Reviews

I Swear - 3 1/2 stars out of 4



It's nice when a film lives up to the hype.



I feel a little late to the party with "I Swear," the based-on-a-true-story biopic about a Scottish man's lifelong battle with Tourette's Syndrome. Director Kirk Jones's film was released in the UK last year to wide acclaim, and already netted awards (as well

Standout: The Ben Kjar Story (3 1/2 stars out of 4)



Tanner Christensen's documentary "Standout: The Ben Kjar Story" is a showcase for an inspirational story and a welcome option for anyone looking for something different from the mainstream offerings at the multiplex.



"Standout" follows the true story of a young man from Centerville, Utah as he navigates difficult physical and social

I was a little hesitant to be definitive when Mark and I recorded our "best of 2025" episode of the Utah FilmPod in January. Though I'd covered my necessary films for the UFCA vote, there were still a couple of un-nominated films that I suspected could wind up on my personal list once I got to them. Anyway, amid the

The 1990’s wave of crime thrillers feels like a special moment in Hollywood filmmaking. Movies like Seven (1995), acting as one of the most provocative films from that year, Heat (1995), which features a chaotic shoot-out and almost Shakespearian ending, and The Silence of the Lambs (1991), being one of the few films to win the big five awards at

Project Hail Mary (3 1/2 stars out of 4)



Reviewing "Project Hail Mary" is a little tricky, because this is one of the rare occasions where I've actually read the source material before seeing the film. The good news is that this isn't one of those situations where the book is a lot better than the movie; in fact, I think

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (2 1/2 stars out of 4)



If you saw the first "Ready or Not" film in 2019, your reaction should probably be a safe gauge for whether you'll like the follow-up. Like its predecessor, "Ready or Not 2: Here I Come" is a fairly predictable showcase of mean-spirited comic gore and violence, with enough

Send Help (3 1/2 stars out of 4)



I imagine most of the people familiar with Sam Raimi fall into two groups. The more die-hard fan group know him for his "Evil Dead" movies, including "Army of Darkness," which capped off a trilogy of campy, over-the-top comic horror films led by Bruce Campbell. The other group associates the director with the

Undertone (2 1/2 stars out of 4)



Ian Tuason's "Undertone" does a lot with a little, but it doesn't do one critical thing.



"Undertone" is the story of a podcaster in desperate need of some work/life boundaries. Evy (Nina Kiri) is the co-host of a podcast that specializes in creepy subject matter. She and her co-host Justin (Adam DiMarco) stake out general

How to Make a Killing - 3 stars out of 4



I'm starting to feel a little preoccupied with last year's "Marty Supreme." Comparing it to "Rental Family" helped me understand why Hikari's heartwarming story of redemption was my favorite movie of 2025, and now "Marty Supreme" is helping me articulate why I enjoyed the new release from director John Patton

"Greenland 2: Migration" - 2 1/2 stars out of 4



Years ago after getting a copy for Christmas, I tried to read Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" the following month. Suffice to say, early January is not the best time to dive into a post-apocalyptic wasteland where a lonely father and son have to trek across the wilderness under the constant threat