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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 23 September 2025

He’s been one of my favourite directors over the past three decades with films including Boogie Nights, Magnolia, There Will Be Blood and Phantom Thread.  Now, 55-year-old Paul Thomas Anderson chalks up a milestone with One Battle After Another marking his 10^th feature film.  He’s earned 11 Academy Award nominations across his career (without a win) and as director, writer and producer here, he’s likely to add to that tally early next year.

Drawing from a 1990 novel authored by the reclusive Thomas Pynchon, Anderson has crafted an hilarious misadventure reminiscent of a Coen Brothers movie.  The characters have distinctive quirks, the story is batshit crazy, and humour is spread throughout.  Leonardo DiCaprio’s offbeat performance triggers memories of Jeff Bridges in The Big Lebowski, the desolate setting has shades of No Country for Old Men, and a kooky subplot involving a secret society reminded me of Hail, Caesar!  This is all said in a complementary way given the Coens are also high on my list of favourite filmmakers.

It’s a tricky narrative to surmise quickly but One Battle After Another is centred on a paranoid, weed-smoking man (DiCaprio) who lives a low-key life under the alias Bob Ferguson.  He was once a “revolutionary” who tried to upend societal order but after a bank heist went wrong, Bob went into hiding.  He now resides in a sanctuary city with his 16-year-old daughter, Willa (Infiniti), who is on the cusp of graduating high school.

Their quiet existence is upended when a powerful, well-armed villain from Bob’s past, Colonel Steven Lockjaw (Penn), tracks them down seeks them out in search of revenge… and information.  Bob and Willa are separated in the ensuing chaos, but they attempt to reunite and find a safe hiding place.  They are aided by an eclectic group including a shrewd revolutionary played by Regina Hall (Support the Girls) and a chill karate instructor portrayed by Benecio del Toro (Traffic).

The 162-minute running time may sound intimidating but once we’re through the introduction, which is a touch slow and chaotic, One Battle After Another moves at a speedy pace thanks to the interesting subplots, dark humour, and rapid-fire editing.  The offbeat music score of Jonny Greenwood, reminiscent of Jon Brion’s work in Punch-Drunk Love, also adds to the film’s alure.

The performances are sensational.  The expansive cast, headlined by Oscar winners Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant) and Sean Penn (Milk), all tap into their comedic talents.  It’s a movie that will require multiple viewings to fully grasp its wit – from DiCaprio angrily trying to recall a password while on a phone call, through to del Toro nonchalantly orchestrating an evacuation of his residence.

Refusing to be pigeonholed into a particular style or genre (every film feels so different), Paul Thomas Anderson has once again showcased the breadth of his talents.  One Battle After Another is great entertainment!

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 11 September 2025

I think that’s it.  After 52 episodes of the television series and 3 subsequent movies, we’ve milked all we can from the fictitious residents of Downton Abbey in Yorkshire, England.  This concluding instalment, appropriately subtitled The Grand Finale, isn’t intended to win over new enthusiasts.  It’s a simple, slight period piece that taps heavily into nostalgia and allows fans to be charmed by their favourite posh-talking protagonists for one last time.

There are many subplots, but the individual given the most prominent screen time is Lady Mary Crawley, played by Emmy nominee Michael Dockery.  The film opens with her divorce papers being finalised after a short-lived marriage to Henry Talbot (previously played by Matthew Goode who doesn’t appear here).  Being a divorcee was scandalous in 1930s Britain and so the fun-loving Lady Mary now finds herself a social pariah.  She’s uninvited from gatherings and no one wants to visit while she’s in residence at Downton Abbey.

The responsibility falls upon those around her to set things right.  Many have a part to play but the central event is a lavish dinner at Downton where the guest of honour is to be acclaimed playwright Noël Coward (Arty Froushan).  The hoity-toity members of the community may want to shun Lady Mary… but they’re not going to pass up the opportunity to sit alongside an A-list celebrity and listen to him skilfully play the piano while sipping on champagne and cocktails.

It’s easy to see what messages Oscar winning screenwriter Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park) is striving for to close things out.  Audiences will have enjoyed delving into the details of rich English folk in the 1910s and 1920s but, to borrow a classic song lyric, the “wind of change” has arrived.  The servants are retiring, public standards are loosening, and Downton’s long-ruling patriarch (Bonneville) hands control of the historic mansion over to the next generation.  It’s time to stop looking back… and start looking forward instead.

There’s nothing wrong with Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale but it’s not particularly memorable either.  Tension is lacking (everyone is so polite and nice) and the character arcs close out with minimal fuss.  Further, in the absence of the late Maggie Smith, the humour isn’t as fervent.  Penelope Winton (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) gets the best of the one-liners with performance as the fair-organising Lady Merton but she’s the lone comedic standout.  New cast members include Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck) and Alessandro Nivola (American Hustle) but their roles lack significance.

It’s not exactly “going out with a bang” but this is a serviceable climax which provides safe, crowd-pleasing content as opposed to anything new.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 18 September 2025

There’s star power here.  In the lead roles we have Australian Margot Robbie (I, Tonya), a three-time Oscar nominee, and Irishman Colin Farrell, known for his brilliant collaborations with Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster) and Martin McDonagh (In Bruges).  The supporting players are headlined by Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag).  The director, who goes by the mononym Kogonada, is not as well known but he impressed many with his 2021 release, After Yang (which I liked).

The cutely titled A Big Bold Beautiful Journey starts out as a quirky romantic comedy.  Sarah (Robbie) and David (Farrell) meet for the first time at a wedding and immediately open-up about their flaws.  Both are terrified of commitment.  Sarah has found herself in many short-term relationships but, worried about being hurt, severs connections when things get serious.  David once got to the stage of being engaged but after breaking things off, has returned to a simpler, independent life that he’s now comfortable with.

It’s now time for the film’s fantasy elements to kick-in.  They each hire a GPS navigation device from a weird car hire company and in the days following the wedding, it takes them on a road trip across the United States.  Each stop on this “journey” has a door which transports them to a time and place in their respective pasts.  For example, Sarah goes back to a world in which she’d visit her favourite museum alongside her mother.  David returns to high school where his 15-year-old, drama-loving self performs in a musical in front of classmates and parents.

Each “flashback” becomes heavier, and the film’s tone noticeably shifts from comedy to drama.  What’s the point of it all though?  It’s a question I’m still asking myself.  We’d expect these characters to look back at their past lives through a more mature lens… but so what?  I struggled to see the connections.  We see David’s teenage heart being broken but how does forcing him to re-experience this event change who he is today?

The script also fails to build the necessary chemistry between Sarah and David.  Most of the film is spent covering individual moments from yesteryear and dealing with their separate problems.  It’s therefore odd when the script changes gears and tries to push a narrative that these two are a perfect romantic fit for each other (at least according to the GPS system).  I wasn’t buying it and the rushed finale reaffirmed by view of the film’s misguided attempts.

The characters may be taking a big, bold, beautiful journey but I’m not convinced audiences will feel the same way.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 08 September 2025

Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin first met while working in the advertising industry.  They put aside a little money, helped produce a few movies, and then waded into feature films with The Climb which premiered at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.  It was a low-budget, independent film with the pair credited as screenwriters, starring in the two lead roles and, in the case of Covino, serving as director.  It didn’t find much love at the box-office given its release during COVID-19 but was an important stepping stone in establishing their talent and credibility.

The duo has returned with a bigger budget and a more high-profile cast for their sophomore outing, Splitsville.  Both take on acting roles again and have been joined by the recognisable Dakota Johnson (Materialists), Nicholas Braun (Succession), and Adria Arjona (Father of the Bride).  The poster describes it as an “unromantic comedy” and it’s a suitable description.  We start with two (seemingly) happy married couples but over the course of several chapters, their respective relationships deteriorate in humorous fashion.

We begin with Ashley (Arjona) having a not-so-near death experience and deciding to confess to her boring husband, Carey (Marvin), that she’s been unfaithful many times and now wants a divorce.  He is floored by the unexpected revelation and runs/swims to the lakeside home of his wealthy friends, Paul (Covino) and Julie (Johnson).  As a modern, free-spirited couple, they’re not as perturbed by the news.  In addition to have almost no social boundaries, evidenced by an eyebrow-raising moment when Carey uses their bathroom for a shower, they reveal their marriage is an open one.  It’s a shock for the conservative Carey who is now starting to see the world differently when it comes to masculinity and monogamy.

Splitsville goes on wild, unexpected tangents.  From a cacophony of new lovers which enter Ashley’s life, through to a crazy-long fight sequence, through to a subplot involving a trouble-making child (Webster)… this is a comedy which uses a mix of randomness and edginess to generate its well-earned laughs.  Perhaps a touch more subtlety could have been added to characters (the Carey we first meet is such a clueless dork) but the actors deserve praise.  Despite the absurdity of each situation, they play their roles with an intense, straight-faced seriousness.  It never feels like the cast are deliberately trying to be funny… which only makes it funnier!

Also fortunate enough to be picked for a debut at Cannes, back in May 2025, Splitsville is nutty entertainment.

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Written by Matthew Toomey

Created: 15 September 2025

I wasn’t sure where they’d go with this sequel.  The original, released in March 2022, was centred on five animals – a wolf, a snake, a spider, a shark, and a piranha – who shrugged their preconceived reputations and were transformed from “bad” into “good”.  Instead of robbing banks and stealing valuable artifacts, they teamed up to take down a villainous guinea pig with more sinister motives.

Now that these characters are on the right side of the law, where do you take the narrative?  Adapting again from the children’s books authored by Australian Aaron Blabey, the two-person writing team have crafted a great idea.  We open with our five protagonists struggling to find employment.  Just like a rehabilitated criminal released from prison, they find no one wants to give them a chance with honest, paid work.  It’s a kick in the guts which has them questioning whether they made the right choice.

It soon gets worse when they encounter a fresh gang of felons, headlined by a snow leopard (Brooks) who blackmail them back into a life of illegal activity.  Unless they agree to help steal a rocket ship, they’ll be framed for a series of other criminal acts.  Further, they’ll expose the secret identity of Mr. Wolf’s girlfriend, Governor Diane Foxington (Beetz), which will destroy her own career.  It leaves our heroes in a tricky spot as they are forced to walk the fine line between good and evil.

The Bad Guys 2 is a step-up on its predecessor.  The first movie was watchable but pushed its themes too hard.  That’s not the case here.  This is a quality adventure with a story that’s engaging from start to finish and has a few surprises along the way.  It moves at a frenetic pace but, to the film’s credit, it’s still easy to follow.  It’s also ideal family fare where both kids and adults can enjoy at different levels.

All the characters get a chance to shine with fun subplots (like Mr. Snake and his new lover) and the actors do an impeccable job with their distinctive voices.  It’s hard to imagine a better fit for the cunning Mr. Wolf than Oscar winner Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri).  The same could be said for Awkwafina (The Farewell) as Ms. Tarantula and Richard Ayoade (The IT Crowd) as Professor Marmalade.

The Bad Guys was overlooked for an Academy Award nomination in the best animated feature category (perhaps fair) but as one of the better releases of 2025, I’d like to see this sequel get the nod.