The Nexus Media

  Movies are all for entertainment. We can rant about how certain aspects of a film negate its viewing experience, or how an actors portrayal was very one-sided or flat, but at the end of the day - a movie is good if it entertains without disruption. A movie is even better if it immerses you inside a world, makes you unaware of the time, the popcorn in your hand, and ultimately engages and moves you. Sean Bakers Cannes-winning ‘Anora’ does all of the above - and crazily, with no major qualms.  This film isn’t your typical rom-com, and for a good reason, as it’s leveled up from the genre in many incredible ways. To start, the comedy is unmatched. This is most likely the funniest film you will see this year (for me, currently, it’s the funniest film i’ve seen in years), but that’s not all there is to this mesmerizing film. Baker does something incredible here, and crafts humor with immense meaning and heart - something rare to see in mainstream cinema these days.  The scrip...

H ollywood seems to be running out of ideas - and this is evident through a vast array of sequels, prequels and more. Though, at times, we’re offered a form of originality - stories that haven’t been told on the big screen at all. I’d say more than half of these original ideas don’t always stick the landing, and are often skewed when it comes to their messaging and tone (Unless it’s from the greats like Nolan or Scorsese) but it’s rare to see such a low-budget movie spreading great messages, and actually leaving you feeling moved. Sound of Hope: The story of possum trot is one of these movies.  Starring an incredible Nika King, the movie follows and is inspired by the powerful true story of Donna and Reverend Martin as they ignite a fire in the hearts of their rural church to embrace kids in the foster system that nobody else would take. By doing the impossible - adopting 77 children - this east texas community proved that with real, determined love, the battle for America’s most v...

Zoë Kravitz  is a force of an actress, and she’s proven this with her role as Salena Kyle in 2022’s ‘The Batman’, and in other projects such as HBO’s ‘Big Little Lies’ - but now with ‘Blink Twice’, Kravitz ventures into the world of directing for the first time. Though, is the result any good? The answer is yes. Blink twice is a truly riveting and unpredictable thriller, which might fall short when it tries to amalgamate comedy into the scene, but it brings something different to the table with Kravitz having her own voice within the narrative. Zoë Kravitz  starts her directing career with flair.  The film follows cocktail waitress Frida who, at a fundraising gala, meets tech billionaire Slater King who unexpectedly invites her and a friend on a dream vacation to his private island. However, as strange things start to happen, Frida questions her reality. Frida, for starters, has a solid amount of depth to her character. Her motivations are solid and why she attends the is...

  Fede Alvarez knows how to make a good horror movie. He’s got the talent to create the right tone and atmosphere to keep you on the edge of your seat, and this is evidential in don’t breathe and evil dead (which were both well received by critics and audiences alike). Now he’s back, and this time adopting the Alien Franchise with Alien: Romulus. Here, Fede does what he’s good at to teleport audiences back to the feels of the first aliens films with practical effects, other eerie production choices and characters that we can actually care about, but there are a few flaws that should be discussed.   Isabela Merced as 'Kay' in Alien: Romulus. The movie follows 5 teens and a synthetic who, after in need of resources and the ability to travel, scavenge the deep ends of a derelict space station to find what they need - but things go upward in classic Alien fashion. Fede and the writing teams choice to focus on 5 teens doesn’t really pay much justice to the illogical decisions and f...

 “JACKPOT,” Paul Feig’s latest comic flick starring John Cena and Awkwafina, lacks the humor and logic to keep audiences satisfied by the time the credits roll. There is fun to be had at times, but the movie insults audiences by crossing the borders of logic without adding much heart or originality to the narrative. The movie follows Awkwafina’s Katie who, in a distant future where a new lottery has been established in which killing the winner grants you the money, becomes the city’s target after finding a winning ticket in her pocket. Right from the get-go, you can tell this film embraces a premise that just won’t really work. The whole narrative could have been solved in mere minutes by hiding out or wearing masks when being hunted down as a “Jackpot winner,” but it’s here where the audience insult comes into play as some absurdly over-the-top action sequences and ridiculous humor are pushed out to fill a whole runtime. And for most of it, you’ll be scratching your head and tryin...

  Sometimes, movies can really hit you with deep messages and move you in certain ways emotionally. Harold and the Purple Crayon is one of these films, but it doesn’t really cater to the right audience and is let down by many unfulfilling aspects. Harold and the Purple Crayon is charming, yet lazy at the same time.  It’s always great when a kids’ movie makes the adults chuckle, whether it’s intentional or not. Though, a good kids’ film will have elements that cater to all age demographics. Harold and the Purple Crayon unfortunately suffers from an imbalance of comedy and heart, which weighs down the impact of deep messages. At times, this movie that is meant to have a target audience of kids often targets the adults a bit too much, and at other times, the kids too—creating a vibe that might not cater to the whole family. What also didn’t help this was the fact that this movie made Harold a fully grown adult in the real world. This also altered the impact of its message about c...

  A rom-com starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum was never on my watch radar for 2024, but after a press screening invitation, I thought I would give ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ a try. Despite it not offering anything too new for the genre and not being a memorable film as such, there is still enjoyment to be had in this somewhat charming rom-com. Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in 'Fly me to the Moon' The film follows marketing maven Kelly Jones (Johansson) as she is brought in to fix NASA's public image, but clashes with Cole Davis' (Channing Tatum) already difficult, high-stakes Apollo 11 moon landing. This  film, in general, is fun. The concept is unique, and it at times embraces this, despite utilizing conventions in the genre a little too much. Though what I like most about the narrative is it brings in a few unpredictable plot points that show this film can stand on its own two feet. It's got some nice jokes, and the characters are likable even thoug...

 Ti West is a great director, and ‘X’ & ‘Pearl’ have both showed this, but when his film that would top the trilogy, ‘Maxxxine’ was announced - everyone was excited to see how the titular character’s fate would turn out. Many months later, and the movie's release is upon us. So now, the question ponders - does ‘Maxxxine’ do a good job to close Ti West's unparalleled horror trilogy? Mia Goth in 'Maxxxine' There are some things that West has leveled up from his predecessors, including the aesthetics and overall production/set-design of the film. Both ‘X’ and ‘Pearl’ were fantastic at encapsulating the time period each respective movie was set in, but ‘Maxxxine’ does it even better. We really get an insight into the ‘Hollywood’ life from a female perspective in the early 80's, and this is done so in a realistic manner that catapults you into the time period through the visuals, score, and changes in camera-aesthetics that are on display. Mia Goth has always been a ...

 “Inside Out 2” is a film with minute stakes, just like its predecessor. And also like its predecessor, it’s for the better. Kelsey Mann creates a hearty and relatable tale for the younger demographic. Despite narrative issues, this is a great family film and a solid sequel that is nowhere near the likes of the first, but still manages to provide the heart and soul of what a good Pixar movie should be - a magical time at the cinemas.  It’s obvious at times that this film plays it safe when it comes to its narrative in general, and this is noticeable from the first act. A quick recap of the emotions, Riley’s brain and what she’s been up to since the first “Inside Out”, and from here on it’s easy to predict exactly what is going to happen in the film. And most people will guess it exactly correct from the inciting incident onwards. It also borrows plot points from its predecessor, so at times it doesn’t always feel fresh. Though what is new and interesting to see is Riley’s emot...

  Linklater is a versatile director who doesn’t particularly stick with a genre and often explores new areas in his works. Coincidental or not, this true story-based ‘Hit Man’ is certainly a story that fits his filmography. As you might guess from the title, ‘Hit Man’ is about a... hitman. But the real twist here is what kind of hitman he is.    That’s where the interesting part of the movie lies and what makes it a really entertaining film. I highly recommend not checking any promotional material if you haven’t because the fun lies in how the story escalates throughout the movie.   Glen Powell’s character, Gary Johnson, is in a situation where he has to don multiple identities and get in touch with the underworld and regular civilians with murderous intentions. Through this setup, ‘Hit Man’ not only has an intriguing plot but fully utilizes its potential while having a lot of fun with it. It holds your attention within the first ten minutes, and it’s a joyride ...

  "Bad Boys: Ride or Die" sees Mike and Marcus (Will Smith and Martin Lawrence) return for another buddy-cop adventure, and this time, they are on the run—well, not really. Adil and Bilall’s outing sure is a fun one, set in an unserious world that plays with life too cheaply, but it doesn't really embrace its premise or endeavor for something new—which is what this franchise needs to keep going at a good quality. "Ride or Die" embraces its unserious and fun nature from the first few scenes but also shows how predictable and unoriginal the narrative will be. The first act alone copies events from the film’s predecessor, and the only changes are that it happens to a different character. What happens here is used in the final act to make things come full circle (and how it is used is stupid, but damn fun) and is just a further affirmation that no plot in this franchise should be taken seriously or with much emotional weight, even though, surprisingly, this film’s p...

  The eagerly anticipated ‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ swings into cinemas   this Friday, May 24th , after premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received a six-minute standing ovation and rave reviews from critics. Having gotten an early scoop, I can definitely confirm that this movie lives (for the most part) up to the hype set by the esteemed festival, and there are plenty of reasons for this. For starters, this franchise continues to balance stellar action sequences with immense character development and insight. This is a study of the growth of Furiosa, from a young girl who struggles with the loss of her mother to a fearsome wasteland warrior seeking revenge, and to what we know of her in ‘Fury Road’ (including how she lost her arm). It shows the stages that lead to this in great detail, which I truly appreciate about this film. While this might not be as big of a case for some supporting characters, we can still see complexity in each one. More specifically, Hems...

  I think many will be with me when I say I was skeptical about this film, even after the trailers dropped. The Matt Reeves trilogy ended perfectly, and all I could think of as the primary need for a fourth film set in this universe was simply money. However, after attending an early screening of the movie, I can finally answer the question—are the apes still together strong? The answer to this is yes—and no. While this might be somewhat of a decent film, it doesn’t really bring anything new to the franchise and sends the future of it in a direction where it will continue to be this way. From the get-go, this film doesn’t really impress me much. Our protagonist, Noah, while justified and given a decent amount of insight, doesn’t engage me as much as Caesar did—purely because the story he goes on is somewhat similar to Caesar’s in ‘Dawn’ (the second movie of the Reeves trilogy), where apes who want to be the dominating force don’t compromise with humans and are forced to fight each ...

 ‘The Holdovers’ is the ultimate feel-good movie, and is also one of the best of the year. Director Alex Payne captures the aesthetic of the 1970s with a tale that beautifully integrates comedy & a story of grief, along with the development of relationships with the unlikeliest of people.  Dominic Sessa and Paul Giamatti both ace their roles in 'The Holdovers' From the first scene, it already feels like you are watching a vintage classic. The way the movie is shot takes reference from classics from the 70’s and 80’s, and allows you to feel more immersed in the world of the story. Payne pays homage to classic films with the usage of color along with certain shots to create a chilled out vibe that keeps you engaged, and it’s this work on the aesthetic that audiences will treasure as a result. The plot follows a teen being left behind for Christmas with his teacher, whom he hates. This simplicity allows the movie to be completely character driven and not go into anything comp...