These are quick impressions of some other newly released films that I watched over the previous past month that I wasn’t able to write more in-depth reviews for. Please note that these are just some of the many movies I will have watched each year, and my initial grade for these films may change over time, for better or worse. To stay up to date on my thoughts about other movies and any potential changes in my opinion on this one, follow me on Letterboxd.
Hoppers
Plot, Via Letterboxd: Scientists have discovered how to ‘hop’ human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals. Animal lover Mabel seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world beyond anything she could have imagined.
Quick Impressions:Hoppers leans hard into kid-friendly chaos, packing its runtime with slapstick gags, exaggerated performances, and a general sense of cartoonish energy that often borders on overkill. It’s the kind of movie that rarely pauses to breathe, constantly chasing the next laugh or visual bit, even if it means undercutting its own momentum. For older viewers, that relentless goofiness can feel like diminishing returns, as the humor starts to blur together and lose its punch.
And yet, it’s not without its charms. Enough of the jokes land to keep things afloat, and every so often the film slows down just enough to reveal a surprisingly warm center. Those quieter beats, where the characters are allowed to show vulnerability or connection, add a layer of sincerity that elevates the material beyond pure noise. It may be a bit too hyper for its own good, but there’s just enough heart tucked underneath to make it stick.
Initial Grading: B+
The Bride!
Plot, Via Letterboxd: A lonely Frankenstein monster travels to 1930s Chicago to ask groundbreaking scientist Dr. Euphronious to create a companion for him. The two revive a murdered young woman and The Bride is born. But what ensues is beyond what either of them imagined.
Quick Impressions:The Bride! swings big, sometimes wildly so, and the result is a film that feels destined to divide audiences. It’s constantly pushing itself stylistically and tonally, blending genres in ways that don’t always cohere, but are never boring. The experience reminded me of similarly polarizing sequels that double down on bold creative choices rather than playing it safe, even at the risk of alienating viewers.
From a craft perspective, there’s a lot to admire. The production design, cinematography, and performances all hint at a fascinating collision between gangster cinema and classic monster storytelling. You can see the vision, and in flashes it’s genuinely compelling. But as a whole, it’s a messy and overstuffed film that never quite pulls its ambitions together. It’s the kind of movie I respect more than I actually like; one that I’m glad exists, even if I didn’t fully connect with it.
Initial Grading: B-
Reminders Of Him
Plot, Via Letterboxd: When Diem’s custodial grandparents adamantly refuse Kenna’s attempts to see her daughter, Kenna discovers unexpected compassion, and then something truer and deeper, with former NFL player and local bar owner Ledger. As their secret romance develops, so do the dangers for both of them, leading Kenna toward heartbreak and, ultimately, the hope for a second chance.
Quick Impressions: I tend to be fairly forgiving when it comes to romance films like Reminders Of Him, usually landing somewhere in that comfortable C+ to B- range as long as the emotional beats hit and the performances carry things through. But this one leans heavily into the more indulgent tendencies of its source material, resulting in a viewing experience that feels more grating than moving.
The melodrama is dialed up to such an extreme that it starts to feel artificial, with characters and situations engineered to tug at heartstrings rather than earn those emotions organically. Instead of being swept up in the romance, I found myself distanced by it, watching the story unfold without much investment. In the end, it’s less a tearjerker and more a forgettable entry in a crowded genre, one that leans too heavily on familiar tropes without bringing enough freshness to justify them.
Initial Grading: C-
Project Hail Mary
Plot, Via Letterboxd: Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission - solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction; but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.
Quick Impressions: Lately, I’ve found myself drawn to cosmology and the bigger questions about humanity’s place in the universe, but I’ve also grown frustrated with how often those stories lean into nihilism or cosmic dread. There’s a tendency to frame the vastness of space as inherently hopeless, reducing humanity to something small and ultimately insignificant. That perspective can be compelling, but it’s also become a bit overplayed.
Project Hail Mary pushes back against that in a way I found refreshing. Like other optimistic sci-fi stories, it centers on connection; specifically, the unlikely bond between a human and something entirely alien, and uses that relationship to explore resilience and cooperation. Instead of succumbing to fatalism, the film embraces the idea that humanity’s greatest strength is its will to survive and connect, even in the face of impossible odds. It’s a hopeful counterpoint to darker trends in the genre, and one that left me more moved than I expected. I mean, I cried over a damn rock! This is the early-year contender for the best film of the year.
Initial Grading: A+
Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come
Plot, Via Letterboxd: Moments after surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game - and this time with her estranged sister Faith at her side. Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins rules it all.
Quick Impressions: I wasn’t especially taken by Ready Or Not the first time around, so I went into the sequel hoping it might sharpen what didn’t quite work for me. Instead, Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come only doubled down on those elements in a way that left me even more disconnected. It feels like a lesser retread, hitting similar beats but without the same bite or novelty, making the whole thing come off as a weaker echo rather than a meaningful escalation.
What really didn’t land for me was how heavily it leans into its “eat the rich” themes. Where the first film at least balanced its satire with some pulpy fun, this one pushes things into a more overtly dystopian direction that just isn’t my lane. The tone becomes so exaggerated and grim in its messaging that it loses the playful edge needed to make it entertaining. Instead of feeling cathartic or clever, it just left me cold.
Initial Grading: C-
Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice
Plot, Via Letterboxd: Two gangsters and the woman they love try to survive the most dangerous night of their lives. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s one wild ingredient added to the mix - a time machine.
Quick Impressions: This one ended up being a genuinely pleasant surprise. On paper, a mashup of crime thriller, sci-fi, and absurdist comedy sounds like a tonal disaster waiting to happen, but Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice somehow finds a rhythm that makes it all click. From the jump, it signals its offbeat charm by dropping “Why Should I Worry?” from Oliver & Company in a way that immediately sets the tone for the kind of ride you’re in for.
What follows is a movie that’s consistently playful and self-aware, peppered with unexpected jokes (including some very funny Gilmore Girls references) that keep things lively. It never takes itself too seriously, and that looseness works in its favor, letting the characters and bizarre premise breathe. It’s the kind of film that’s perfect for a laid-back movie night at home; unpredictable, funny, and way more enjoyable than it has any right to be.
Initial Grading: B+
They Will Kill You
Plot, Via Letterboxd: A woman answers a help wanted ad to be a housekeeper in a mysterious high-rise in New York City, not realizing she is entering a community that has seen a number of disappearances over the years and may be under the grip of a Satanic cult.
Quick Impressions:They Will Kill You feels like it’s aiming for something in the vein of Ready or Not, but with a twist that shifts the perspective toward “the help” rather than a new family member being pulled into the game. It’s an intriguing setup, and for a while you can see the potential in how it might explore class dynamics and survival from a different angle. Unfortunately, that promise never fully comes together.
Like its obvious inspiration, it’s built around a strong concept, but the execution left me mostly apathetic. The pacing drags in places, the tension never quite escalates the way it should, and the characters don’t leave much of an impression. There are fleeting moments of appeal, but not enough to carry the film as a whole. It’s a case where the idea is doing most of the heavy lifting; and even then, it’s not quite enough to make it stick.
