Month: February 2026

Scream 7

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In the latest instalment of the Scream franchise, Sidney Prescott-Evans (Neve Campbell) has built a new life with her husband Mark (Joel McHale) and daughter Tatum (Isabel May). While it has been some time since her last Ghostface encounter, Sidney knows that she is never truly out of the woods. Before long, a new killer makes themselves known and this time he’s targeting Tatum. Sidney must once again face her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all.

After a lot of behind the scenes shake ups, Kevin Williamson is not only back in the writing seat, he is also in the director’s seat for the first time. Many people thought that this, combined with Campbell’s triumphant return as everyone’s favorite Final Girl, would be enough for fans to tune back in after the departure of Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega’s Sam and Tara who helmed the last two films. Having Sidney back front and centre was surely a treat though I cannot say that I didn’t miss Barrera or Ortega as I thought they fit in well. The film itself wasn’t the strongest of the franchise, but I still had a good enough time with it.

It really did seem as though Sidney had never left. Campbell fit back into Sidney’s trauma effortlessly and this time the stakes were raised even higher because of who Ghostface is now targeting. Seeing Sidney as a mother and watching her complicated relationship with Tatum unfold was interesting. May did a formidable job; it was like she was always meant to be there. I also liked the dynamic between Sidney and Mark; domestic Sidney was someone I never knew I needed. Courteney Cox resumed her role as Gale Weathers. Her entrance was absolutely iconic, as if we could expect anything less, though I didn’t think she was featured as much as she should have been. The same can be said about Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding who portray Mindy and Chad Meeks-Martin. I appreciated that they were a tie in from the previous two films, but they were severely underused.

Unfortunately not many of the new characters worked. Tatum’s friends Hannah (Mckenna Grace), Lucas (Asa Germann), Chloe (Celeste O’Connor) and Ben (Sam Rechner) seemed like caricatures rather than fully fleshed out human beings. Each started with so much promise though the audience never gets to really know them. The addition of Anna Camp was a good one though she had maybe about ten minutes screen time which was a disappointment. At least we had the so-called legacy cast to fall back on: Matthew Lillard, David Arquette and Scott Foley are all back in some shape or form and I enjoyed seeing them again.

It wouldn’t be a proper Scream film without some blood, gore and good old jump scares. This one had many! The opening sequence was very well done and I particularly enjoyed the scene that took place in the bar too. However, I do think that while there was a high body count that there were still a few moments where nothing of importance happened. I’m used to these films being fast paced and never a dull moment. Also, I’ll admit that while I did not see the final reveal coming, I did think that it left a lot to be desired.

Overall Scream 7 is worth checking out for Neve Campbell’s return alone. That being said, whether or not this instalment was truly necessary remains to be seen. Part of what makes these films so enjoyable is how self aware they are. I love how they don’t mind poking fun at themselves, but I can’t help wondering how many times the same formula will continue to work before it gets played out.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Crime 101

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Davis (Chris Hemsworth) has been pulling off high stakes heists along the 101 freeway for years now. When the opportunity to finally get out of the game arises with one final heist to end all heists, Davis hopes that insurance broker Sharon (Halle Berry) will work with him. Sharon has been at the same firm for over eleven years and she still isn’t getting her due diligence. Perhaps helping Davis will be the answer to her problems. Meanwhile there is Lou (Mark Ruffalo), a stubborn cop who refuses to give up on the case that has been plaguing him and LA for years. He knows he’s close to finding out who the thief is, he just has to wait a few more days.

I’ll admit it’s been a hot minute since I last settled in for an action movie. The cast was a huge selling point as I probably wouldn’t have been so interested otherwise. From the trailer I was expecting it to be your average run of the mill flick, but it ended up going in a different direction and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

As previously mentioned, the film boasts a cast with exceptional talent. Hemsworth was convincing enough as a thief who does what he does because he feels like he has no other choice. His performance was solid, however, for a main character, I thought he could have been a bit more prominent. There were some moments where I forgot that he was the lead. Berry and Ruffalo smashed it as the insurance broker and cop respectively. Their characters are both feeling underappreciated in their jobs and their lives that the decisions they make are believable. Barry Keoghan stars as Ormon, another robber who enters the mix and really stirs shit up. I was captivated every time he was on screen because he truly delivered an unhinged performance.

The cinematography is stylish and sleek which fits the overall tone. Right from the get go, the audience sees the upside down view of LA from the freeway while a female voice is leading us into mindfulness meditation. This is an interesting choice that instantly brought me into the story. Each frame felt expensive and the transition shots were well executed. It really made each arc feel connected to one another. The score tied it all together with pulse pounding beats that kept the tension locked in.

It did seem like it took a while for anything exciting to happen. The start was solid enough and then there was an unfortunate lull. Slow burns are sometimes necessary and I understand that this was done so that we could really get to know these individuals. I just wanted to know how they were all going to come together. This definitely made the film feel a tad too long. I also didn’t think it needed the romantic subplot with Monica Barbaro. Maya was a lovely character, but we didn’t get to know anything about her and she barely had any screen time. I had hoped she’d be more involved in the heist of it all, but alas…

Overall, Crime 101 isn’t trying to reinvent the genre by any means, but it does make for an entertaining enough ride. The cast do a great job, there are some great chase sequences that kept me on the edge of my seat and I do think it was executed well ad the end of the day. I do think if it had been just a little bit tighter then it would have been a slam dunk.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Wuthering Heights

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Based upon the 1847 novel by Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights tells the devastating love story of Catherine Earnshaw (Margot Robbie) and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi). Set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, Cathy and Heathcliff strike up a friendship like no other when Cathy’s father brings him to live with them. As the years go by, the feelings they have for one another grows.

Writer and director Emerald Fennell is known for being provocative and unique. She made quite the splash when she announced she would be adapting such a beloved classic, especially because she wanted to tell it her way. As a result, many people have been left divided over the casting choices and the changes that have been made to the source material. I did read the book, but that was so long ago now that I barely remember it. I had been really looking forward to seeing the film and I have to say that I liked it.

Both Robbie and Elordi were scrutinised for taking on the roles of Cathy and Heathcliff respectively. They were not at all what the majority had in mind for the characters, but I thought they did a good job. Robbie was perfect as the bitchy, possessive Cathy while Elordi was so very handsome and also kind of scary as Heathcliff. I am a fan of both – not only are they absolutely gorgeous, they sizzle as a couple. The romantic relationship between them is not a healthy one whatsoever, but it is so full of passion that I almost didn’t care. Those longing looks and angst filled moments were almost better than when they actually ended up finally giving into their feelings.

The film wouldn’t have been complete without the supporting cast. Hong Chau starred as Nelly Dean, Cathy’s maid and former confidant. Not the nicest of people, you can’t help but feel for her and understand why she does what she does. Shazad Latif portrayed Edgar Linton, the man who Cathy agrees to marry when Heathcliff disappears. I appreciated the fact that Edgar didn’t let Cathy walk all over him and tried to fight for their marriage. The real scene stealer for me though was Alison Oliver who took a star turn as Isabella Linton. She was kind of strange, but so incredibly funny, the whole theatre was cracking up whenever she was on screen.

Though not at all historically accurate, everything about the film was breathtaking. From the cinematography, to the costumes, the intricate set designs and the distinctive soundtrack, it was a feast for the senses. Fennell is nothing if not deliberate with the way in which she approaches her projects; that was evident in Promising Young Women and Saltburn. This was no exception. From the moors, to the Linton estate and the house where Cathy and Heathcliff met and became forever intwined, each were expertly crafted. In addition to being completely in love with Cathy’s entire wardrobe, I also thought the soundtrack choices from Charli XCX worked well.

I think it helps to go into Wuthering Heights separating the book from the film. Because I knew that this was going to be a completely different take on the timeless story, I wanted to be as open minded as possible. This allowed me to enjoy the film a lot more than I thought I would. Despite the changes, I thought it still did a brilliant job at portraying the epic love story between Catherine and Heathcliff, so much so that I was left in tears at the end. That tells me everything I need to know.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Send Help

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Linda Liddle (Rachel McAdams) has worked the same job for many years and is severely undervalued. When her new boss Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien) suddenly takes over the firm for his father, Linda’s hopes of a promotion disappear. Giving her one last chance to prove herself, Bradley invites Linda to go with him and some colleagues on a work trip to Thailand. But then their plan crashes onto a deserted island and they are the only survivors. Now they have to do the unthinkable – rely on each other.

Director Sam Raimi is back in the horror game. While I am not familiar with his past projects in this genre, I do know his ventures in Spider Man and Doctor Strange. From the trailer alone I was curious to see this film because of how they really didn’t give much away at all. It’s obvious that some crazy shit is going to go down throughout the two hour run time, but I had no idea what that would be. As far as I’m concerned, it’s better going into this as blindly as possible

It is not the first time that we’ve seen this formula however the way in which it is depicted is certainly different. Perfectly blending dark humor, suspense and psychological tension, the audience is brought along for a journey where they never really know where they will end up. It builds slowly; the crash itself doesn’t even happen straight away. The impending chaos that will inevitably ensue thereafter is purposefully drawn out to grip you and keep you guessing. There were so many times where I thought I knew how it was all going to play out and then something else happened instead.

This is, hands down, McAdams’ film. Her transformation into Linda is one for the books. Starting off as a socially awkward woman who eats her lunch at her desk and doesn’t care about how she looks, Linda would much rather stay home with her pet bird Sweetie and watching Survivor than deal with the social hierarchies of her office. The way in which McAdams manages to shift between vulnerability, humor and charm to complete madness, and sometimes in the same scene, is something to behold. I am so glad she is back on our screen after three years away. O’Brien also delivered a solid performance. Usually known for playing the hero or somebody more reserved, this was surely a departure from the norm. Here he was full of flaws, arrogance and, quite frankly, a downright douchebag. He sold it though. With their electrifying chemistry, the two were able to perfectly steer the film into the way it needed to go.

What I enjoyed the most was the shift in power dynamics. Linda goes from being meek and unable to stand up for herself to someone who is fearless and thriving in the wilderness. Bradley, on the other hand, becomes whiny and scared. This comes into play as the story develops. The audience is never sure who, if anybody, they should be rooting for.

Send Help delivers thrills, chills and so much more. It may look like a regular survival thriller on the surface, but it really is so much more than that. Thanks to its strong direction, fabulous performances and a gripping screenplay, this is the type of film that deserves to be seen on the big screen.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️