People sure are strange (CREDIT: John Armour/Lionsgate)
Starring: Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath, Richard Brake
Director: Renny Harlin
Running Time: 91 Minutes
Rating: R for Plenty of Stabbing
Release Date: February 6, 2026 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: After surviving the mask-wearing, knife-wielding serial killers who murdered her boyfriend, and then surviving them even more, Madelaine Petsch’s Maya is still doing her best to survive them for just a little while longer. She has some concerned family members in her corner who are trying to find her within the forests of Venus, Oregon, but they’re being stonewalled by the locals who are deathly afraid of bucking the status quo. Meanwhile, Sheriff Rotter (Richard Brake) is putting his boot down even harder than usual before this spree gets completely out of hand, which might just mean protecting the killers more than the victims. And as we approach the endgame of this trilogy, the Strangers could just become a little more familiar.
What Made an Impression?: Lack of Compression: When I saw The Strangers: Chapter 1 two years ago, I thought it was going to be a prequel to the original Strangers with Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, only to discover that it was actually the beginning of a wholly new trilogy. So then when I saw Chapter 2 last fall, I knew what I was in for, but I couldn’t help but wonder what was taking so long. So should this all have been just one movie? Well, Chapter 3 is definitely the strongest outing, and the events of the first two chapters could’ve easily been edited down to just a prologue for this finale without losing much. However, while I would argue that these three flicks probably would’ve worked better as a single release, I don’t hate the ambition. But yeah, there was a lot of unnecessary dillying and dallying. Trying on the Mask of Darkness: When the only way out is through, what compromises do you have to make? As reputedly the only ever survivor of the titular killers’ reign of terror, Maya becomes a bit of an object of fascination. There are some hints of latter-day Hannibal vibes, wherein Maya is invited to wield the knife much the same way that Clarice Starling found herself inexplicably seduced by Dr. Lecter. The Strangers – Chapter 3 team doesn’t quite have the nerve to go fully twisted in this regard, but I appreciate the flirtation with something somewhat transgressive. A Little Bit of Catharsis: The conclusion of this movie hinges on a reveal that is so obvious that I can’t believe it’s actually meant as a twist ending. But I don’t hate that that moment doesn’t exactly mean much. After all, Maya is finally able to take control and after the hell she’s been through, she deserves a break and a modicum of autonomy. So do we.
The Strangers – Chapter 3 is Recommended If You: At the very least just want it to be better than Chapters 1 and 2
They’re one in a Pillion (CREDIT: Chris Harris/A24)
Starring: Harry Melling, Alexander Skarsgård, Douglas Hodge, Lesley Sharp
Director: Harry Lighton
Running Time: 107 Minutes
Rating: Unrated (But It’s Got Enough Sexual Material That It Would’ve Been Flirting with an NC-17)
Release Date: February 6, 2026 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: Colin (Harry Melling) is a nice young lad who doesn’t have much of a romantic life to speak of, but then he suddenly catches the eye of mysterious biker stud Ray (Alexander Skarsgård). They have an encounter in a dark alley, and it seems like that might just be the extent of their rendezvous. But after months with no contact, Colin is suddenly invited to Ray’s home, where he finds himself unwittingly initiated into a BDSM relationship. Henceforth, when he’s not cooking for Ray and sleeping on his floor, he’s hanging out with his biker gang and submitting to all of their leather daddy whims. Colin is thrilled to be desired like this, but you can also tell that he wishes he could have negotiated some of his own terms. Meanwhile, his parents Peggy (Lesley Sharp) and Pete (Douglas Hodge) are his biggest cheerleaders, but they’re not necessarily so keen on the disrespect they detect from this Ray fellow
What Made an Impression?: We All Grow Up Some Time: Harry Melling is of course best known as Dudley Dursey, bullying cousin of the titular wizard in the Harry Potter films. Will Hogwarts devotees follow him to Pillion, and if so, will they know what they’re in for? Whatever the answer to that question, I believe that this film works as a weirdly fitting microcosm of the world that we live in, in which we must put away childish things when we grow up, and then decide how we want to play as adults, or if we want to be the playthings. Your particular journey in that regard might not match Colin’s (or Melling’s) exactly, but it’s important to be prepared. Breaking Bread: I haven’t seen that many BDSM movies, but the few that I have encountered before Pillion don’t typically feature parents as involved as Colin’s are. And it’s easy to understand why! Peg just wants Colin to bring Ray over for dinner someday, but how exactly are they supposed to explain the nature of their relationship, even euphemistically? Well, that’s the tension at the heart of one of the movie’s most memorable scenes. Let’s just say, Lesley Sharp has an apt surname! A Ray of Sunshine?: Being in a submissive sexual relationship isn’t exactly pleasant if you’re not 100% it’s what you want, and watching it happen isn’t a barrel of laughs either. So I was certainly rooting for Colin when he tried to make his preferences get through to Ray. That eventually leads to a surprisingly lovely, sun-flecked sequence. Alas, there’s no avoiding the foreboding sense that that is all is quite fleeting. But I approve of how it leads to Colin’s epiphany about what exactly he wants for his future.
Pillion is Recommended If You Wish: That 50 Shades of Grey had been a lot gayer and much less boring.
CREDIT (Clockwise from Top Left): Ketchup Entertainment; A24; Paramount Pictures; Warner Bros.
It was a great year at the movies in 2025, just as it was last year, and will be every year in the future as long as cinema continues to exist. Here are my 20 favorites, along with quick summations of why I would recommend them.
What would you do if this was what you saw when YOU need Help? (CREDIT: 20th Century Studios/Screenshot)
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Dylan O’Brien, Edyll Ismail, Xavier Samuel, Chris Pang, Dennis Haysbert
Director: Sam Raimi
Running Time: 115 Minutes
Rating: R
Release Date: January 30, 2026 (Theaters)
Is it a sign of success for the new Sam Raimi-directed Send Help if none of the viewers feel the need to themselves say “Send help!” while watching? A few days ago, I would have hypothesized that that was indeed the case, but now – having actually seen this movie – I’m not so sure it’s that simple. Because as you might suspect at this point, I actually could use some help. Specifically, I could benefit from some assistance processing the tone. As it turned out, it was quite a bit nastier than I expected. (“Nasty” as in “mean spirited,” not as in “Ms. Jackson if you’re nasty” … although the latter is kinda true also.) I suppose the trailers did hint at this, and Raimi at his most unleashed is certainly not for the faint of heart. But it was still more than I could’ve predicted. Good movie, though!
Keep your ear to the ground for news about great movies (CREDIT: Warner Bros./Screenshot)
They keep making new movies, and some of them are even worth watching. Here’s what’s at the top of the slate for February 2026:
Wuthering Heights: I’ve never read the book, but the idea of Charli XCX soundtracking any classic romantic literary adaptation sounds unimpeachable to me.
Wuthering Heights will be reached in cinemas beginning February 13.
I’ve got a case of the Wockas (CREDIT: Disney Plus/ABC/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 Moment (Theaters)
–A Poet (Theaters)
–Send Help (Theaters)
–Shelter (Theaters) – The latest Jason Statham January pic.
TV
-Grammys (February 1 on CBS and Paramount+) – Trevor Noah hosts again, reportedly for the last time.
–Good Sports (Tuesdays on Amazon Prime) – This premiered back in November, but Amazon failed to remind me in a timely manner. Anyway, Kenan Thompson and Kevin Hart are back at it following their Olympics gig.
–The Muppet Show (February 4 on ABC and Disney+) – Hopefully this revival lasts for one more episode.
You’re probably wondering how they got there… (CREDIT: Row K/Screenshot)
Starring: Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Cary Elwes, Myha’la, Colman Domingo, Al Pacino, John Robinson, Kelly Lynch
Director: Gus Van Sant
Running Time: 105 Minutes
Rating: R
Release Date: January 16, 2026 (Theaters)
Dead Man’s Wire captures the real-life story of Tony Kiritsis (Bill Skarsgård), who in 1977 stuck a contraption onto his mortgage broker Richard Hall’s (Dacre Montgomery) neck that would set off a point-blank shotgun blast if Hall tried to escape. It’s one of the most exhilaratingly strange and disturbing kidnappings that I’ve ever witnessed, and now I can’t help but ask: what are our own dead man’s wires? If life is just one long march to death, then what are those seemingly ever-present albatrosses that will wipe everything away if we lean forward a little too much? Personally, I like to think that I’ve got enough equilibrium to not be dealing with anything like that right now. Maybe I’m not being reflective enough, or maybe that’s just a sign of healthy baseline security. Either way, I’m thankful. But to anyone out there who feels like sharing: did this movie metaphorically resonate with you in a way that was a little too close for comfort?
Is this the face of mercy? (CREDIT: Amazon MGM Studios)
Starring: Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson, Annabelle Wallis, Kylie Rogers, Kali Reis, Chris Sullivan, Kenneth Choi, Rafi Gavron, Jeff Pierre
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Running Time: 100 Minutes
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: January 23, 2026 (Theaters)
Have Mercy? In the latest Screenlife venture from director Timur Bekmambetov, some dude played by Chris Pratt must prove his innocence vis-à-vis the murder of his wife to an AI judge embodied by Rebecca Ferguson within an hour and a half, or else he will be instantly executed. So now that I’ve seen this movie, I of course must ask the question: did it make me want to be replaced by artificial intelligence? To which I’ll answer: of course not!
But if that replacement hypothetically must happen, would I prefer that it be Rebecca Ferguson-style? Well, when you put it that way, she does at least bring something unique to the occasion. But I’d still be fighting against it, because it’s just not living up to its supposed potential. Anyway, the movie kind of abandons its Screenlife gimmick for the last ten minutes or so as it gives way to a frenetic climax, and it’s overall a pretty rollicking time at the movies.
Every Awards Season, I like to step forward and offer my own take on the dilemma of whether certain acting performances in the conversation should be Lead or Supporting. There are still a few contenders I’ve yet to see, but I haven’t heard any cries of Category Fraud related to those, so here are my assessments:
-Unlike last year’s first part, both Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande are Leads in Wicked: For Good (Ariana even more so than Cynthia).
-Though I can see the argument for Lead, Chase Infiniti is Supporting in One Battle After Another.
-Though he carries himself like a Lead, Paul Mescal ultimately settles into a Supporting space in Hamnet.
BONUS!: Is This a Comedy?
The following movies have been categorized as comedies by awards bodies that split films into genres, thereby raising the Skepticism Hackles of some awards watchers. So here’s my verdict on whether or not they are in fact comedies:
–One Battle After Another: Kind of, but not really
–Marty Supreme: Yes!
-Should we stop splitting movies into “Drama” and “Comedy” but also nominate The Naked Gun for everything, regardless of genre?: Yes!
This assessment originally appeared in the Official Jeffrey Malone Newsletter. Subscribe here!
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