Movies, Film, and Chili

Mercy (2026) is a near future thriller built around the idea of an AI acting as judge, jury, and executioner. The premise is familiar but effective, and the film moves at a steady pace as a wrongfully convicted man races to prove his innocence. It feels like the kind of mid budget sci fi thriller that used to be more common, especially in early year release windows. Timur Bekmambetov , known for Wanted and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter , directs the film with a functional but uneven hand. His hit or miss track record continues here. The movie is cleanly shot and easy to follow, but there are few moments of visual flair or tension that elevate it beyond its concept. Chris Pratt , recognizable from Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World , plays the wrongly convicted father and detective. He does a solid job with the emotional beats and sells the desperation well. His portrayal of alcoholism, however, never fully convinces and feels more implied than lived in. Rebecca Ferguson...

Night Patrol (2026) has flashes of sharp writing mixed with moments that are downright idiotic. When it works, it works surprisingly well, but the inconsistency hurts the overall experience. The CG is especially rough at times and pulls you out of the film more than once. It feels like a movie that knows what it wants to be but cannot fully execute on that vision. Ryan Prows , a V/H/S alumnus best known for his segment in V/H/S/94 and earlier work in the anthology space, directs the film with confidence. His eye for atmosphere and pacing is solid, especially during the quieter moments. Unfortunately, the weaker script moments and uneven effects undermine his direction, even though the film itself is competently staged. Justin Long , recognizable from Jeepers Creepers and Barbarian , is the most noteworthy actor in the cast even though he plays a supporting role. He clearly understands the tone of the film and leans into Fowler’s rise in a way that feels intentional and self aware....

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) continues the infected saga with a story that is strange enough to stay engaging and familiar enough for longtime fans to settle back in. If you have followed the previous films, there is enough connective tissue here to keep your interest, even when the execution falters. The film leans into cult imagery and bleak world building, which works more often than not, even if the pacing and presentation are uneven. Nia DaCosta , who previously directed Candyman (2021) and The Marvels , shows some recurring issues with camera direction and dialogue-heavy scenes. Several shots are awkwardly staged, and conversations often lack visual energy. That said, the overall Alex Garland's  story structure is solid and appropriately weird for this universe, suggesting stronger material than her technical choices allow to shine. Jack O’Connell , known for Unbroken and Sinners , plays the satanist cult leader and walks a fine line between overacting and cont...

Primate (2026) is a slasher horror built around a simple hook, a rabid monkey on a killing spree, but it leans far too heavily on genre tropes without doing anything interesting with them. Logical inconsistencies are the film’s biggest issue, with characters repeatedly making baffling decisions that pull you out of the experience. Several deaths are outright spoiled in the trailer, which drains what little tension the film manages to build. The trailer would, wrongfully, make you believe that the audience is being scared the same way Paranormal Activity did. There is also an unfortunate character design choice that feels engineered purely for clout rather than story or theme. Johnny Sequoyah , who some may remember from Assassination Nation and the TV series Dexter: New Blood , is positioned early on as the clear final girl. The film telegraphs this so hard that there is never any real suspense about her survival. Once she is framed as the moral and emotional center, the rest of the...

Is This Thing On? (2025) is a small scale character study about a man dealing with separation and emotional stagnation by throwing himself into stand up comedy. The film is written and directed by Bradley Cooper , known primarily for A Star Is Born and Silver Linings Playbook , and this feels like his attempt at something quieter and more introspective. The tone is subdued and personal, sometimes to the film’s advantage, but often it feels hesitant and unsure of what it wants to say. Will Arnett , best known for Arrested Development and BoJack Horseman , stars as the recently separated father and also helped write the script. Arnett is solid and believable, leaning into a restrained performance rather than his usual comedic extremes. His stand up scenes feel intentionally awkward, which works thematically, but they rarely land as either funny or revealing in a meaningful way. Laura Dern , known for Marriage Story and Jurassic Park , plays the ex wife and is intentionally written ...

We Bury The Dead (2026) is a slow burn post apocalypse film centered on grief more than horror. Directed by Zak Hilditch , best known for smaller projects like 1922 and Rattlesnake , this is his first step into a larger American production. You can feel the restraint in the direction, sometimes to the film’s benefit and sometimes to its detriment. The pacing is deliberate, almost stubbornly so, and while the mood is consistent, it rarely escalates into anything memorable. Daisy Ridley , best known for Star Wars: The Force Awakens , carries the film as a woman searching for her missing husband who may or may not have turned into a zombie. Ridley is solid and emotionally grounded, doing the best she can with minimal dialogue and long stretches of quiet reflection. Her performance is never the problem. If anything, she is the primary reason the movie remains watchable. The supporting cast is where the film struggles. Nearly every side character is written as painfully one note, existi...