20th Century Studios and Disney are bringing “Predator: Badlands” to home video in an impressive new 4K Ultra HD edition. “Badlands” is the third film in the long-running Predator series from director Dan Trachtenberg who continues to breathe new life into the popular franchise. Building on the established lore, Trachtenberg takes some bold new swings in "Badlands" from its location to its protagonist.

With the top supporting performances of 2025 in the books (you can check out my supporting actor picks [HERE]), today we began the task of looking back at the very best lead performances from last year. We’ll start with lead actress - a category full of incredible and worthy considerations. With so many deserving leading ladies to choose from, narrowing this particular category down to just five choices proved hard.

Writer-director Michael Sarnoski ("Pig", "A Quiet Place: Day One") offer up a grim reimagining of the folklore legend in "The Death of Robin Hood". Inspired by the early ballads of Robin Hood, Sarnoski's period thriller sees none other than Hugh Jackman playing the aged thief. The film also stars Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgård, Murray Bartlett, and Noah Jupe. The first trailer reveals a dark and moody story that doesn't shy away from bloody violence.

Today I'm continuing my annual ritual of recognizing the very best performances from the movie year that was (you can see my Supporting Actress picks HERE). Now it's time to shine the spotlight on the Supporting Actors. Just like yesterday, this is another really good category full of great choices from a variety of different movies. Narrowing them down to five wasn’t easy.

And just like that, another year has come and gone. 2025 has been a strange one for movies. As expected, it has had its share of noteworthy surprises and several unfortunate letdowns. There has been the usual big box office successes, even more undeserved bombs, and a handful of trendy darlings that are being ushered through awards season. Like last year, things started slow but thankfully picked up in the final quarter…

At the risk of sounding like an old man, where has the year gone? A few days ago I shared my Top 10 movies of 2025 (check it out HERE). I always have fun putting that list together, but I also enjoy giving some attention to the year’s very best performances. So over the next few days I’ll be sharing my five favorites for each of the four major acting categories.

There’s so much to admire about Charlie Polinger’s gripping directorial debut, “The Plague”. It may also be one of the toughest films you watch due to its uncomfortably honest treatment of its serious subject matter - preteen bullying. This psychological drama pulls no punches in its depiction of cruelty masked as horseplay. And it doesn’t shun from showing the consequences. It can be bleak, but urgent and enlightening as well.

The new movie year kicks off with an unexpectedly moving feature that puts a thoughtful spin on the well-travelled zombie subgenre. Its story is no less grim, and the movie doesn’t fully forsake its horror roots. But the narrative focus is more intimate, and the emotions that surface come from a place of raw authenticity that pack a surprising punch. Those are the things that make “We Bury the Dead” more than your standard zombie fare.

2025 saw writer-director-producer-editor Mike Flanagan taking on one of Stephen King’s more strikingly unique and surprisingly moving stories. “The Life of Chuck” was a previously unpublished novella from King that was finally released in a 2020 collection titled “If It Bleeds”. It told a peculiar yet engaging story that ended up in a much different place than where it began. The film follows that same course.

And just like that, another year has come and gone. 2025 has been a strange one for movies. As expected, it has had its share of noteworthy surprises and several unfortunate letdowns. There has been the usual big box office successes, even more undeserved bombs, and a handful of trendy darlings that are being ushered through awards season. Like last year, things started slow but thankfully picked up in the final quarter…

I’m not sure anyone in 1997 expected us to still be talking about “Anaconda” nearly thirty years later. The original feature was an adventure horror film with Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon Voight, Eric Stoltz, and Owen Wilson making up its cast. Certainly to my surprise, the film became a cult classic, spawning three sequels and a wacky 2015 crossover with “Lake Placid”.

No movie news, reviews, or previews today. Just me taking some time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas. It’s hard to believe it’s that time of year again. I hope you all have a wonderful time of fellowship with family and/or friends, a big hearty meal to fill up on, and at least a movie or two wrapped up under your tree.

Writer-director Kiah Roache-Turner surprises with “Beast of War”, a movie that slickly balances World War II and sharksploitation. Yep, “Beast of War” is indeed set during the Second World War. But at its core it’s a shark movie through and through. And a really good one at that. It’s all due to Roache-Turner’s firm grasp of his characters and the genres he’s working in.

It feels as if Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” runs the risk of facing two different knee-jerk responses, each driven by contrasting views of current events. The angry and cynical…

I’ve long been fascinated with the history of the Mafia in the United States. Over the years I’ve read countless works of nonfiction and biographies. And I’ve soaked up numerous documentaries cover…