Love Lies Bleeding (Minor Spoilers)(2024)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- Working as the manager at a local gym in New Mexico, Lou (Kristen Stewart) meets Jackie (Katy O’Brian), an aspiring bodybuilder. Lou finds happiness with Jackie during a rocky romantic relationship, but the sudden appearance of FBI agent O’Riley (Orion C. Carrington) disrupts Lou’s quiet lifestyle. Lou struggles to juggle murder, dead bodies, and tumultuous relationships with her father, Lou Sr. (Ed Harris), her sister Beth (Jena Malone), her husband, JJ (Dave Franco), and a kooky woman named Daisy (Anna Baryshinkov).

My Thoughts- Kristen Stewart believably plays a quirky and awkward young woman, who’s dealing with a lot. You can tell she wants to distance herself from her family, but she loves Beth too much to ignore her abusive relationship with JJ. Stewart also brings an emotional side to Lou. The weight of working a dead end job in a small and hopeless town is clearly crushing Lou’s spirit. But Lou is still willing to help others, while she navigates a lot of tricky paths in her own life. The big test? Lou has to choose between her family, standing up to her father, and her relationship with Jackie. 

Jackie appears, and we’re not exactly sure what’s going on with her. Is she just a drifter and a shameless opportunist? Does she actually love Jackie? All the questions surrounding Jackie are definitively answered as the story progresses. Jackie is tough, she’s strong, and she doesn’t put up with bullshit. But you can also see someone, who’s hurting inside, because Jackie has a few vulnerable and emotional moments.

Katy O’Brian does an excellent job of portraying Jackie. She starts out as this happy and positive lady, who’s determined to chase her dreams. But she gets sucked into a whirlwind of chaos, as she struggles to hold herself together before she completely cracks. 

Jackie and Lou together? Well, there’s no denying it’s a toxic relationship. Jackie ran away from her hometown, chasing a new life. Lou is miserable. She hates her father, she misses her mother, and Lou knows there’s a low ceiling for her future, if she doesn’t leave New Mexico.

It’s love at first sight, when Jackie walks into the gym, but things go downhill quickly, when Lou gives Jackie steroids. Jackie quickly spirals out of control, but Lou NEVER gives up on her. The romance between Lou and Jackie is truly one of Love Lies Bleeding’s greatest strengths, filled with turbulent ups and downs. And kudos to Katy O’Brian for shifting gears to a more frazzled and angry version of Jackie during the ‘roid rage fits.

Ed Harris does it again with another good performance. Lou Sr. is a mean and crusty old bastard, a devious manipulator, who won’t stop until he gets what he wants. On top of all that, Lou Sr. is oddly fascinated with bugs. Harris plays a powerful man, but it’s hard to ignore the truth: Lou Sr. is a relic of the past. He’s an old man, who’s desperately clinging on to the power of being a big fish in a small pond, because without his status as a scary big shot, his life is empty. It’s kind of sad and pathetic, when you step back and look at the big picture.

Hats off to Dave Franco for his performance. JJ is scum. He’s a cheater, he beats his wife, and JJ is a sniveling coward. Franco does a fantastic job with JJ’s body language, his demeanor, and some good facial expressions. You can take one look at JJ, and you’ll instantly know this guy is a bad dude, with a cold and nasty mean streak.

It’s almost impossible to not feel any sympathy for Jena Malone’s Beth, a caring mother and a dedicated wife. She takes care of everything around the house, but she’s married to a monster. They don’t actually show JJ beating Beth, but the aftermath is equally horrifying. The scars, the bumps, the bruises, and Beth lying in a hospital bed with that huge knot on her face is an unpleasant sight. Also, the dinner date scene with JJ, Beth, Lou, and Jackie is genuinely uncomfortable to watch. You can feel the awkward tension at the table, and the situation reaches a boiling point, when JJ overreacts after Beth accidentally drops food on his lap.

Anna Baryshinkov could’ve stole the show here with more screen time. Daisy is a nutty and obsessive stalker. The lovey-dovey feelings she has for Lou are not reciprocated. She loves Lou, she’s willing to do anything to have a relationship with her, but Lou can’t stand Daisy. The mere sight of Daisy annoys Lou to the point, where it’s easy to believe she disgusts Lou. To top it off, Daisy’s story has an unfortunate ending before the credits start rolling.

Rose Glass’ work behind the camera is just phenomenal. Love Lies Bleeding looks and feels like a hypnotic fever dream. So many shots with great details, and the small New Mexico town is a perfect setting for this one. Lou’s hometown is a desolate and quiet hellhole out in the middle of nowhere. It’s a dreary and depressing place that kills any hopes and dreams. Escape is the only way to make it, because it’s a town that’s populated by too many people, who are stubbornly stuck in their own ways, and the bad guys hold too much power.

I’m also glad they didn’t lean into 80’s nostalgia too much. It’s a more subtle approach with the wardrobes, the hairstyles, the cars, and the phones. I can clearly see the movie is set in the 80’s, without constant in-your-face reminders in every scene, or every other scene. That’s enough for me.

Love Lies Bleeding fires on all cylinders. It works as a crime drama, it works as a thriller, and there’s some good black humor during the final moments of the movie. The overall cast is excellent. Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian share great chemistry as two people, who are willing to do anything for each other, no matter how risky the consequences are after the smoke clears. 

A bloody and strange fairy tale filled with violence and some gruesome gore, Love Lies Bleeding lives up to its title by delivering a wild and chaotic love story. Lots of bumpy ups and downs for Lou and Jackie, setbacks that should’ve marked the point of no return for both women. 

Going with the happy ending was the right move. Why? Because after all the bloodshed, the betrayals, and dealing with messy family drama, it’s safe to say Lou and Jackie truly earned their freedom from Lou Sr., a man who’s clearly hell-bent on being a tyrant and a nasty control freak. And there’s always a chance Jackie will get another shot at entering a different bodybuilding competition! 

Rating- 9/10

Love Lies Bleeding (2024)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- Working as the manager at a local gym in New Mexico, Lou (Kristen Stewart) meets Jackie (Katy O’Brian), an aspiring bodybuilder. Lou finds happiness with Jackie during a rocky romantic relationship, but the sudden appearance of FBI agent O’Riley (Orion C. Carrington) disrupts Lou’s quiet lifestyle. Lou struggles to juggle murder, dead bodies, and tumultuous relationships with her father, Lou Sr. (Ed Harris), her sister Beth (Jena Malone), her husband, JJ (Dave Franco), and a kooky woman named Daisy (Anna Baryshinkov).

My Thoughts- Kristen Stewart believably plays a quirky and awkward young woman, who’s dealing with a lot. You can tell she wants to distance herself from her family, but she loves Beth too much to ignore her abusive relationship with JJ. Stewart also brings an emotional side to Lou. The weight of working a dead end job in a small and hopeless town is clearly crushing Lou’s spirit. But Lou is still willing to help others, while she navigates a lot of tricky paths in her own life. The big test? Lou has to choose between her family, standing up to her father, and her relationship with Jackie. 

Jackie appears, and we’re not exactly sure what’s going on with her. Is she just a drifter and a shameless opportunist? Does she actually love Jackie? All the questions surrounding Jackie are definitively answered as the story progresses. Jackie is tough, she’s strong, and she doesn’t put up with bullshit. But you can also see someone, who’s hurting inside, because Jackie has a few vulnerable and emotional moments.

Katy O’Brian does an excellent job of portraying Jackie. She starts out as this happy and positive lady, who’s determined to chase her dreams. But she gets sucked into a whirlwind of chaos, as she struggles to hold herself together before she completely cracks. 

Jackie and Lou together? Well, there’s no denying it’s a toxic relationship. Jackie ran away from her hometown, chasing a new life. Lou is miserable. She hates her father, she misses her mother, and Lou knows there’s a low ceiling for her future, if she doesn’t leave New Mexico.

It’s love at first sight, when Jackie walks into the gym, but things go downhill quickly, when Lou gives Jackie steroids. Jackie quickly spirals out of control, but Lou NEVER gives up on her. The romance between Lou and Jackie is truly one of Love Lies Bleeding’s greatest strengths, filled with turbulent ups and downs. And kudos to Katy O’Brian for shifting gears to a more frazzled and angry version of Jackie during the ‘roid rage fits.

Ed Harris does it again with another good performance. Lou Sr. is a mean and crusty old bastard, a devious manipulator, who won’t stop until he gets what he wants. On top of all that, Lou Sr. is oddly fascinated with bugs. Harris plays a powerful man, but it’s hard to ignore the truth: Lou Sr. is a relic of the past. He’s an old man, who’s desperately clinging on to the power of being a big fish in a small pond, because without his status as a scary big shot, his life is empty. It’s kind of sad and pathetic, when you step back and look at the big picture.

Hats off to Dave Franco for his performance. JJ is scum. He’s a cheater, he beats his wife, JJ is a sniveling coward, AND it’s revealed he’s an informant for the FBI. Franco does a fantastic job with JJ’s body language, his demeanor, and some good facial expressions. You can take one look at JJ, and you’ll instantly know this guy is a bad dude, with a cold and nasty mean streak.

It’s almost impossible to not feel any sympathy for Jena Malone’s Beth, a caring mother and a dedicated wife. She takes care of everything around the house, but she’s married to a monster. They don’t actually show JJ beating Beth, but the aftermath is equally horrifying. The scars, the bumps, the bruises, and Beth lying in a hospital bed with that huge knot on her face is an unpleasant sight. Also, the dinner date scene with JJ, Beth, Lou, and Jackie is genuinely uncomfortable to watch. You can feel the awkward tension at the table, and the situation reaches a boiling point, when JJ overreacts after Beth accidentally drops food on his lap.

Anna Baryshinkov could’ve stole the show here with more screen time. Daisy is a nutty and obsessive stalker. The lovey-dovey feelings she has for Lou are not reciprocated. She loves Lou, she’s willing to do anything to have a relationship with her, but Lou can’t stand Daisy. The mere sight of Daisy annoys Lou to the point, where it’s easy to believe she disgusts Lou. To top it off, Daisy’s story has an unfortunate ending before the credits start rolling.

Jackie, as a GIANT, pulverizes Lou Sr.! It’s a bizarre ending. Yes, Lou Sr. got what he deserved, and I’m glad Lou didn’t pull the trigger. She obviously wanted her father to rot in prison, because killing him would’ve been too easy. A small part of me was hoping for a more serious tone during Lou Sr.’s beat down. Lou Sr. was truly an evil man. He deserved to suffer, but Giant Jackie playing around with Lou Sr., while Lou watches with a smile on her face crossed the line for being too silly for me. 

Although, I guess you have to look at the ending through Lou’s eyes. She deeply loves Jackie, and it’s obvious Lou admires her. For Lou, Jackie is someone, who’s larger than life itself, so it makes sense that she sees Jackie as a giant, who’s beating the crap out of her father, a man, who’s directly responsible for a lot of heartache in Lou’s life. 

To add to that, I have to believe steroids played a big part in Jackie’s hallucinogenic transformations. Going back to the scene, where Jackie brutally murders JJ, you’ll notice Jackie is taller, towering over JJ’s mangled corpse.

Rose Glass’ work behind the camera is just phenomenal. Love Lies Bleeding looks and feels like a hypnotic fever dream. So many shots with great details, and the small New Mexico town is a perfect setting for this one. Lou’s hometown is a desolate and quiet hellhole out in the middle of nowhere. It’s a dreary and depressing place that kills any hopes and dreams. Escape is the only way to make it, because it’s a town that’s populated by too many people, who are stubbornly stuck in their own ways, and the bad guys hold too much power.

I’m also glad they didn’t lean into 80’s nostalgia too much. It’s a more subtle approach with the wardrobes, the hairstyles, the cars, and the phones. I can clearly see the movie is set in the 80’s, without constant in-your-face reminders in every scene, or every other scene. That’s enough for me.

Love Lies Bleeding fires on all cylinders. It works as a crime drama, it works as a thriller, and there’s some good black humor during the final moments of the movie. The overall cast is excellent. Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian share great chemistry as two people, who are willing to do anything for each other, no matter how risky the consequences are after the smoke clears. 

A bloody and strange fairy tale filled with violence and some gruesome gore, Love Lies Bleeding lives up to its title by delivering a wild and chaotic love story. Lots of bumpy ups and downs for Lou and Jackie, setbacks that should’ve marked the point of no return for both women. 

Going with the happy ending was the right move. Why? Because after all the bloodshed, the betrayals, and dealing with messy family drama, it’s safe to say Lou and Jackie truly earned their freedom from Lou Sr., a man who’s clearly hell-bent on being a tyrant and a nasty control freak. And there’s always a chance Jackie will get another shot at entering a different bodybuilding competition! 

Rating- 9/10

Y2K (2024)(Minor Spoilers)

 

**This post contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- On December 31, 1999, Eli (Jaeden Martell) and Danny’s (Julian Dennison) planned night of fun turns into a disaster, when the Y2K bug hits at a New Year’s Eve party. Eli teams up with Laura (Rachel Zegler), Ash (Lachlan Watson), Garrett (Kyle Mooney), and CJ (Daniel Zolghadri) to fight back against Amalgamation, a sinister algorithm, and a violent horde of sentient machines. A plan is in place to stop Amalgamation and the machines from enslaving humanity, but the group runs into a series of setbacks during the last stand to save the world….

My Thoughts- Eli is the shy and socially awkward nerd, who’s chasing Laura, the girl of his dreams. Danny? Well, he’s a geek, but he’s far more outgoing and confident, if we’re comparing him to Eli. Ash, and her group friends, including Farkas (Eduardo Franco), proudly fill the roles of the “rejects,” or the “freaks.” And Chris (The Kid Laroi) is the douchey big man on campus, a jock, who arrogantly sticks his chest out as king of the cool kids. 

Y2K is loaded with the usual archetypes for high schoolers, but Rachel Zegler’s Laura slightly breaks the mold to stand out a little bit. Yes, Laura is popular, but she’s not cocky, selfish, or conceited, and she’s not a mean girl. Laura is genuinely surprised by any negative reactions, or assumptions about her character. She never went out of her way to become popular. She didn’t cut anyone down, or step on anyone, who she might’ve believed was beneath her. In her own words, Laura’s rise in the social hierarchy “just happened” without her putting in any real effort to be on top. That’s right, she got there by just being herself, no matter how much her personality rubbed certain people the wrong way.

If you’re looking for 90’s nostalgia, Y2K has just about everything that you could possibly think of and more. The music (The Thong Song takes center stage here), dial-up internet, AOL (you’ve got mail!), Tae Bo, a Men In Black reference, Limp Bizkit, and Fred Durst! The grainy POVs from Ash’s treasured video recorder adds to the nostalgia to give you the feeling you’re watching something straight out of the 90’s. On top of that, Garrett works in a video rental store, and a VHS recording of Varsity Blues is used a deadly weapon in one scene. I’m a 90’s/early 2000’s kid, so it was easy to spot numerous “I remember that!” moments and callbacks throughout the movie.

Outside of one big and surprising death, Y2K goes through the motions. It’s not hard to predict how the story of the nerd (Eli), who’s pursuing the girl (Laura), who’s supposed to be out of his league will end. But Y2K is still an enjoyable post-apocalyptic horror comedy. It’s a silly and harmless coming-of-age movie, with a satisfying conclusion and a happy ending. Also, the kills and the death scenes are hilarious, including the microwave, a blender attacking someone’s private parts, and a can of hairspray being used as a flamethrower.

The casting is excellent, because everyone is a perfect fit for their characters. The dynamic between Eli’s parents provides a few laughs. Howard (Tim Heidecker), Eli’s father, is clearly more uptight, nerdy, and proper. On the flip side of that, Robin (Alicia Silverstone) is a free spirit, but she’s still a kind and loving mother.

A big thumbs up for Kyle Mooney playing the eccentric hippie stoner, and Mason Gooding’s Jonas is basically cut from the same cloth. The big difference between Garrett and Jonas is, Garrett is bold and kind of reckless. Jonas takes a safer and more laid back approach to dealing with the machines. He helps out on crowd control to give Eli a chance to deliver his big rah-rah speech at the school. Garrett? Well, let’s just say running towards a machine for a one on one fight is not a good idea, if you want to stop the global uprising. 

Lachlan Watson easily delivers one of the best performances as Ash. Watson plays a conflicted teenager. Ash is an outsider, but you can also see she’s angry. She’s confused, and Ash is hesitant to let her guard down around certain people, so she clings to the trash-talking punk kid side of her personality. Truly a good performance from Watson, especially during the scenes, when Ash shows the vulnerable and emotional side of her personality.

The story of a group of unlikely heroes (including Fred Durst) teaming up to stop a seemingly unstoppable and powerful force? It’s a formula that’s almost impossible to screw up. You’re going to get something out of it, and Y2K mostly gets it right. The core group of characters change in different ways after the big showdown at the high school. Everyone’s journey comes full circle after a bloody and gory humans vs machines battle with high stakes, proving the fighting human spirit will always have an advantage over crafty technology and machines. 

Rating- 6/10

Y2K (2024)

 

**This post contains spoilers**

The Story- On December 31, 1999, Eli (Jaeden Martell) and Danny’s (Julian Dennison) planned night of fun turns into a disaster, when the Y2K bug hits at a New Year’s Eve party. Eli teams up with Laura (Rachel Zegler), Ash (Lachlan Watson), Garrett (Kyle Mooney), and CJ (Daniel Zolghadri) to fight back against Amalgamation, a sinister algorithm, and a violent horde of sentient machines. A plan is in place to stop Amalgamation and the machines from enslaving humanity, but the group runs into a series of setbacks during the last stand to save the world….

My Thoughts- Eli is the shy and socially awkward nerd, who’s chasing Laura, the girl of his dreams. Danny? Well, he’s a geek, but he’s far more outgoing and confident, if we’re comparing him to Eli. Ash, and her group friends, including Farkas (Eduardo Franco), proudly fill the roles of the “rejects,” or the “freaks.” And Chris (The Kid Laroi) is the douchey big man on campus, a jock, who arrogantly sticks his chest out as king of the cool kids. 

Y2K is loaded with the usual archetypes for high schoolers, but Rachel Zegler’s Laura slightly breaks the mold to stand out a little bit. Yes, Laura is popular, but she’s not cocky, selfish, or conceited, and she’s not a mean girl. Laura is genuinely surprised by any negative reactions, or assumptions about her character. She never went out of her way to become popular. She didn’t cut anyone down, or step on anyone, who she might’ve believed was beneath her. In her own words, Laura’s rise in the social hierarchy “just happened” without her putting in any real effort to be on top. That’s right, she got there by just being herself, no matter how much her personality rubbed certain people the wrong way.

Danny’s death at Chris’ house did catch me off guard. The best friends have to make out alive in the end, right? That’s what I believed early on, because Y2K is a film that largely plays it safe, but Danny’s death adds a good emotional layer for this one. Eli, without his one true friend, is forced to push forward with a heavy heart, so he can stop the attack before it’s too late.

Eli uses the one condom gifted to him by Danny, allowing Laura to safely upload the kill code without being electrocuted? Hilariously clever. It’s a nutty ending, when you realize Eli and Laura needed protection to safely penetrate a giant computer, using one of Danny’s condoms, a condom that Danny was saving for Eli to use for his first time with Laura.

If you’re looking for 90’s nostalgia, Y2K has just about everything that you could possibly think of and more. The music (The Thong Song takes center stage here), dial-up internet, AOL (you’ve got mail!), Tae Bo, a Men In Black reference, Limp Bizkit, and Fred Durst! The grainy POVs from Ash’s treasured video recorder adds to the nostalgia to give you the feeling you’re watching something straight out of the 90’s. On top of that, Garrett works in a video rental store, and a VHS recording of Varsity Blues is used a deadly weapon in one scene. I’m a 90’s/early 2000’s kid, so it was easy to spot numerous “I remember that!” moments and callbacks throughout the movie.

Outside of one big and surprising death, Y2K goes through the motions. It’s not hard to predict how the story of the nerd (Eli), who’s pursuing the girl (Laura), who’s supposed to be out of his league will end. But Y2K is still an enjoyable post-apocalyptic horror comedy. It’s a silly and harmless coming-of-age movie, with a satisfying conclusion and a happy ending. Also, the kills and the death scenes are hilarious, including the microwave, a blender attacking someone’s private parts, and a can of hairspray being used as a flamethrower.

The casting is excellent, because everyone is a perfect fit for their characters. The dynamic between Eli’s parents provides a few laughs. Howard (Tim Heidecker), Eli’s father, is clearly more uptight, nerdy, and proper. On the flip side of that, Robin (Alicia Silverstone) is a free spirit, but she’s still a kind and loving mother. 

A big thumbs up for Kyle Mooney playing the eccentric hippie stoner, and Mason Gooding’s Jonas is basically cut from the same cloth. The big difference between Garrett and Jonas is, Garrett is bold and kind of reckless. Jonas takes a safer and more laid back approach to dealing with the machines. He helps out on crowd control to give Eli a chance to deliver his big rah-rah speech at the school. Garrett? Well, let’s just say running towards a machine for a one on one fight is not a good idea, if you want to stop the global uprising. 

Lachlan Watson easily delivers one of the best performances as Ash. Watson plays a conflicted teenager. Ash is an outsider, but you can also see she’s angry. She’s confused, and Ash is hesitant to let her guard down around certain people, so she clings to the trash-talking punk kid side of her personality. Truly a good performance from Watson, especially during the scenes, when Ash shows the vulnerable and emotional side of her personality.

The story of a group of unlikely heroes (including Fred Durst) teaming up to stop a seemingly unstoppable and powerful force? It’s a formula that’s almost impossible to screw up. You’re going to get something out of it, and Y2K mostly gets it right. The core group of characters change in different ways after the big showdown at the high school. Everyone’s journey comes full circle after a bloody and gory humans vs machines battle with high stakes, proving the fighting human spirit will always have an advantage over crafty technology and machines. 

Rating- 6/10

Death Of A Unicorn (2025)(Minor Spoilers)

 

**This review contains MINOR spoilers**

The Story- During a business trip with his daughter, Ridley (Jenna Ortega), Elliot (Paul Rudd) hits a unicorn with his rental car. Nervous and determined to make a good impression on his boss, Odell (Richard E. Grant), his wife, Belinda (Tea Leoni), and their son, Shepard (Will Poulter), Elliot decides to hide the body in the back of the car, but the unicorn suddenly awakes, sparking a series of chaotic events. Survival becomes the main goal, when the unicorn’s parents arrive at Odell’s ranch, determined to retrieve their child. Can Ridley’s research save Elliot, Odell, his family, and the others?

My Thoughts- Blood, guts, and unicorns! I’ll admit, I’m not an expert on unicorns, or the mythology behind them, so putting those words together sounds strange. Whimsical, mysterious, or majestic? Going by everything I’ve seen over the years, whether it’s in movies, TV shows, or commercials, that’s what pops into my head, when I think about unicorns. 

Sure, you can see the awe-inspiring aura for the unicorns throughout the movie. There’s no denying that, but when the parents enter the picture, things change. We’re introduced to two large and ferocious beasts. Yeah, you CAN wound the unicorns. Maybe you can slow them down to buy yourself some more time to run and hide. The “if it bleeds, we can kill it” approach doesn’t work here, adding another layer to how the unicorns are presented as an unstoppable force. Lots of purple blood from the unicorns is spilled after Elliot hits the child, and guess what? The humans (the bad ones) pay the price with their lives.

It’s impossible to ignore the hilarity of watching everyone running from unicorns, because, well, they’re unicorns. But writer/director Alex Scharfman still manages to toe the line in a way, where escaping the unicorns never looks too silly or goofy. The unicorns are a dangerous and deadly threat. It’s true you can look at the galloping creatures with a big smile and a stunned wide-eyed expression, but they’re also capable of easily ripping your guts out. Unicorns in Death Of A Unicorn are treated with the highest levels of respect. Also, the lore and the mythology for the unicorns is just excellent, telling the story of a mystical and brutal past, filled with rich details and clever tales about the history between humans and unicorns.

Elliot? In the early stages of the movie, you’ll get the impression the guy is just a shameless ass-kisser. He’s a pushover, who’s willing to do anything to get the seal of approval from Odell and his family. But towards the end, you’ll see a man and a father, who’s just trying to do his best. Maybe he went about doing it the wrong way, but Elliot swore to honor a promise to Ridley’s mother.

Paul Rudd is genuinely hilarious here. Elliot is goofy. He’s constantly nervous and walking on eggshells, and Elliot is kind of a klutz. But Rudd has more believable serious moments, when he has to protect Ridley, and when Elliot finally realizes he’s just an expendable asset for Odell, Shepard, and Belinda.

Jenna Ortega’s character is a bit cliched. Ridley is a bratty teenager, who’s not afraid to speak her mind, and she’s into vaping! But you’ll also see there’s more to her character as the story progresses. Ridley is smart. She’s not afraid to speak her mind, and Ridley quickly realizes Odell and his family are nothing more than rich and greedy snobs. She’s rebellious, but we’re also talking about a kid, who’s still hurting inside, because she misses her mom. 

Ortega delivers a noticeably confident performance, and she brings some good humor to Ridley. The awkward and rocky bonding experience between Ridley and Elliot is one the bigger highlights for this one. Lots of good laughs, and a satisfying full circle ending during the home stretch of the movie.

Odell, Shepard, and Belinda? They’re all terrible people. It’s easy to feel sympathy for Odell. He’s old, he’s sick, he’s dying, and he’s a fragile dude, who’s one bad fall away from kicking the bucket. But Odell shows his true colors after receiving a big boost from hefty amounts of blood from the baby unicorn. He’s a nasty and greedy old man. A dying man should use his second chance at life to be more appreciative and cherish the world around him more, right? Nope. Odell is too wrapped up in his massive ego. After everything that happened in the woods, Odell thinks it’s perfectly okay to try and touch the unicorn’s horn? Idiot. 

Tea Leoni plays the sympathetic figure in the family. Yes, she’s complicit in the family’s ill deeds, and she’s a pompous and pretentious character. But Belinda actually cares about her husband and her son. Leoni hams it up with Belinda’s exaggerated accent to the point, where you’ll either laugh, or start shaking your head at how silly it is, but she still delivers a solid overall performance. 

Will Poulter easily steals the show here. Poulter embodies everything you’d expect from a rich and spoiled brat as Shepard. He’s entitled, whiny, a coward, and on top of all that, Shepard’s personality is a mix of an annoying douchebag frat boy and a cocky dude-bro. From one scene to the next, Poulter’s performance is truly fun to watch, as the situation spirals out of control. The guy actually gets hooked on snorting and smoking unicorn parts to replace his bad drug habit. Priceless.

Odell and his family had the chance to do the right thing. You find UNICORNS, creatures that have blood that’s full of magical healing powers, blood that also has the ability to cure cancer. Saving lives should’ve been the top priority, but they only had one main goal: profit. But what else would you expect from a group of wealthy elitists, completely disconnected from the real world, while living in a large estate with servants, who are ready to obey any commands without any real resistance.

Odell, Shepard, and Belinda? They all got what they deserved in the end. Poetic justice hits hard for Odell and his family. It’s also hilariously ironic, when you remember the nature preserve is named after Odell. Protecting the unicorns would’ve been so much easier and simple, but having a god complex was his downfall. 

The CGI and the special effects for the unicorns loses its wow factor during the daytime scenes, but Death Of A Unicorn is still a good film. Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega share terrific chemistry as a father/daughter duo. The cast is excellent from top to bottom, including performances from Sunita Mani, Stephen Park, and Jessica Hynes. Anthony Carrigan’s Griff is one of the more entertaining characters here. Griff is a jittery mess, the butler, who’s scared of disobeying his employers. But Griff has his moments towards the end, when he finally decides to stand up for himself. 

Consistent laughs, a handful of gnarly kills and death scenes, lots of blood and gore, and an emotional story about a father and his daughter trying to live a normal life again after a tragedy. Death Of A Unicorn checks off more than enough boxes for a wild and bizarre horror comedy.

And I can’t forget about the strong similarities to Jurassic Park, just Replace raptors with unicorns, complete with bloody and graphic death scenes. There’s also a scene that’s eerily similar to a scene from The Lost World. Julianne Moore, Jeff Goldblum, and Vince Vaughn are together. They’re nervous, and they’re trying to return the baby T-Rex to his parents, hoping it’ll be a smooth peace offering transaction. Well, Ridley comes up with a plan that mirrors what happened in The Lost World. But the big difference is, poor Dr. Bhatia (Sunita Mani) doesn’t have the luxury of relying on a skilled and experienced team to save her.

Rating- 9/10

Death Of A Unicorn (2025)

 

**This review contains spoilers**

The Story- During a business trip with his daughter, Ridley (Jenna Ortega), Elliot (Paul Rudd) hits a unicorn with his rental car. Nervous and determined to make a good impression on his boss, Odell (Richard E. Grant), his wife, Belinda (Tea Leoni), and their son, Shepard (Will Poulter), Elliot decides to hide the body in the back of the car, but the unicorn suddenly awakes, sparking a series of chaotic events. Survival becomes the main goal, when the unicorn’s parents arrive at Odell’s ranch, determined to retrieve their child. Can Ridley’s research save Elliot, Odell, his family, and the others?

My Thoughts- Blood, guts, and unicorns! I’ll admit, I’m not an expert on unicorns, or the mythology behind them, so putting those words together sounds strange. Whimsical, mysterious, or majestic? Going by everything I’ve seen over the years, whether it’s in movies, TV shows, or commercials, that’s what pops into my head, when I think about unicorns. 

Sure, you can see the awe-inspiring aura for the unicorns throughout the movie. There’s no denying that, but when the parents enter the picture, things change. We’re introduced to two large and ferocious beasts. Yeah, you CAN wound the unicorns. Maybe you can slow them down to buy yourself some more time to run and hide. The “if it bleeds, we can kill it” approach doesn’t work here, adding another layer to how the unicorns are presented as an unstoppable force. Lots of purple blood from the unicorns is spilled after Elliot hits the child, and guess what? The humans (the bad ones) pay the price with their lives.

It’s impossible to ignore the hilarity of watching everyone running from unicorns, because, well, they’re unicorns. But writer/director Alex Scharfman still manages to toe the line in a way, where escaping the unicorns never looks too silly or goofy. The unicorns are a dangerous and deadly threat. It’s true you can look at the galloping creatures with a big smile and a stunned wide-eyed expression, but they’re also capable of easily ripping your guts out. Unicorns in Death Of A Unicorn are treated with the highest levels of respect. Also, the lore and the mythology for the unicorns is just excellent, telling the story of a mystical and brutal past, filled with rich details and clever tales about the history between humans and unicorns.

Elliot? In the early stages of the movie, you’ll get the impression the guy is just a shameless ass-kisser. He’s a pushover, who’s willing to do anything to get the seal of approval from Odell and his family. But towards the end, you’ll see a man and a father, who’s just trying to do his best. Maybe he went about doing it the wrong way, but Elliot swore to honor a promise to Ridley’s mother.

Paul Rudd is genuinely hilarious here. Elliot is goofy. He’s constantly nervous and walking on eggshells, and Elliot is kind of a klutz. But Rudd has more believable serious moments, when he has to protect Ridley, and when Elliot finally realizes he’s just an expendable asset for Odell, Shepard, and Belinda.

Jenna Ortega’s character is a bit cliched. Ridley is a bratty teenager, who’s not afraid to speak her mind, and she’s into vaping! But you’ll also see there’s more to her character as the story progresses. Ridley is smart. She’s not afraid to speak her mind, and Ridley quickly realizes Odell and his family are nothing more than rich and greedy snobs. She’s rebellious, but we’re also talking about a kid, who’s still hurting inside, because she misses her mom. 

Ortega delivers a noticeably confident performance, and she brings some good humor to Ridley. The awkward and rocky bonding experience between Ridley and Elliot is one the bigger highlights for this one. Lots of good laughs, and a satisfying full circle ending during the home stretch of the movie.

Odell, Shepard, and Belinda? They’re all terrible people. It’s easy to feel sympathy for Odell. He’s old, he’s sick, he’s dying, and he’s a fragile dude, who’s one bad fall away from kicking the bucket. But Odell shows his true colors after receiving a big boost from hefty amounts of blood from the baby unicorn. He’s a nasty and greedy old man. A dying man should use his second chance at life to be more appreciative and cherish the world around him more, right? Nope. Odell is too wrapped up in his massive ego. After everything that happened in the woods, Odell thinks it’s perfectly okay to try and touch the unicorn’s horn? Idiot. 

Tea Leoni plays the sympathetic figure in the family. Yes, she’s complicit in the family’s ill deeds, and she’s a pompous and pretentious character. But Belinda actually cares about her husband and her son. Leoni hams it up with Belinda’s exaggerated accent to the point, where you’ll either laugh, or start shaking your head at how silly it is, but she still delivers a solid overall performance. 

Will Poulter easily steals the show here. Poulter embodies everything you’d expect from a rich and spoiled brat as Shepard. He’s entitled, whiny, a coward, and on top of all that, Shepard’s personality is a mix of an annoying douchebag frat boy and a cocky dude-bro. From one scene to the next, Poulter’s performance is truly fun to watch, as the situation spirals out of control. The guy actually gets hooked on snorting and smoking unicorn parts to replace his bad drug habit. Priceless.

Odell and his family had the chance to do the right thing. You find UNICORNS, creatures that have blood that’s full of magical healing powers, blood that also has the ability to cure cancer. Saving lives should’ve been the top priority, but they only had one main goal: profit. But what else would you expect from a group of wealthy elitists, completely disconnected from the real world, while living in a large estate with servants, who are ready to obey any commands without any real resistance.

Odell, Shepard, and Belinda? They all got what they deserved in the end. Poetic justice hits hard for Odell and his family. It’s also hilariously ironic, when you remember the nature preserve is named after Odell. Protecting the unicorns would’ve been so much easier and simple, but having a god complex was his downfall. 

I never believed Elliot was truly dead after Shepard stabbed him, not for one second. Jenna Ortega did a fantastic job of selling Ridley’s devastated reaction, but after everything they went through, Elliot dying would’ve been too much of a downer for the ending. Was it predictable? Yes, there’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Still, it’s a feel-good moment to see Elliot and Ridley together, rounding out the surviving trio. And I did get a good laugh out of Shepard being on the receiving end of a fatal mule kick from one of the unicorns. Similar to his father, a crazed ego cost Shepard his life.

The CGI and the special effects for the unicorns loses its wow factor during the daytime scenes, but Death Of A Unicorn is still a good film. Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega share terrific chemistry as a father/daughter duo. The cast is excellent from top to bottom, including performances from Sunita Mani, Stephen Park, and Jessica Hynes. Anthony Carrigan’s Griff is one of the more entertaining characters here. Griff is a jittery mess, the butler, who’s scared of disobeying his employers. But Griff has his moments towards the end, when he finally decides to stand up for himself. 

Consistent laughs, a handful of gnarly kills and death scenes, lots of blood and gore, and an emotional story about a father and his daughter trying to live a normal life again after a tragedy. Death Of A Unicorn checks off more than enough boxes for a wild and bizarre horror comedy.

And I can’t forget about the strong similarities to Jurassic Park, just Replace raptors with unicorns, complete with bloody and graphic death scenes. There’s also a scene that’s eerily similar to a scene from The Lost World. Julianne Moore, Jeff Goldblum, and Vince Vaughn are together. They’re nervous, and they’re trying to return the baby T-Rex to his parents, hoping it’ll be a smooth peace offering transaction. Well, Ridley comes up with a plan that mirrors what happened in The Lost World. But the big difference is, poor Dr. Bhatia (Sunita Mani) doesn’t have the luxury of relying on a skilled and experienced team to save her.

Rating- 9/10

Run Sweetheart Run (2020)(Minor Spoilers)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers** 

The Story- After double-booking her boss, James Fuller (Clark Gregg) on his wedding anniversary, Cherie (Ella Belinska) agrees to fill in for dinner with a client named Ethan (Pilou Asbaek). Cherie’s dinner date takes a dangerous turn, when Ethan suddenly attacks her at his house. 

Ethan challenges Cherie to a game: Ethan will stalk and hunt Cherie until sunrise. If Cherie survives, Ethan will let her go. Cherie seeks protection and help from her ex-boyfriend, Trey (Dayo Okeniyi), and her ex-friend, Dawn (Carmela Zumbado). James’ wife, Judy (Betsy Brandt) quietly gives Cherie crucial tips for survival. But if Cherie plans on stopping and defeating Ethan, she’ll need to join forces with The First Lady (Shohreh Aghdashloo) before it’s too late. 

My Thoughts- Ethan is a monster! Not only is Ethan a cruel and heartless misogynist, he’s literally a monster, a ferocious and relentless beast. Ethan’s transformation scene is one of the bigger highlights in the movie, and it’s a scene that doesn’t work without Ella Belinska’s perfect horrified reaction. You don’t actually see Ethan transformation, because the focus and the camera is solely fixed on Cherie. You’re lead to believe Ethan’s true form is something that’s genuinely grotesque and shocking. The real Ethan is too unbearable to witness. That’s the idea, and a church was the perfect ironic setting for a demonic monster’s big reveal.

Pilou Asbaek knocks it out of the park as Ethan. During the early stages of the movie, Asbaek absolutely nails the suave, charming, and charismatic gentleman side of Ethan. But when Ethan reveals his true colors, Asbaek smoothly switches gears to playing a cruel and sadistic man, who enjoys torturing Cherie.

Cherie is a single mother, who’s just trying to do her best, a young and shy pre-law secretary struggling to make it in a man’s world. Cherie was HOPING the night out with Ethan would be something “nice.” She just wanted to let her guard down, and have a good time, so she could remember what it was like to have fun with life. 

There’s no denying Ella Belinska puts a lot of effort into playing Cherie. It’s a lot of screaming, begging, and pleading for help throughout the movie, but you’ll still see flashes of a potentially solid or good overall performance. 

But Belinska’s hysterics fits Cherie’s character, and what she’s going through. We’re talking about a woman, who’s forced to run around mostly barefoot a lot at night in some seedy parts of Los Angeles, while she’s being chased by a bloodthirsty maniac. That, and Cherie truly suffers here. Ethan beats her for his own amusement, she’s constantly covered in blood, and exhausted. Cherie is forced to endure a hellacious series of events. To make matters worse, she doesn’t have time to relax, breathe, or slow down, if she wants to survive, because Ethan is closing in and waiting for an opportunity to attack.

Run Sweetheart Run’s ending sticks the landing for an easy and satisfying conclusion, but it’s a questionable path to get there. Ethan is one mean dude. He’s all-powerful, and you could say he’s nearly invincible, so why didn’t he just kill Cherie earlier? I get it. Ethan loves the chase, the hunt, and he gets a kick out of toying with Cherie. But killing her was his main goal, right? So why didn’t he just do it, when he had numerous chances to finish her off? Yes, you could say Ethan got too cocky, and his ego was his downfall. But it’s just one too many self-inflicted missed opportunities for Ethan during his pursuit of Cherie.

Consistency with Ethan’s vulnerability is another problem here. Cherie knocks Ethan down with brick, one brick, but Ethan walks away without a scratch after the attempted ambush at Trey’s house? Mind you, Dawn was armed with a shotgun, and everyone else had weapons, including a sword! Maybe you could say Ethan was too fast, and he used super speedy techniques to avoid any damage, but I’m not buying it. The priest also wounded Ethan at the church with a sword? Yeah, the priest caught him off guard, but it’s still a bit strange.

Luck, convenient luck, is also on Cherie’s side. When she learns the truth about James Fuller, Cherie runs outside, and there’s a bus passing by. After the big car crash, a dog shows up to protect Cherie from Ethan. It’s a big deal, because Ethan really hates dogs. But the timing of everything is hard to ignore. Ethan is about to murder Cherie (again), and a dog just walks right up to Ethan, seemingly out of nowhere?

For me, Run Sweetheart Run has a handful of annoyances, but there’s also a lot of good to focus on here. Cherie is a young woman and a single mom, who’s struggling to find her way in the world, a world dominated and ruled by condescending and misogynistic men. Pay close attention, and you’ll notice every time someone calls Cherie “sweetheart”, whether it’s Ethan or James, it’s not used in an endearing or complimentary way. The men surrounding Cherie view her as this naive little pet, someone, who obeys or should obey commands without any real resistance. Ethan also refers to Cherie as a “cocktease,” who wore a “fuck me” dress to meet him. 

Cherie is justifiably terrified of Ethan. Judy? She walks around on eggshells, because she knows who Ethan truly is, and she knows the dark secrets behind James’ connection to him. Fear is used to keep women in line, and Ethan is the boss, dishing out brutal violence to ensure the system he put in place stays on the tracks.

Cleverly breaking the fourth wall happens in three noteworthy scenes. You’ll either see Ethan turn the camera away, or he’ll put his hand up to stop filming, because what he’s about to do to Cherie is too terrible to witness. Is it possible Ethan is giving commands to the camera, because he wants the audience to know he’s in complete control? It makes sense. Ethan has the ability to control other men with his powers. The guy is an egomaniac, so he gets to decide what we can or can’t see, when his character is on the screen.

But things change towards the end. Cherie takes control of the camera during the big final showdown. Why? Because a weakened Ethan is not calling the shots anymore. He’s not in a position to tell Cherie what to do, threaten her, or make any last attempts to boss her around. 

Run Sweetheart Run mostly delivers an entertaining film, telling an ambitious young woman’s story about fighting back against the most evil forms of sexism and a patriarchy with a horror twist. The movie takes some time to breathe with a bit of levity, when Trey appears. Some decent laughs during the fiasco at Trey’s house, because Run Sweetheart Run hits a point, where you’re introduced to more carefree and relaxed characters, who aren’t afraid to crack jokes. And they’re having fun watching the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre! 

Good music and a nice, fitting soundtrack for this one, and a fair amount of blood and gore here, including a few nasty scenes. The overall cast is solid from top to bottom. Shohreh Aghdashloo brings a commanding presence to The First Lady. Aghdashloo plays a powerful character, but she’s also someone, who doesn’t take herself too seriously. She has a good sense of humor, isn’t afraid to curse, and you know she’s a woman, who’s dead serious about killing Ethan.

Director Shana Feste deserves a lot of credit for turning Los Angeles into a scary place, during daylight and nighttime hours. Eerily quiet and spooky streets, the wanted posters plastered everywhere, sordid characters roaming around, and showing numerous desolate settings littered with trash and rows of tents really drives home the idea that Cherie is truly all alone in a big city.

But surely Cherie can count on good samaritans to help her, right? Well, no. There’s the scene outside the movie theater, where two women, obviously believing Cherie is an hysterical alcoholic, hesitate to help her. And a woman looks away and goes back to minding her own business during the scene on the bus, when Cherie is sexually assaulted by the creepy weirdo. 

The police? Instead of doing something useful for Cherie, after she barely escaped an attack from a psycho, they treated her like a criminal, a loony drunk wandering the streets late at night. And there’s the scene in the underground club, where a soldier, feeling disrespected because she didn’t enlist, turns into a jerk and tries to intimidate Cherie, while she’s wearing a bedazzled military jacket. 

I have a lot of problems with the gaps in logic for Ethan hunting Cherie. But there’s no denying that Cherie can’t escape one nagging problem: she’s not safe anywhere. Not on the streets, not at a police station, her ex-boyfriend’s house, or the bathroom at a convenience store. Throwing a bloody tampon on the back of a pickup truck buys her some time, but it’s not enough to stop Ethan. Cherie can’t escape the monster lurking in the shadows, because no matter where she goes, or who she turns to for help, it’s only a matter of time before Ethan finds her.

Rating- 7/10