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REVIEW: “I Can Only Imagine 2” (2026)

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(Source: IMDb )  Christian band MercyMe had a breakthrough hit in 2001, when their single, “I Can Only Imagine,” became a staple in the music industry, and an inspiration around the world. The 2018 film of the same name (courtesy Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company, who later made Jesus Revolution and Unsung Hero , among other things) chronicled the upbringing of the band’s lead singer Bart Millard (played by John Michael Finley), and what inspired him to write the song. The 2026 theatrical follow-up, I Can Only Imagine 2 , continues the story of Millard, his family, and his band mates, by focusing this time on what inspired another song of theirs years later.  Amidst their growing popularity, it doesn’t take long for Millard and company to learn that the success they’ve achieved is far from the mountain top, and that their stories—and struggles—are ongoing. Bart’s rocky relationship with his teenage son, Sam (diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at age 3), is perhaps a slight mirr...
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REVIEW: “Mercy” (2026)

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(Source: IMDb )   Honestly, I didn’t have much interest in this futuristic sci-fi thriller when the first trailer  rolled out. For one thing, we’ve seen this concept before in films like The Fugitive and  Minority Report . The story’s protagonist—accused of murder—is fighting for his life to prove his innocence while investigating who is really behind the central perpetration(s) and conspiracies.  Like Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise before him, Chris Pratt has shown that he can carry a tentpole flick with confidence, charisma, and gravitas. In  Mercy , he plays police officer Chris Raven, who is put on trial and has ninety minutes to prove his innocence or face execution. Beyond his wife’s murder, there’s evidence that he struggles with alcoholism, that she had an affair, and that a fellow officer’s unexpected death made it hard for him to cope.  In spite of its aforementioned generic elements—not to mention its underperformance at the box-office — Mercy is...
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Standout Films of 2025

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Jacob Elordi (left) and Oscar Isaac on the set of  Frankenstein (Source:  The Scotsman )   The following is a culmination of what I was able to see in theatres (or otherwise noted) in the year 2025.  Before I get into my main list, I want to take a moment to commend Warner Bros for, this year, giving skilled filmmakers the kind of creative freedom that’s rarely seen in big studio productions. That, despite said releases being hard R-rated entries. These include Ryan Coogler’s genre-bending, period music-vampire crossover Sinners (which features Michael B. Jordan in convincing dual roles), Zach Cregger’s chilling mystery thriller Weapons (co-starring a seriously creepy Amy Madigan), and Paul Thomas Anderson’s dark political comedy One Battle After Another . For the latter, Leonardo DiCaprio leads what may be the most phenomenal cast of 2025 (including a standout Benicio Del Toro, in one of my favorite screen roles this year) in, of all things, a plaid bathrobe and ...
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REVIEW: “Jay Kelly” (2025)

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(Source: IMDb )   WRITER’S NOTE: As of this post, I didn’t get to see this film in theaters. I watched it on Netflix at home. Even so, it still really affected me.   As a writer and acting veteran, one of my fascinations and interests is the difference between reality and role playing. It’s one thing to play a part in film or TV. But it’s another thing to do it in real-life—except it’s apparently on a whole other level, almost like being yourself is a burden. (According to some, like Sylvia Plath, apparently.)  Jay Kelly tells the story of a Hollywood movie star who begins to have an identity crisis late in his career—and on the cusp of receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award. Played by George Clooney, Jay’s life has been defined by the movies and the roles he’s played in them. Until he decides to get away and take a vacation to Paris, with his entourage in tow.  Filmmaker Noah Baumbach (who co-wrote the script with actress Emily Mortimer) populates this story with a...
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REVIEW: “Train Dreams” (2025)

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(Source: Avoca Beach Theatre )   Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2025, director Clint Bentley and and co-writer Greg Kwedar (the same team behind  Sing Sing ) adapted for the screen Denis Johnson’s 2011 novella about a logger in early-20th Century America. Evident from trailers and then some, it’s a very evocative story about a man who isn’t much compared to some, and yet plays a role in the span of time he lives through.  Train Dreams is the kind of film that Terrence Malick or Kelly Reichardt could have made. It’s very poetic, quiet, melodic, meditative, impressionistic, beautiful to look at, and sweeping. Its bold and immersive scope and imagery is framed at a 1.33:1 Academy aspect ratio, with details in nature and lighting, including striking moments shot at the magic hour. Plus, an exceptional cast includes Joel Edgerton (as Robert Grainier), Felicity Jones (as his wife Gladys), William H. Macy (as one of the men that Grainier works with), and Ke...
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