror” (August 26 on Disney+) – Yet another streaming ‘sclusie.
Music
-Brandon Flowers, THRASHER
-Grace Potter, Trespasser
-Sam Smith, Hazel Eyes
-Weezer, Weezer (Gold Album)
August 20, 2026
jmunney
Cinema, Movie Reviews
Andrew Patterson, Angelina LookingGlass, Bruce Davis, Catherine Dyer, Chip Carriere, Cole Sprouse, Harris Stone, Jake Horowitz, Jason Davis, Kurt Russell, Matthew McConaughey, Owen Teague, Rob Morgan, Sandra Ellis Lafferty, Scott Shepherd, Sharon Blackwood, The Rivals of Amziah King, Tony Revolori
Amziah Bee King (CREDIT: Black Bear/Screenshot)
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Angelina LookingGlass, Kurt Russell, Scott Shepherd, Rob Morgan, Tony Revolori, Cole Sprouse, Owen Teague, Jake Horowitz, Catherine Dyer, Jason Davis, Sandra Ellis Lafferty, Harris Stone, Bruce Davis, Sharon Blackwood, Chip Carriere
Director: Andrew Patterson
Running Time: 131 Minutes
Rating: R
Release Date: August 14, 2026 (Theaters)
The Rivals of Amziah King is now almost certainly my second favorite movie featuring someone covered in bees. It’s hard to beat Candyman when it comes to that hyper-specific subgenre, but Amziah King isn’t far off with a similarly singular viewing experience. With the bluegrass music on full blast, a game-changing twist in the middle, and a surprisingly compelling focus on the economics of honey production, I found myself constantly going, “Wow, this movie is something else.” And I haven’t even mentioned the sequence of smoking out a swarm of bees from an elementary school that might just be the most thrilling action set piece of the year. This is definitely one that must be seen to be believed.
Grade: Oh Yes, Yes the Bees!
August 19, 2026
jmunney
Cinema, Movie Reviews
Adrian Lester, Annabelle Wallis, Arnas Fedaravicius, Jason Statham, Jason Wong, Jean-François Richet, Mutiny, Ramon Tikaram, Roland Møller
Jason Statham as Cole Reed in Mutiny … ’nuff said? (CREDIT: Dan Smith/Lionsgate)
Starring: Jason Statham, Annabelle Wallis, Jason Wong, Roland Møller, Arnas Fedaravicius, Adrian Lester, Ramon Tikaram
Director: Jean-François Richet
Running Time: 95 Minutes
Rating: R for The Typical Violence and Language of This Genre
Release Date: August 21, 2026 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: Ex-Marine Cole Reed (Jason Statham) has been laying low ever since the death of his father. He’s now serving as the bodyguard/chess rival to retiring Thai shipping magnate Tibu Campallo (Ramon Tikaram), but all, of course, is not so peaceful as it may seem. While Cole is driving Tibu home one evening (what is this, The Transporter?), they’re lethally ambushed, and Cole is framed for Tibu’s execution. As he sets out to achieve vengeance, he makes his way onto a cargo ship, where he ends up squaring off the dastardly captain (Roland Møller). He also unexpectedly teams up with third mate Angie (Annabelle Wallis), who would much rather be spending time with her young daughter but instead uncovers a human trafficking operation hidden within the vessel.
What Made an Impression?: Just the Fisticuffs, Thanks: On a Jason Statham Scale of Derangement that goes from “Some Movie I Can’t Remember the Name Of” to Crank, Mutiny scores about a 4. Or maybe just a 2. But the sort of 2 that is plenty satisfying if you’re into the no-frills straightforward action sort of thing.
Fight Choreo Eval: So since this is a straightforward action movie, what do the combat scenes actually deliver? For the most part, Cole and his adversaries face off via fairly close range gunfire, but the real fun commences when they go more mano a mano. There’s one satisfyingly gnarly moment when Cole whips out a knife to demonstrate his precision cutting skills. But other than that, Mutiny isn’t trying to wow us with any unusual and/or inventive moves. Instead, it offers the simple pleasures of cleanly shot action between clearly defined combatants, and that’s not nothing.
We Ought to Recognize Him: Is Jason Statham one of our most consistent actors working today? He’s not always as sublime as he is in the aforementioned Crank or allowed to be as loosey-goosey as he was in Spy. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen him give a bad performance. And Mutiny is just the latest concurring evidence of that. You know the baseline that he guarantees, and that’s not to be sneezed at.
Remaining on Standby: You know who delivers a subtly terrific supporting performance in Mutiny? Adrian Lester, that’s who. He’s not someone I was terribly familiar with (if at all) before this. And as a Navy captain responding to a distress call sent by Angie, he doesn’t do much besides stand still and answer the phone. But you know what? That’s an essential role in this genre, and Lester pulls it off about as well as anyone ever has. His authority is not to be questioned.
Mutiny is Recommended If You: Need your Annual Dose of Statham
Grade: 3 out of 5 Stowaways
August 18, 2026
jmunney
Cinema, Movie Reviews
Alia Shawkat, Cate Blanchett, Dylan Meyer, Geena Davis, Kate McKinnon, Kristen Stewart, Kumail Nanjiani, Lakeith Stanfield, Seth Rogen, Sugar Lyn Beard, The Wrong Girls, Thomas La Barbera Christensen, Thomas Nicholson, Thor Knai, Tony Hale, Zack Fox
Getting right to be Wrong (CREDIT: NEON/Screenshot)
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Alia Shawkat, LaKeith Stanfield, Zack Fox, Tony Hale, Seth Rogen, Kumail Nanjiani, Kate McKinnon, Geena Davis, Thomas Nicholson, Thor Knai, Thomas La Barbera Christensen, Cate Blanchett, Sugar Lyn Beard
Director: Dylan Meyer
Running Time: 100 Minutes
Rating: R
Release Date: August 14, 2026 (Theaters)
The Wrong Girls made me think that psychedelic therapy might just be right for me. Here’s how it went down: Kristen Stewart and Alia Shawkat play a couple of best buds who unwittingly consume an experimental drug that gives them telepathic powers. Furthermore, its interaction with all the marijuana they’ve been smoking also grants them telekinesis. Now, I certainly don’t expect the same results for myself, as fictional drugs tend not to be available in real life. However, the part where Kate McKinnon (as the Danish scientist behind the development of this drug) explains everything is pretty hilarious. So I took that as a sign that I might benefit from having my mind altered in a safe environment. Even if that turns out to not necessarily be the case, I undoubtedly appreciated how my mind was affected by The Wrong Girls!
Grade: 2 Cats out of 3 Briefcases
August 15, 2026
jmunney
Cinema, Movie Reviews
Anne Gee Byrd, Anne Hathaway, Christian Convery, David Alexander Kaplan, David Robert Mitchell, Emily Kuroda, Ewan McGregor, Hudson Meek, Jordan Alexa Davis, Maisy Stella, P.J. Byrne, The End of Oak Street
This is the end, the end of Oak Street, my friends (CREDIT: Warner Bros./Screenshot)
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella, Christian Convery, Jordan Alexa Davis, P.J. Byrne, Emily Kuroda, Anne Gee Byrd, Hudson Meek, David Alexander Kaplan
Director: David Robert Mitchell
Running Time: 99 Minutes
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: August 14, 2026 (Theaters)
The End of Oak Street is much like another movie that recently came out (i.e., Ice Cream Man) insofar as it features people waking up one day in a seemingly peaceful neighborhood to discover that they are now completely surrounded by danger. I have experienced this sort of transformation myself multiple times. But typically only in my dreams. I’m fairly certain it’s never happened in my waking life. Oak Street makes it look pretty fun, though, so I’d kind of like it to happen for real now. With guardrails in place, of course, but also sufficiently invigorating. Any chance you think we could make that happen?
Grade: 36 Oaks out of 51 Streets
August 14, 2026
jmunney
Cinema, Entertainment To-Do List, Music, Sports, Television
Carly Simon, Comes in Waves, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Little League World Series, Lost Weekend, Phoebe Bridgers, The End of Oak Street, The Rivals of Amziah King, The Wrong Girls, Wet Hot American Summer
As opposed to “Dry Cold Russian Winter” (h/t Scotty Auks) (CREDIT: Focus Features/Screenshot)
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–The End of Oak Street (Theaters)
–The Rivals of Amziah King (Theaters)
–Wet Hot American Summer 25th Anniversary Re-Release (Theaters) – Will they be selling cans of beans at the concession stand?
–The Wrong Girls (Theaters)
TV
–It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 18 Premiere (August 17 on FXX)
Music
-Phoebe Bridgers, Lost Weekend
-Carly Simon, Comes in Waves
Sports
-Little League World Series (August 19-30 on ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC)
August 13, 2026
jmunney
Cinema, Movie Reviews
Ari Millen, Arthur Langlie, Benjamin Byron Davis, Charlie Storey, Charlie Zeltzer, Clark Johnson, Clay Singer, Darrin Barker, Dylan Hawco, Edmund Donovan, Eli Roth, Graham Campbell, Greta Lee, Ice Cream Man, Jake Lacy, Karen Cliche, Kent Jones, Kiori Mirza Waldman, Late Fame, Luca Padovan, Luke Dietz, Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll, Sarah Abbott, Shiloh O'Reilly, Tony Torn, Willem Dafoe
(CREDIT: Magnolia Pictures; The Horror Section/Screenshot)
Late Fame
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Greta Lee, Edmund Donovan, Clay Singer, Luca Padovan, Graham Campbell, Arthur Langlie, Jake Lacy, Tony Torn, Clark Johnson
Director: Kent Jones
Running Time: 97 Minutes
Rating: Unrated
Release Date: August 7, 2026 (Theaters)
Ice Cream Man
Starring: Ari Millen, Charlie Zeltzer, Shiloh O’Reilly, Kiori Mirza Waldman, Sarah Abbott, Benjamin Byron Davis, Dylan Hawco, Karen Cliche, Eli Roth, Darrin Barker, Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll, Charlie Storey, Luke Dietz
Director: Eli Roth
Running Time: 86 Minutes
Rating: Unrated
Release Date: August 7, 2026 (Theaters)
As it turns out, I recently saw a couple of movies on back-to-back days that both featured a character who had me going, “Hey, what’s that guy doing?” In Late Fame, Willem Dafoe plays Ed Saxberger, a postal worker who decades ago published a book of poetry that is now being rediscovered by an absurdly pretentious group of young writers. After hanging out with them, Ed eventually starts acting rather arrogantly himself, which had me going, “Hey, what are you doing, guy?”
As for Ice Cream Man, it features exactly what you’d expect from a movie directed by Eli Roth with this subject matter. Which is to say, the titular truck driver offers sweets that turn children into possessed killers of all the adults in their town. To which I simply must say: “Hey, guy! What’s all this that you’re doing?” Well, as we eventually discover, he actually does have an understandable motivation. Not enough to justify murder, of course, but certainly enough to justify a horror movie premise. So yeah, in conclusion, what a surprisingly effective double feature.
Grades:
Late Fame: 70 Poems out of 53 Readings
Ice Cream Man: 4 Necromancers out of 9 Sprinkles
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