Vampires, Steroids, Mythical Creatures, Reunions, Martinis & Legends

MAGAZINE DREAMS | BriarCliff Entertainment
Writer/Director Elijah Bynum

Writer/Director Elijah Bynum‘s directorial debut stars Timothée Chalamet in “Hot Summer Nights” (2017) which I’ve just added to my Watchlist. I had assumed “Magazine Dreams” was his debut, as it has that – I worked on this with every fiber of my being feel. Too bad after such a promising premiere at Sundance 2023, it got shelved due to Jonathan Majors f’ning things up. For a while, it seemed like it would be shelved indefinitely. But Briarcliff Entertainment swooped in, and on March 21, 2025, audiences finally got to witness this disturbing and visceral character study.

Majors’ physical and emotional commitment to the role is staggering. He reportedly ate 6,000 calories a day and worked out three times daily to embody Killian’s hulking frame. And while he never outright admitted to it, the transformation was so extreme that one can’t help but wonder if he blurred the line between character preparation and character, with actual steroid use? If so, it could explain his violent behavior. Not excuse it, but explain why he let such a promising career go down the drain.

Killian Maddox (Majors), is a grocery store worker whose life revolves around bodybuilding. He doesn’t just want to be great—he needs to be the greatest. But in his relentless pursuit of physical perfection, Killian becomes a Molotov cocktail of emotional instability, childhood trauma, and steroid-fueled rage. His grandfather, the only person in his life who resembles a support system, is on the verge of death. And any outside attempts at human connection—like his painfully awkward grocery store date – ends in disaster.

Then there’s Brad, the fitness champion Killian idolizes with an almost religious devotion, writing him heartfelt letters that go unanswered. The lack of response only feeds Killian’s sense of rejection, which, combined with his volatile temperament, creates an underlying tension throughout the film: how dangerous will he become, and to whom?

“Magazine Dreams” is a psychological deep-dive into toxic ambition and isolation. It plays like “Taxi Driver” with protein powder, or “The Wrestler” if Mickey Rourke had traded in the ropes for reps. It’s an uncomfortable, mesmerizing, and ultimately tragic look at a man so consumed by his dream that he can’t see the nightmare he’s living in.

Rating: 4 outta 5

DEATH OF A UNICORN | A24 | Writer/Director Alex Scharfman

Three years running, March has brought me a magical realism gem that’s right up my alley. In 2023, it was “Everything Everywhere All at Once”. Last year, “Problemista” cast its quirky spell. And now, “Death of a Unicorn” gallops in with a twisted, darkly comic take on pharmaceutical greed—because, apparently, nothing says “Big Pharma satire” like a bloodthirsty unicorn.

The setup is simple yet absurd: Elliot Kintner (Paul Rudd) a widowed father and his teenage daughter Ridley (Jena Ortega) accidentally mow down a unicorn on a remote forest road. Elliot puts it out of its misery by braining the poor creature, but not before Ridley creates a bond with the animal by touching its horn. They are late for a meeting at the estate of Elliot’s boss and his family, the Leopold’s, who are Big Pharma Capitalists. Elliot and Ridley have been invited to stay the weekend while Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant) decides if Kitner is the right man to handle his affairs upon his death, as he’s dying from cancer. (Side note: Richard E. Grant and Christopher Walken have morphed into the same person for me, anyone else?). He has an idiotic, man/baby son, Shepard, played with spot on douchey perfection by Will Poulter. His wife, Belinda (Téa Leoni) seems the altruistic voice of reason, but she’s really just as out of touch and greedy as her husband and son.

When the discovery is made that the unicorn’s blood, horn etc… has miraculous healing properties, the narrative takes a sharp turn into corporate exploitation of the mythical creature. The Sacklers are clearly in the film’s crosshairs, with the Leopold’s and Elliot representing pharmaceutical greed at its slimiest. It’s only Ridley who knows this is going to lead them all down a dark path.

There’s also two research scientists (Sunita Mani & Steve Park) and a much put upon butler (Anthony Carrigan) rounding out a fantastic group. This cast should definitely be nominated for Best Ensemble at the Golden Globes come awards season 2026.

The Unicorns ARE NOT your rainbows and glitter mythical creatures. These are traditional lore fearsome beasts! (Side note: Paul Giamatti and Stephen Asma’s podcast “The Chinwag” did a great episode on unicorn lore. Sadly, they ended their show last month—Giamatti stating it was too time-consuming. RIP to one of my favorite pods.)

The film takes a bold swing into “Jurassic Park” territory during the climax. But it still felt fresh, not derivative. The only thing that irked me was Ortega’s character Ridley constantly rambling about her research on the Unicorn Tapestries but refusing to say what she thought would happen. It does kinda fit this girl’s M.O. , but still drove me nuts. Plus, the subplot about her mom’s death and its connection to unicorns felt undercooked.

Still, “Death of a Unicorn” hits the sweet spot of magical realism, horror, and satire. It’s funny, disturbing, and oddly beautiful. If this trend of March magic continues, I’m already hyped for 2026.

Rating: 4 outta 5

THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND | Focus Features | Director James Griffiths| Writers Tom Basden, Tim Key

From the moment Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden) steps off a fishing boat and trudges through the wild Welsh coastline with his guitar and a saltwater-stained attitude, “The Ballad of Wallis Island” strikes a humorous chord with a base note of melancholy. Director James Griffiths, reuniting with the original creative team behind the BAFTA-nominated short “The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island”, expands a simple premise into a beautifully offbeat dramedy about regret, reconciliation, and the bonds of music.

Herb, a jaded rockstar accustomed to adoring crowds and Spotify stats, arrives for what he thinks is a cushy private gig—only to discover he’s the guest of a sole, effusively awkward millionaire named Charles (Tim Key), who won the lottery (twice!) and is using his fortune to orchestrate the reunion of McGwyer Mortimer, the folk duo that once defined his younger happier years with his now deceased wife.

Charles conveniently leaves out this crucial bit of information, as Herb thinks he’ll be giving a solo concert, not singing with his ex – Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan). We immediately sense their personal and professional split was not amicable. She’s now happily remarried and running a chutney business, but needs the funds this gig is paying.

Set almost entirely on an island that isn’t quite an island (filmed on a remote corner of coastal Wales), Wallis Island radiates charm from every windswept frame. Cinematographer G. Magni Ágústsson captures the misty melancholy of the British coast — there’s a quiet magic in how the sea, sky, and crumbling manor house seem to be in tune with the characters’ emotional turmoil.

The film cleverly creates just the right amount of repetition as Herb’s phone gets drenched upon arrival and he must rely on a pay phone miles from Charles’ manor, outside the only business on the island, a General Store, run by Amanda (Sian Clifford) a quirky bit of business which takes on more significance as the film progresses.

Basden is great as a prickly and insecure man who never quite got over his own mythology. But Tim Key steals the movie! He infuses every awkward silence with his own brand of Dad jokes and bumbling sincerity, never letting the character dip into caricature. Mulligan brings the emotional gravitas — When McGwyer & Mortimer harmonize, you believe you could have stumbled across their vinyl in some dusty record shop and fell in love with the duo.

The original songs—written by Basden—are heartbreakingly lovely, channeling the folk era of Dylan and Baez and early Joni Mitchell. “Raspberry Fair,” in particular, is a standout—sung with aching precision by Mulligan and Basden in a quiet kitchen rehearsal. Giving us a peek at the old lovers and collaborators who once created magic together.

What’s most surprising is how much this film resists the easy route. There’s no grand romantic rekindling. No soaring monologues. Just three people (and a sweet supporting turn by Akemnji Ndifornyen as Nell’s bird-watching husband) figuring out how to let go of the versions of themselves they thought they’d have to be forever.

contention. Rating: 4.5 outta 5

SINNERS | Warner Bros Pictures | Writer/Director Ryan Coogler

Ryan Coogler is a movie making MF who I totally didn’t give enough credit to when I was lucky enough to interview him during the press run for his debut feature “Fruitvale Station“. Who knew “Creed“ & “Black Panther” franchises were in his future, certainly not me. And now with SINNERS, Coogler’s latest genre-bending, soul-rattling thriller, which burns with style, swagger, and sorrow. We now all know his talents seem to be endless.

Michael B. Jordan pulling double duty as twin brothers is certainly no slouch either. Both Smoke & Stack are trying to outrun not just their past, but the darkness crawling behind it. These two brothers share a history of violence, grief, and faith lost too young, but they are smart and survivors. Returning home to their small Clarksdale, Mississippi hometown, hoping for a fresh start with a Jook Joint and the hint of another deeper plan we never really get to see come to fruition.

They have a packed agenda for the day and only a few short hours, starting with picking up their little cousin Sammy (Miles Canton). It’s through his eyes and the other visits both twins make separately through the day – that allows us to see they were very big fish in a small pond before leaving to make their fortunes in Chicago.

As great as Jordan is at depicting two different characters, I still found it difficult to keep each twin straight. They wear different colors, they have different attitudes and teeth; yet, it’s not until the climax that I can truly tell them apart. Something that a second watching will probably make clear.

Because otherwise, Coogler writes and directs with the precision of a prizefighter and the soul of a poet. He’s not interested in cheap scares—though there are a few jolt-you-out-of-your-seat moments—but rather, in spiritual terror. This is generational trauma manifesting as a living, breathing evil. There’s a lot to unpack – Biblical references, vampire lore, racial inequality, bonds of brotherhood, Jim Crow… it’s all in there and at the same time, it’s just a damn fun movie. I’ve seen Vampires do a lotta stuff, but never harmonize before!

The supporting cast is outstanding all around: Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Li Jun Li, Yao, Omar Benson Miller, and my favorite, Delroy Lindo.

Behind the camera, Coogler reassembles his all-star team Cinematographer Autumn Durald, 2x Oscar Winning Costume Designer, Ruth E. Carter, Production Designer Hannah Beachler and score by Ludwig Göransson (“Oppenheimer”).

Sinners is more than a horror movie—it’s a reckoning.

Click for Interview with 2x Oscar Winning Costume Designer Ruth E. Carter

Rating: 5 outta 5

THE LEGEND OF OCHI| A24| Writer/Director Isaiah Saxson

I was never able to connect with writer/director Isaiah Saxon’s debut feature THE LEGEND OF OCHI, based on mythical forest creatures who have terrorized the townspeople of Carpathia for ages. I don’t like that the little Ochi looks as if Grogu & Gizmo had a baby. I would have preferred a more original looking cute creature. The young actress who plays the protagonist, Yuri (Helena Zengel) was proper casting. She handled the role very well, she does her best to carry the movie; and yet, I could not muster an affinity for her. Without that, it’s difficult to care about her journey to return the baby Ochi to its mother. I never felt a sense of involvement.

Willem Dafoe plays Yuri’s rugged, Ochi killing obsessed father. Dafoe as an eccentric, oddly appealing older man is played out. He’s been over-exposed. Finn Wolfhard is used as scenery. He has the face of someone who could come from a mythical village of Carpathia surrounded by The Black Sea, but his part is small and useless.

Saxon admits Spielberg’s ET was a part of the nostalgia he was pulling from for this film. It’s also obvious Saxon attempted to add that Wes Anderson sense of absurdity with the band of young Ochi hunting boys, ala “Moonrise Kingdom” or “Asteroid City” but it doesn’t happen.

I feel perhaps Goran Stolevski (“You Won’t Be Alone”) was also an influence in trying to convey that sense of place, creating an Eastern European timelessness. This is done to good effect. The film centers on its environment – pristine landscape of forests and mountains, along with stunning painted backdrops.

But story wise, sometime during this 7 year journey to get this film made, a script doctor should have been called in to give it some juice and clarity.

After reading A24’s Letter from Isaiah Saxon, I so wish I had been swept up in his tale. The artistry is there, just not the magic.

Rating: 2 outta 5

ANOTHER SIMPLE FAVOR |Amazon MGM |Director Paul Feig |
Writers Jessica Sharzer & Laeta Kalogridis

I looked for my review of “A Simple Favor” (2018) and discovered I never did one. I remember being very pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it, so I must have run out of time to write one. Which nearly happened again, as this review is going up much later than intended. I wondered if “A Simple Favor”, Paul Feig‘s fashionable, black comedy would hold up upon a second viewing; which I did a few nights before seeing the sequel – and the answer was a definite yes!

So I went into “Another Simple Favor” with good expectations. It offers plenty of drama, fashion, and this time adds an international flair – but don’t expect the same clever tightrope walk that made the first film such a darkly fun surprise.

Set this time in the sun-soaked glamour of Capri, the sequel sees Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), now a published true-crime author, pulled back into the chaotic orbit of Emily (Blake Lively), who’s just out of prison and on the verge of marrying into an Italian crime family. The stakes are higher, the dresses more extravagant, and the twists more outlandish—but that doesn’t always work in the film’s favor.

Feig clearly enjoys spending time with these characters again, and that enthusiasm is contagious. Kendrick and Lively still have great chemistry, and it’s genuinely fun to watch them spar and scheme. But where the original film had a clear, cutting sense of purpose—nimbly blending satire, suspense, and sisterhood—this sequel often feels like it’s improvising as it goes. The plot bounces between murder mystery, mafia spoof, and social media satire without ever really settling into a groove.

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Rating: 3 outta 5