Images courtesy of AppleTV I hadn’t come across this movie or even seen the trailer until I caught Kenneth Branagh promoting it on the TODAY show. The Irish actor/director somehow managed to sell the movie, so I watched it as soon as it dropped on Apple TV despite Ryan Reynolds being in it. I have …
FlixChatter Guest Review: The Dog Stars (2026)—Ridley Scott’s post-apocalyptic thriller is a visually polished but lifeless dud
Despite an uneven box office record in recent years, Ridley Scott can still command a massive budget. His latest film, an adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 novel The Dog Stars, is a post-apocalyptic thriller that starts as a meditative study of survival and loss before collapsing into familiar dystopian violence. Set in 2035, after a …
FlixChatter’s AUGUST 2026 Viewing Recap, Mini Review of A24’s BACKROOMS, and Movie of the Month
Happy September!! Whew, just like that, summer is practically over… but it looks like the warm weather is gonna be sticking around for a while. For us movie lovers, award season is upon us as I've started getting those For Your Consideration (FYC) screeners, so it's an exciting time! AUGUST VIEWINGS I watched quite a …
FlixChatter Review: How to Divorce During the War (2026)—Lithuanian marital woes in wartime served with dry wit that’s uncomfortably relatable
Divorce is tough, even under normal circumstances. But for a Lithuanian executive, the timing couldn't be worse—she decides to split from her husband just a day before Russia launches its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. How to Divorce During the War serves as my introduction to Andrius Blaževičius and is also the first Lithuanian …
Special 2026 EMMYS Post: PALM ROYALE Costume Design Appreciation by Emmy Voter Resa McConaghy
The 2026 Emmy Awards telecast is just a couple of weeks away on September 14th. I'm thrilled to be collaborating with phenomenal blogger (who runs the Graffiti Lux Art & More and Art Gowns blogs), costume designer extraordinaire, and Emmy voter Resa McConaghy once again. In case you missed it, check out the Emmy 2024 …
Guest Post: Wishmaster (1997) Appreciation: A fun, creative 90s horror movie—in anticipation of Crypticon Minneapolis 2026
Part 3 of 4 | Laura's countdown post to Crypticon Minneapolis While 1997’s Wishmaster isn’t necessarily an obscure horror movie, it’s not as well-known as the first two movies we’ve covered for this series; I hadn’t heard of it until I stumbled across it in college while browsing Fearnet, a now-defunct video on-demand cable service. …
Rest in Peace, Dolly Parton: Remembering the ‘9 to 5’ Screen Icon and the Biggest Heart in Show Business
This week has kicked off on a tough note with the loss of a true icon, singer, songwriter, and philanthropist Dolly Parton, who passed away yesterday, August 25, at 80. Even though country music isn't really my thing, I believe Parton's impact goes way beyond that genre and music as a whole. I was so …