‘The Sheep Detectives’ is a Wonderfully Charming and Uplifting Talking-Animal Mystery

May 5, 2026

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Baa, yeah! (CREDIT: Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios
© 2025 Amazon Content Services LLC. All Rights Reserved.)

Starring: Live-Action Cast: Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Braun, Nicholas Galitzine, Molly Gordon, Tosin Cole, Hong Chau, Emma Thompson, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Conleth Hill, Mandeep Dhillon Voice Cast: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Chris O’Dowd, Regina Hall, Patrick Stewart, Bella Ramsey, Brett Goldstein, Rhys Darby

Director: Kyle Balda

Running Time: 109 Minutes

Rating: PG for Pastoral Peril

Release Date: May 8, 2026 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: George Hardy (Hugh Jackman) is a simple shepherd in the English village of Denbrook. His days are spent tending to his flock, while his nights are spent reading mystery novels to them. Who could possibly have something against such a seemingly purehearted man? Well, he must have had his enemies, based on the fact that he suddenly dies one day, and the evidence points to murder. A colorful cast of potential suspects quickly emerges at his will reading, with his lawyer (Emma Thompson), his long-lost daughter (Molly Gordon), another shepherd (Tosin Cole), a local merchant (Hong Chau), a priest (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith), and a butcher (Conleth Hill) all making themselves at least a little bit suspicious. Meanwhile, the in-over-his-head local policeman (Nicholas Braun) tries to sort it all out, and an interloping journalist thinks he’s found a career-defining scoop in the most unlikely of places. And of course the whole story is presented through the perspective of those titular Sheep Detectives, with the preternaturally clever Lily (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) leading the way. Sheep, shepherd thyself?

What Made an Impression?: Drawn to Life: The Sheep Detectives is based on German writer Leonie Swann’s novel Three Bags Full: A Sheep Detective Story, which is a bit surprising, as I would’ve guessed that the source material would have been a children’s picture book. Whatever the provenance, though, all of the ovine creatures are fully realized with deep, painterly care. This is one of the most emotionally hefty performances of Louis-Dreyfus’ career, and pretty much all of the other woolly companions make indelible impressions as well. Could this prove to be the latest film that will raise a generation of vegetarians? At the very least they’ll be mutton-avoiders.
Tropey and a Little Twisty: If you’re somehow worried that a movie with a premise like this one could get wildly explicit, you can rest easily knowing that The Sheep Detectives slots comfortably in what’s known as the “cozy mystery.” Which is to say, it takes place in a tight-knit bucolic community, the detectives are amateur (or amateur-ish), profanity is nonexistent, and any sex and violence is shunted offscreen. So if you’re a fan of this particular genre, you’ll surely see the gears turning as they normally do, though there’s still room to stretch out for surprising character beats. Or even if those beats fit within the typical mold, they’re emotionally satisfying enough that you can forgive any obviousness.
A Lesson That Never Gets Old: I imagine some viewers will be able to finger the killer right away, and that the humor will be a little too cute for some crowds. But even if that’s so, don’t be shocked if you find yourself bawling like a little lamb by the end. That’s because this movie is here to impart a lesson that I’m sure you’ve heard before, though it’s one that never gets old and that’s always worth repeating. Which is to say: kindness is everything. It’s what binds us together, protects us, makes the dark times bearable, and ensures that those we love most will never truly be gone. And The Sheep Detectives has done us all a great kindness by virtue of existing.

The Sheep Detectives is Recommended If You Like: Babe, Cozy mysteries, Legal documents being treated like airings of grievances, The countryside

Grade: 4 out of 5 Hooves

‘Bob Marley: One Love’ Attempts to Capture a Singular Superstar

February 9, 2024

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Get Up, Stand Up, Go See a Movie. (CREDIT: Paramount Pictures)

Starring: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton, Daniel Mellville Jr., Sevana, Hector Lewis, Tosin Cole

Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green

Running Time: 104 Minutes

Rating: PG-13 for Political Violence and Some Herbal Remedies

Release Date: February 14, 2024 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: It’s 1976, and Jamaican reggae musician Bob Marley (Kingsley Ben-Adir) is on the brink of unfathomably massive superstardom. Meanwhile, his native Jamaica is being torn asunder by violence between rival political factions. After an assassination attempt leaves him and his wife Rita (Lashana Lynch) seriously injured, he flees for his safety to England. Meanwhile, he’s also in the midst of a world tour and preparation for a new album that will become the most acclaimed of his career. On top of all that, he’s trying to pretty much unite all of humanity with spiritual enlightenment. Alas, a deadly disease is looming in the way of every single one of his plans.

What Made an Impression?: Savior of the World?: I don’t know if this was intentional on the part of director Reinaldo Marcus Green or his team of screenwriters, but Bob Marley: One Love struck me as a rather messianic story. The parallels with Marley’s life and Jesus Christ are striking: death in their 30s, attempts on their lives, the spread of a new religion, efforts to forgive their enemies. The connection isn’t perfect, as One Love certainly doesn’t portray Bob as immaculate, and his cause of death is cancer, rather than a state-sanctioned execution. But it is notable that the movie’s story begins just a few years before his death, with some flashbacks to his childhood. Rock stars often inspire religious fervor in their legions of fans, and I don’t know if that’s ever been more true than in the case of Bob Marley.
Ya Mon or Not Ya Mon?: I’m no expert on Jamaican patois, and One Love doesn’t make much of an effort to accommodate me or anyone else who lacks that fluency. Even Kingsley Ben-Adir has admitted that he didn’t understand everything the real Bob Marley was saying when he watched videos of him to prepare for the role. And there are scenes within the film when non-Jamaicans struggle to make sense of him. Captions might have helped in this regard, but only to a certain extent. Still, I always got the gist of what was happening, and I ultimately appreciated the decision to keep it authentic this way.
Getting the Story Out There: One Love wisely keeps its narrative focus on a compressed time period, but besides that, it doesn’t distinguish itself with a whole lot of personality among the rock star biopic heap. We don’t get to see much of Ben-Adir performing, and when Bob Marley’s songs do play, it’s usually just a non-diegetic jukebox approach. Then the story stops somewhat abruptly, and we get the typical end titles about what else happened. Quite frankly, some of the events that were left out sound a lot more dramatically compelling than what was left in. So while One Love doesn’t quite reach the loftiest of heights, it at least doesn’t detract from its subject’s legacy. And if it inspires some viewers to dig into his discography and embrace his message of unity, well then it will have brought some good into the world.

Bob Marley: One Love is Recommended If You Want: To Research Everything About Bob Marley That Wasn’t Included in the Movie

Grade: 2.5 out of 5 Dreadlocks

Should You Press (Kid ‘N) Play on This Year’s ‘House Party’?

January 12, 2023

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thank you brond james (CREDIT: Warner Bros. Pictures/Screenshot)

Starring: Jacob Latimore, Tosin Cole, DC Young Fly, Karen Obilom, Andrew Santino, Melvin Gregg, Rotimi, Allen Maldonado, Kid Cudi, LeBron James, Mýa

Director: Calmatic

Running Time: 110 Minutes

Rating: R for Party Vices and a Shockingly Violent Turn in the Final Act

Release Date: January 13, 2023 (Theaters)

What’s It About?: Kevin (Jacob Latimore) and Damon (Tosin Cole) – that’s duh-MON, not DAY-muhn – have just found out they’re about to be fired from their house cleaning job after getting busted for toking up on the job. But they’ve got a side hustle as party promoters, so they decide to go all in on that venture when they find out that the last house they’re cleaning belongs to none other than LeBron James. The NBA great is away on a mindfulness retreat, so they take over his crib for one wild night in the hopes of clearing their debts and launching themselves into the social stratosphere. Naturally enough, though, chaos ensues. A championship ring is stolen, a koala turns violent, and the Illuminati are contacted. And of course, there’s the whole business about the two friends falling apart but then ultimately becoming closer than ever.

What Made an Impression?: If you weren’t around 30 years ago, you might have missed that 2023’s House Party is a remake of the 1990 flick of the same name that starred hip-hop duo Kid ‘n Play and spawned a couple of sequels. That connection feels rather beside the point, though, as it’s not like the original House Party owns a copyright on any and all depictions of cinematic house parties. If you want to make a movie about a party at someone’s house, it’s not like you need Kid ‘n Play’s permission. Although I suppose the brand name recognition helps, and Kid and Play do in fact stop by for a quick cameo.

In that vein, much of the 2023 edition feels like a time capsule from the 90s or at least the early 2000s. In addition to Kid ‘n Play’s pop-in, Bill Bellamy, Lil Wayne, Juvenile, and Snoop Dogg all stop by for some cameos. (Although I guess we can recognize Snoop as eternal at this point.) Plus, there’s a running thread in which Damon tries to book Mýa for the party, and I’m thinking, “Mýa? I haven’t heard from her since ‘Lady Marmalade’!” She still looks great, though!

Anyway, does this 21st century House Party deliver the requisite laughs and welcoming hangout vibes? It’s definitely a little too sleepy at first, as the opening act mostly consists of Kevin and Damon by themselves in a very big house, and there’s just none of the cacophony necessary to fill all that air. When the party eventually starts poppin’, it’s still not exactly a nonstop laugh riot, though there are enough bizarre digressions to at least hold my attention. And Lena Waithe shows up for a scene or two to deliver some chuckle-worthy stoner thoughts. So ultimately, Kevin and Damon string us along on a journey that starts out at Dreadful and ends up at Not Too Bad.

House Party is Recommended If You Like: Movies That Are Surreal But Not Quite Surreal Enough

Grade: 2 out of 5 Koalas