Wake Up Dead Man: Knives Out Mystery 2025, A+, streaming, directed by Rian Johnson, starring Daniel Craig, Benoit Blanc is back to solve another mystery. This was my favorite Knives Out movie. Johnson does a wonderful job making a story with a powerful viewpoint that feels completely part of the film. There's some funny parts but this is more dramatic than the other two films and it didn't bother me. Really enjoyed the themes of faith, religion, and abusive leaders, Bravo.

Clown in a Cornfield, B-, streaming, directed by Eli Craig, starring Katie Douglas, doctor and his daughter move into a small town and deal with psychopaths dressed as clowns. A fun ride but a bit hollow when it comes to characterization because of some story points they decided to leave in the background. Will Sasso was okay as the sheriff but I imagined him to be different when I read the book. I love Kevin Durand but he didn't have much to do until the final. The kills were decent, ok fluff.

Civil War 2024, B+, four journalist make their way to DC in a country going through civil war, directed by Alex Garland and starring Kirsten Dunst on Max streaming. I thought the ambiguity of the causes of the war would annoy me but it didn't. The point was hammered home that civil war in America would be a catastrophe. Although, the climax which I believe is one of the best action scenes in the last 10 years hurts the point but doesn't destroy it.

Bitconned 2024,B-, doc on scammers who start small and end up in a big Bitcoin scam. The doc is well made, edited, and slick but I also get the feeling that the star and the filmmakers seem to be in an inappropriate relationship where the more scumbag he comes off it becomes more entertaining but in the end I'm not so sure the bad guy gets his just desserts. I could be wrong. Spoiler warning...The main scumbag gets away and I do wonder what kind of money he made on this doc.

Skinamarink 2022,C+, father leaves his two little children alone in the house with a malevolent entity. Film has a great atmosphere and seems to focus mainly on that atmosphere but the length of the film seems to work against that atmosphere and all the positives it brings. The best way to see this film is not to worry about the narrative or the meaning of what's happening just embrace the atmosphere. In the end the film doesn't work for me but the director does an admirable job.