Chad Liffmann – Page 2 – Spinning Platters

Film Review: “Exit 8”

Exit 8 is equally mind-bending and frustrating

A anomalous (?) man smiles in the infinite passageway in ‘Exit 8.’

Based on an indie Japanese video game, Exit 8 finds its protagonist, a young man (Kazunari Ninomiya), on his way to a temporary job, only to get caught in a neverending loop of subway station hallways. The only clue the entrapped man (and the audience) has to what’s going on is through an information sign that warns to look for anomalies, and if one is spotted, to turn back immediately. Successfully spotting the anomalies, which can vary from a small change in a poster design to a horrific creature popping through ceiling vents, enables the protagonist to get to the “next level” (i.e., the next exit), which are numbered from 0 to 8. As a concept, this psychological setup is a great opportunity for sight gags, mind-bending conundrums, and visceral thrills. Unfortunately, Exit 8 tries too hard to be super serious and sincere amid its repetitiveness, to the extent that audiences will be begging for a tonal or structural shift (but maybe that’s the point?). Continue reading “Film Review: “Exit 8””

Film Review: “Hamlet”

Hamlet showcases Ahmed’s way with ‘Words, words, words’

Hamlet (Riz Ahmed) broods in the nighttime glow in ‘Hamlet.’

Set in modern day London amid a wealthy South Asian family, Hamlet is the latest cinematic adaptation of Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy. Clearly filmed on a modest budget, yet using dialogue directly pulled from Shakespeare’s text, Hamlet will be embraced by thespians and fans of the Bard, but generally dismissed by casual moviegoers looking for something more grandiose. Continue reading “Film Review: “Hamlet””

Film Review: “How to Make a Killing”

**Powell impresses in Killing’s toothless satire**

Becket (Glen Powell) scanning the scene in ‘How to Make a Killing.’

Producer Glen Powell found a fitting project for actor Glen Powell. Writer/director John Patton Ford’s new dark comedy How to Make a Killing, on which Powell is an executive producer, is a perfect star vehicle for the actor and a welcome return-to-form after last fall’s disappointing The Running Man remake. Aimed at being charmingly inoffensive to a wide audience, though at the expense of its satirical precision and level of twistedness, How to Make a Killing is an easily digestible distraction featuring likeable actors and nothing more. Continue reading “Film Review: “How to Make a Killing””

Film Review: “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die”

Verbinski embraces human interaction in this offbeat, comical critique

Future man (Sam Rockwell) is mesmerized in ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die.’

Director Gore Verbinski, who spent nearly five years in Disney franchise filmmaking while helming the Pirates of the Caribbean series, is one of those rare filmmakers who is unafraid to venture off-the-rails when it comes to unique storytelling (Rango) and/or genre-obscuring tonality (The Mexican, The Weather Man). With Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, Verbinski is once again letting loose and crafting a dynamic, low budget sci-fi adventure that defies categorization. Continue reading “Film Review: “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die””

Film Review: “Dracula”

A style-over-substance vampiric jaunt through the ages

Dracula (Caleb Landry Jones) strolls through revelers in ‘Dracula.’

From Tod Browning to Francis Ford Coppola, Werner Herzog and Robert Eggers to Mel Brooks, and many in between, filmmakers love to put their stamp on Bram Stoker’s Dracula and/or its German offspring, Nosferatu. It seems that just about every year the Dracula story gets reimagined. Step up to the plate, writer/director Luc Besson (Léon, The Fifth Element, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets). Besson imprints the traditional Dracula story with his trademark strangeness, choosing to emphasize both humor and gothic romanticism while filling the frame with strong production design. Though this new Dracula is far from dull, and even features a few standout performances, the film’s erratic style and tonality keep the final product from reaching the emotional and cinematic heights of its most memorable predecessors. Continue reading “Film Review: “Dracula””

Film Review: “Whistle”

A bloody but iterative teen slasher

Chrys (Dafne Keen) blows the creepy whistle because why not, in ‘Whistle.’

Whistle, the newest horror film from director Corin Hardy (The Nun) and distributed by IFC and Shudder, is a smartly crafted exercise in mindless iteration. Like an eager groupie of the Final Destination franchise, Whistle riffs, steals, and honors the re-energized ‘90s franchise (Final Destination: Bloodlines was a surprise hit in 2025) to entertaining but ultimately forgettable ends. Whistle’s campy teenage horror proves the elasticity of the subgenre, even as the illogical script and unbalanced acting places a chokehold on the film’s effectiveness. Continue reading “Film Review: “Whistle””

Film Review: “Shelter”

Another winter, another Statham action film

Michael Mason (Jason Statham) and Jesse (Bodhi Rae Breathnach) on the dance floor in ‘Shelter.’

Over the last few years, Jason Statham has become the patron saint of early-year action escapism: The Beekeeper (January 2024), The Working Man (March 2025), and now Shelter (January 2026). The Beekeeper 2 is also reportedly set for a January 2027 release. There’s just something about Statham’s no-nonsense handling of baddies within simple (yet silly) plots that seems to resonate with audiences as a way to kick-off a new year. Shelter is better than it needed to be, but worse than it could’ve been. Exciting but iterative, yet elevated by the strength of Ric Roman Waugh’s direction and Statham’s charisma, Shelter provides just enough emotion and action to withstand its shortcomings. Continue reading “Film Review: “Shelter””

Film Review: “H is for Hawk”

Foy is strong in this undemanding tale of nature and grief

Helen (Claire Foy) and Mabel (hawk) look for a good place to hunt in ‘H is for Hawk.’

Like many stories about how an animal changes a grieving character’s life, even as recently as last year’s The Friend, H is for Hawk pointedly hits the expected emotional beats. Unlike these stories, however, H is for Hawk lacks the playful human and animal opposition-turned-camaraderie dynamic that pushes similar narratives forward. A solid but slightly exoteric drama with beautiful photography and strong performances, H is for Hawk still struggles to lift off from its slow pacing. Continue reading “Film Review: “H is for Hawk””

Film Review: “We Bury the Dead”

Ridley helms this tightly bound clash of disaster and zombie genres

Ava (Daisy Ridley) sits amongst the deceased in ‘We Bury the Dead’

I can’t help but admire Daisy Ridley’s recent role choices, starring in a variety of mid-tier dramas and sneaky-fun genre films: Sometimes I Think About Dying, Young Woman and the Sea, and Cleaner. In each film, Ridley is giving her all. Now she’s starring in We Bury the Dead, an Australian quasi-zombie drama by Zak Hilditch (1922). Tight on world-building scope but heavy on quiet intensity, We Bury the Dead is a solidly constructed thriller to kick off the new year. Continue reading “Film Review: “We Bury the Dead””

Film Feature: Chad’s Top 20 Films of 2025

What a sneaky good, but not great, movie year. 2025 was full of major blockbuster disappointments (Mickey 17, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Tron: Ares, The Running Man, Wicked For Good) and a few five-star masterpieces. But there was a plethora of three-and-a-half to four-star fare, some good and some great, that made moviegoing a memorable experience. The honorable mentions will be many this year, but here’s my ranked list of the twenty best films of 2025:

20. FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES

The sixth film in a series is rarely, if ever, as good as, if not better, than all previous installments. Bloodlines refreshed the ‘90s horror franchise in inventive new ways, killing off a plethora of death-cheaters.

19. THE NAKED GUN

Pure comedies can still be good, and still make money! The reboot of The Naked Gun had some of the funniest lines of the year, and produced the rare pleasure of joining in raucous laughter with a moviegoing audience. Continue reading “Film Feature: Chad’s Top 20 Films of 2025”