Hamnet

Hamnet (Chloe Zhao, 2025)

IMDB film information

Rating: Q=12, P=8 / Decadence

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=4

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Shakespeare, Adaptation, Biopic, Grief, Complex Relationships, Storytelling

Synopsis: In late 16th-century England, Agnes, a healer sensitive to the world around her, builds a home with William, a local tutor and aspiring playwright. As their lives fracture, they are tested by distance, silence, and grief.

“Our children’s hearts beat, they smile play. Never forget for a moment they may be gone.”

I wept. More than once. My attention was rapt. I was overwhelmed with emotion. Every scene in Hamnet is powerful. This is a story of love, grief, family, sickness, storytelling. It is humanity. It is powerful. This is the most beautifully moving film I have ever seen. Chloe Zhao has done something miraculous. Even if you don’t know Shakespeare, even if you don’t usually like emotional/dramatic films, you will find something in this film that speaks to you. We have all known loss and we have all struggled to cope in our own ways. This film reminds us that people don’t truly die or fade away—they can live on. Storytellers tell, artists show, and both let us feel. And this is why all art is so valuable to human beings.

Masters of the Universe

Masters of the Universe (Travis Knight, 2026)

IMDB film information

Rating: Q=12, P=8 / Decadence

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=4

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Comedy, Fantasy, Action, Adventure

Synopsis: Prince Adam discovers that the strange memories shaping his life are real when the lost Sword of Power resurfaces, forcing him to return to Eternia and challenge the tyrant who shattered his family in kingdom.

OK, I love this film SO much. I really do. I did not grow up playing with He-man or watching the cartoon, though I did see it occasionally, but I am a child of the 1980s and so have a fondness for practical effects. I also love nerdy comedies. So, maybe all of these things explain why Masters of the Universe just hit the right notes, for me. It’s silly in all the right ways , it’s stunning and bright, it has lots of practical effects, it doesn’t take itself too seriously, and it embraces the true escape that movies and toys can be—to kids AND adults. Absolutely loved it.

One Battle After Another

One Battle After Another (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2025)

IMDB film information

Rating: Q=7, P=7 / Decadence

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=4

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Thriller, Politics, Crime, Complex Relationships, Dark Comedy

Synopsis: When their enemy resurfaces after 16 years, a group of ex-revolutionaries reunite to rescue the daughter of one of their own.

I went into this film with absolutely no expectations, even though I knew that it had one the Best Picture Academy Award. I’ve always liked Paul Thomas Anderson’s films. He has an uncanny ability to pick the right actors and cast to make an impression, and to leave viewers questioning systems and rules and human behavior. One Battle After Another is a thrilling adventure with politics and crime and intrigue. It’s also incredibly funny and, at times, goofy. It’s hard to blend so many different themes and genres together, but he does and it makes the story feel more real despite its incredible plot. I was pleasantly surprised at how well Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn performed their roles and newcomer, Chase Infiniti, is really fun to watch. Highly worth multiple viewings.

Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord

Star Wars: Maul -Shadow Lord (Dave Filoni and Matt Michnovetz, 2026)

IMDB film information

Rating: DSQ=7, SP=4 / Comfy Combo

Scale O=4, Scale P=3, Scale Q=3, Scale R=3, Scale S=2

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Star Wars, Animation, Science Fiction, Fantasy

Synopsis: after the Clone Wars, Maul plots to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire.

This new Star Wars animated series is fun, but doesn’t really do anything new or bold. The fantastic animation is undeniably the best feature. It is fun to see Maul again, though this chapter in his story is less interesting, to me. Each episode feels a bit like a detective/buddy-cop show, which is interesting, and it leans into the comic-book world/feel so that the show feels like Batman. Enjoyable.