Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
Before seeing Send Help, I had read some early buzz calling the film a cross between Castaway and Misery. After seeing it, however, I would posit that it’s actually more like Triangle of Sadness meets Office Space. Regardless of any cinematic comparisons, one thing is for certain: despite its inevitable descent into campy ridiculousness, Send Help provides some decent January escapism.
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””
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””
Six years after his much acclaimed sardonic zombie film The Dead Don’t Die, writer/director Jim Jarmusch is back with a low-key follow up that may only appeal to his faithful fans. Father Mother Sister Brother isn’t an extended narrative, but actually three short films in one. The triptych shares thematic and odd, amusing plot elements, but no characters. Taken as a whole, the film is an entertaining but somewhat forgettable look at the often strained relationship between family members.
Continue reading “Film Review: “Father Mother Sister Brother””
With Oscar nominations announced in just a few short weeks on January 22nd, Spinning Platters closes out the year by weighing in with our own Best Films of 2025! Check out fellow critic Chad Liffmann’s Top 20 here, and read on below for my Top 10:
Way back in March, I boldly predicted that this understated but powerful film would secure a spot on my Top 10 list. Despite the many outstanding movies that followed since then, I always remembered this well-told, empathetic story about loneliness, unexpected connections, and found family. Released early in the year, the picture seems to have been forgotten at awards time, which is unfortunate. It deserves a wide audience.
Continue reading “Film Feature: Carrie’s Top 10 Films of 2025”
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””
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”
If you’re feeling a little sleepy this afternoon after too much Christmas cheer and need a jolt of energy, put the coffee down and instead head out to see Marty Supreme. Writer/director Josh Safdie’s newest is the cinematic equivalent of ten espresso shots and ten Red Bulls. Anchored by a tour de force performance from Timothée Chalamet, Marty Supreme is a whirlwind of a good time that makes its two-and-a-half hour running time seem like five minutes.
Maestro and A Star Is Born, both directed and co-written by actor Bradley Cooper, garnered multiple award nominations and wins. Cooper’s third writing/directing project, however, may not be so lucky. Is This Thing On? isn’t nearly as watchable as Cooper’s previous pictures, and proves itself the least interesting of his current filmmaking trio.
James L. Brooks, the writer and director best known for his multiple-Oscar winning and nominated pictures Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News, and As Good as it Gets, returns to cinemas with his first film since 2010’s poorly reviewed How Do You Know? Unfortunately for Brooks, Ella McCay is bound to share the same fate as that forgettable flop rather than achieve the accolades of Brooks’s earlier titles.