Take 'Em To the Movies, Austin!
LightNews LightNews
banner
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
Take 'Em To the Movies, Austin!
@takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
5 followers 1 following 81 posts
Spoiler-free reviews of new movies in the US: https://takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/
Posts Replies Media Videos
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"Because sitting alongside the tired, trite dialog you've heard a million times before, are quick, snappy, sarcastic retorts that feel more becoming of a Marvel movie than an adult drama about the rot in men's souls."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/nuremberg/?r...

#movies #MovieReview
Nuremberg
"We are able to do away with domestic tyranny only when we make all men answerable to the law, so that it can never happen again."
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
December 2, 2025 at 1:03 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"There will always be a place in my heart for stylized, grimy, insane action flicks (see Jimmy and Stiggs). But it's hard to get past how the best parts of this entry are a retread of the first film, and inferior executions of it at that"

popculturemaniacs.com/sisu-road-to...

#movies #MovieReview
Sisu: Road to Revenge Review - Pop Culture Maniacs
Aatami Korpi returns, fighting off the Red Army as he tries to relocate his house inside the new borders of his country.
popculturemaniacs.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:05 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"[Director Chloe] Zhao has brought together a staggering work of immense beauty, easily amongst the best of the year, and showing that her time in the System has sapped exactly none of her creative power."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/hamnet/?ref=...

#movies #MovieReview
Hamnet
While the 21st century has been marked by impressive auteurs getting sucked up by a Hollywood obsessed with franchises, never to return to their prior form, this year has already provided a few counte...
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
November 26, 2025 at 2:47 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"...the vision of Minka is accompanied by a smaller, disproportionate duplicate that seems to shrink as the scene progresses, an image that neither you nor Liz may understand, but will be hard to stop thinking about regardless."

popculturemaniacs.com/keeper-review/

#movies #MovieReview
Keeper Review - Pop Culture Maniacs
When Liz's boyfriend suddenly abandons her on their anniversary at his isolated cabin in the woods, an old evil makes its presence known.
popculturemaniacs.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:05 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"While the set pieces throughout are fun and creative, the ending feels like an afterthought, a 'yada yada' to achieve Wright's desired conclusion without doing the work to make it a natural evolution. "

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/the-running-...

#movies #MovieReview
The Running Man
"Bloodlust Is our birthright. Set it free!"
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
November 16, 2025 at 1:11 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"Ramsay's adaptation of Ariana Harwicz's novel feels like a rebuttal to the deluge of recent movies and TV and books and podcasts and TED talks that assume every parent at least sometime secretly regrets having kids."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/die-my-love?...

#movies #MovieReview
Die My Love
"Babies are hard. I feel like we don't talk about that enough." "It's all people ever talk about."
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
November 12, 2025 at 1:07 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
My wrap-up of the 2025 IFFBoston Fall Focus Festival, where I saw fourteen films over two non-consecutive weeks, comprised of the buzzy titles from other festivals over the year.

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/iffboston-fa...

#movies
IFFBoston Fall Focus 2025 Wrap-Up
The most frustrating element of the codification of "awards season" is that it unbalances the rest of the movie release calendar. The first half of the year usually sees a couple splashy releases, suc...
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
November 6, 2025 at 1:35 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"The filmmaking team has an excellent sense of how to fray your nerves, but is far less adept at turning that into anything narratively or thematically satisfying."

popculturemaniacs.com/dream-eater-...

#movies #MovieReview
Dream Eater Review - Pop Culture Maniacs
Mallory and Alex travel to a remote cabin in an attempt to address his sleepwalking. Neither expects what's waiting for them there.
popculturemaniacs.com
November 2, 2025 at 12:16 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"No one is better than director Yorgos Lanthimos at melding dark foreboding with absurdist humor and creative visuals. Bugonia is uncomfortably hilarious from start to finish..."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/bugonia/?ref...

#movies #MovieReview
Bugonia
"All we've lost. All that's been done to us. We're setting that right again."
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
October 30, 2025 at 12:07 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/new-hampshir...

#movies #NHFF
New Hampshire Film Festival 2025 Wrap-Up
My time at my favorite film festival was somewhat different this year, partially due to their scheduling, and partially due to my own choices. While my previous three years attending NHFF has always ...
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
October 22, 2025 at 12:44 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"In a year more focused on weaving complex tales of the horror of humanity, Black Phone 2 solidifies the series' villain as a monster fit for your nightmares for years to come."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/black-phone-...

#movies #MovieReview
Black Phone 2
"You and me know, Finny, that fear is just the beginning."
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
October 16, 2025 at 11:49 AM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"Given the popularity of the horror genre and humanity's love of dogs, it was only a matter of time before some enterprising young filmmaker attempted to combine them."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/good-boy/?re...

#movies #MovieReview
Good Boy
Have you ever wondered what it's like to experience a creepy house as a dog?
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
October 13, 2025 at 12:01 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"Instead of being asked to root for an artist whose creation was stolen, or a nepo baby whose privilege allows him to spit in the face of the system...we're given an altruistic, female Sam Altman."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/tron-ares/?r...

#movies #MovieReview
Tron: Ares
"Maybe what emerges from the unknown isn’t so scary. What if [AI's] major malfunction is just benevolence?"
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
October 12, 2025 at 12:21 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"There's one scene at the end that shows the aftermath, but even that is played for warmth and amusement, to send us out into the world feeling good about what transpired, despite the credits quickly complicating it."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/roofman/?ref...

#movies #MovieReview
Roofman
"How many McDonald's robberies would it take to afford a mid-size family home in the suburbs? Turns out, 45."
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
October 9, 2025 at 12:00 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"...the dialog often resorts to blunt revelation to move the plot forward and give insight into the character. Most character details initially left for the audience to infer are later spelled out explicitly, lessening their power. "

popculturemaniacs.com/anemone-review

#movies #MovieReview
Anemone Review - Pop Culture Maniacs
Jem seeks out his hermit brother after twenty years, attempting to bring him back to the world to face his troubles and relate to his son.
popculturemaniacs.com
October 7, 2025 at 12:23 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"Any doubts of Johnson's acting abilities should be put to bed by his turn as Mark Kerr.

If only the rest of the movie was on his level."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/the-smashing...

#movies #MovieReview
The Smashing Machine
"Winning is the most incredible feeling in the world."
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
October 5, 2025 at 12:02 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"PTA is not at all interested in how the politics...map onto the modern left-right divide, preferring to highlight the terrifying way power is wielded by people in a position of authority who have a grudge and an excuse."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/one-battle-a...

#movies #MovieReview
One Battle After Another
"Every revolution begins fighting demons. The motherfuckers just end up fighting themselves."
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
September 30, 2025 at 12:08 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"The story gives them both an opportunity to reckon with these fundamental experiences, elevating their emotional journey from trite to thoughtful. If only those took up more of the runtime."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/a-big-bold-b...

#movies #MovieReview
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey
"You can drive yourself crazy trying to be happy. Be content first."
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
September 23, 2025 at 12:07 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"[W]e're left with a misshapen Christmas classic, a heartwarming comedy that stumbles in its attempts to outrun its cliches, and a warm hug of a film that carries a whiff of personal resentment."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/the-baltimor...

#movies #MovieReview
The Baltimorons
"Well, I guess that makes me the Ghost of Christmas Present. Cliff Cashen, still really really thrilled to be here, gang. Thank you."
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
September 19, 2025 at 12:21 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"Chainey's debut feature successfully gives us what we wanted, but fails to mean it."

popculturemaniacs.com/rabbit-trap-...

#movies #MovieReview
Rabbit Trap Review - Pop Culture Maniacs
No sooner have Darcy and Daphne moved to the Welsh countryside than a local child becomes fixated on ingratiating himself into their new life.
popculturemaniacs.com
September 16, 2025 at 12:01 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"Such a turn is pulled off with aplomb by the combination of stellar, confident camerawork from cinematographer Patrick Scola and [Théodore] Pellerin's spellbinding performance."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/lurker/?ref=...

#movies #MovieReview
Lurker
"What's the difference between love and obsession? I can never tell them apart."
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
September 10, 2025 at 12:00 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"It continues the trend of this year's top horror films being as emotional as they are scary, striking fear deep into your soul after softening it up by provoking your empathy."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/the-long-walk/?ref=bsky

#movies #MovieReview
The Long Walk
"Where else would you be given such an opportunity?! Nowhere else, that's the answer!"
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
September 8, 2025 at 12:01 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"It demonstrates that Lily James is more than a love interest, proves that Sam Worthington can be a truly scary heavy, and reaffirms that Ahmed is deserving of so much more recognition than he's received."

popculturemaniacs.com/relay-review/

#movies #MovieReview
Relay Review - Pop Culture Maniacs
Sarah teams up with an anonymous fixer to abandon being a whistleblower, while securing safety from her employer's ruthless security team.
popculturemaniacs.com
September 3, 2025 at 11:49 AM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"While Coen and Cooke capably ape the genre, they can't get out of their own way when it comes to the plot, reducing the proceedings to a muddled mess."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/honey-dont/?...

#movies #MovieReview
Honey Don't!
"We are not macaroni!"
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
September 2, 2025 at 12:02 PM
takeemtothemovies.bsky.social
"How did they bring Toxie into the modern era? Simple: they jettisoned most of what made the original so distinct."

takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews/the-toxic-av...

#movies #MovieReview
The Toxic Avenger (2025)
"Side effects include fever, foolishness, and butt guts."
takeemtothemoviesaustin.reviews
August 31, 2025 at 3:47 PM