Overview: Academy Award®-winning director Danny Boyle and Academy Award®-nominated writer Alex Garland reunite for 28 Years Later, a terrifying new auteur horror story set in the world created by 28 Days Later.

It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway.

When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.

Verdict: What I appreciated about the movie was a continued reflection on humanity. In 28 Days later the infected are not the true horror, but the human survivors are. 28 Years Later instead reclaims humanity, and how human deaths impacts those around them. Really appreciated its message and the acting was great.

Overview: Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family--Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet.

Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal.

Verdict: Fabulous! Fantastic! Fun-tastic! And it’s about time! We were hoping this to be better than recent Marvel efforts, and it is. This retro-futuristic story and script takes us back to what made the MCU stellar in the first place. It’s filled with vintage realism along with comedy and fantasy, presented by a group of well-cast astronauts turned superhero characters fighting to protect Earth. But pay close attention for surprise cameos of A-list actors and more characters from previous MCU films that may or may not be easily recognizable.

They are members of a super cool, tight family, each with specific powers. Science genius Mr. Fantastic – Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Invisible Woman – Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), The Thing – Ben Grimm (electronically stone clad Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and fiery Human Torch – Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn). They play well together with good interaction and chemistry along with H.E.R.B.I.E the robot, Reeds’ tech assistant and protector for the whole family. He’s kind of an homage to Rosie the robot maid from The Jetsons. To keep it retro, his programs are stored on VHS cassettes. There are other throwback powers and characteristics reminiscent of The Incredibles.

Director Matt Shakman (TV episodes including WandaVision, The Great, Fargo, and Game of Thrones), not only covers the action, but also reveals the human emotions which draw you into these characters. For example, he zeroes in on The Thing’s eyes, a superhero who was so physically transformed, and you can tell how awkward and isolated he feels because of his gigantic stone-like appearance. British cinematographer, Jess Hall has worked with Shakman before using ’60’s filmmaking techniques including vintage lenses and shooting scenes in 16 mm.

This screenplay is actually well put together, including some humor to go along with realistic relationships. It was written by Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan and Ian Springer. Many times when you have a number of writers from big films working on another big budget film, the script can get overstuffed and not cohesive. But this one, at less than two hours, flows pretty well, breaking the mold. Composer Michael Giacchino, infuses and expands this film with superhero, 60’s hopeful space age musical tones from experience with other Marvel and Disney action films. They include The Incredibles, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and UP. He’s a master with creating emotion and this score helps enhance the characters.

It starts with a short newsreel-style catchup summarizing The Fantastic 4’s roots and origin, but Director Shakman doesn’t dwell on it. They get right to it going to the Multiverse version of Earth-828 (the number being a nod to co-creator Jack Kirby’s birthday), with a 1960’s inspired era and the space race. Sue surprisingly discovers and reveals to husband Reed that she’s pregnant. They celebrate with the team until until Silver Surfer/Shalla-Bal (Julia Garner) shows up with a message that all-powerful God-like Galactus (Ralph Ineson) is ready to literally devour Earth. The Silver Surfer is an unbeatable foe on her own. Garner is presented as an eye-catching sleek, metallically mirrored messenger sent by the powerful Galactus, known for obliterating many planets.

In an FX infused sequence they seek out Galactus attempting to save Earth. The omnipotent villain senses and demands a human bargaining chip in exchange for saving Earth. The Fantastic Four will do anything to protect the family and barely escape with their lives. Shakman handles added extreme chaos and all get involved when Sue suddenly starts going though labor while the ship is careening through space. From then on, the film becomes clash after clash to save Earth using all their powers to keep the family safe and together. Kudos to Shakman for casting such a cooperative new member.

Overview: When Superman gets drawn into conflicts at home and abroad, his actions are questioned, giving tech billionaire Lex Luthor the opportunity to get the Man of Steel out of the way for good. Will intrepid reporter Lois Lane and Superman’s four-legged companion, Krypto, be able to help him before it’s too late?

Verdict: Let’s talk about the man in the suit. David Corenswet steps into some of the biggest boots in superhero history, and makes them feel tailor-made.

What works about Corenswet’s performance is how natural he feels as both Clark and Superman. He’s not playing two separate characters; he’s blending them. His Clark isn’t just a bumbling disguise, and his Superman isn’t some untouchable icon. Instead, we get a version of the character who genuinely feels like a Kansas farm boy who wants to help.

There’s a warmth to him that comes through even in the smallest moments. Whether it’s his slightly awkward banter with Lois, his quiet scenes with Ma Kent, or the way he instinctively smiles before lifting a crumbling bridge, this Superman radiates kindness without needing to say it.

One of the best examples? The scene in Lois’ apartment. Clark’s cooking breakfast for dinner, claiming it’s her favorite meal. Lois calls him out gently… it’s actually his. And just like that, Corenswet humanizes Clark in a way that feels effortlessly honest. Of course a Kansas farm boy would love pancakes at night. Little details like that remind you Clark Kent isn’t a persona. He’s a person.

But what really sells it are the micro-movements. In that same scene, watch how Corenswet shifts posture ever so slightly when he drops his guard with Lois. The soft smile. The brief pause. It’s subtle, but it’s there, a level of physical nuance we honestly haven’t seen since Christopher Reeve.

And visually? Corenswet’s Superman looks right. The classic red, blue, and yellow are bold without feeling overly stylized. The suit’s design honors the comics without trying too hard to modernize. The cape flows. The S-shield shines. But none of it outshines Corenswet himself.

This isn’t a Superman who needs to tell you he’s human. He shows you.

Now let’s talk about the ace in the Daily Planet deck: Rachel Brosnahan. Her Lois Lane is fearless, funny, and smarter than half the people in Metropolis. From her first scene, Brosnahan commands attention without ever needing Superman to validate her. Rachel Brosnahan IS Lois Lane for a new generation.

She’s not the damsel. She’s the driver. I’ve seen Margot Kidder, Amy Adams, and even Kate Bosworth take a shot. Brosnahan? She owns this role. Her chemistry with Corenswet gives this film heart without the melodrama.

Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor? Silicon Valley menace wrapped in a billionaire’s skin. No wigs, no goofy schemes. Just a ruthless tech mogul who feels like he’d sue the Justice League for patent infringement.

He’s calculating, modern, and honestly terrifying in how plausible he feels. Hoult’s Luthor doesn’t need Kryptonite. He uses PR strategies and AI algorithms to dismantle Superman.

Look, I didn’t think James Gunn could make me care about Krypto the Superdog or dedicate a whole section to the canine in my Superman 2025 review.

I was wrong.

Overview: Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived.

The three most colossal creatures within that tropical biosphere hold the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving benefits to humankind.

Verdict: What looked like a promising reboot of the Jurassic Park/World franchise leads to arguably the worst film of the series with Jurassic World: Rebirth, a boring, useless retread of the same old, same old.

Man re-creates dinosaurs; man screws up in containing re-created dinosaurs; and Scarlett Johansson fails to provide a spark while pursuing and/or avoiding said dinosaurs.

Director Gareth Edwards did some fine work with the Godzilla reboot but fails to find a sense of purpose when he’s given a menagerie of beasties. Don’t blame ScarJo for the maddeningly boring developments in this 134-minute monstrosity. That blame goes to the folks who did the casting around her, and David Koepp, the guy who did the writing (the man who wrote the first two Jurassic Park movies). Yes, plenty of blame has to go to the normally reliable Edwards, too.

Johansson plays Zora, a mysterious mercenary hired by a sleazy corporate guy named Martin (Rupert Friend) to go to yet another secret dino island, to retrieve some mutant dino DNA that will be used to create heart medicine to save the world. (Gimme a freaking break!) This island is an alternate facility where they were making mutant hybrid dinosaurs, a topic already addressed in the first Jurassic World, although that’s seemingly ignored in this film.

Jonathan Bailey plays Henry Loomis, aka the Science Guy. We know he’s a scientist, because he wears glasses. Mahershala Ali plays Duncan, another mercenary guy—the mercenary who won’t die first, because his paycheck is bigger than the others.

If this band of mercenaries going to a dino island (a mutant dino island, mind you) was all we had to deal with, maybe this film could’ve been a little tighter, and maybe we could’ve had something passable. Nope: We get Manuel Garcia-Rulfo playing Reuben, the Worst Dad in the World who sails his daughters and one of their boyfriends into a part of the ocean swarming with humongous dino beasts. They, of course, get attacked, but rather than getting eaten, they survive and wind up being an albatross around the neck of this movie’s pacing. ScarJo and team rescue them, but nobody rescues us from their lame dialogue and absolutely brainless actions.

The dinos are a mixed bag. The flying raptor-type things that are supposed to be the primary baddies aren’t all that interesting. A T-rex does make an appearance in the film’s best sequence involving a river raft chase. I’m not saying it’s all that exciting. It’s just the best thing this lousy movie has to offer.

The final monster payoff is a mutant dino that looks like a combo of the Alien xenomorph and Return of the Jedi’s rancor. It looks so much like those two creatures that Edwards has said publicly that the monster was “inspired” by the rancor. More like cloned.

We see that monster briefly in the film’s intro. A major mishap causes the monster to get out of its original container and commit some felonies. That said, when the sequence ends, it’s clear that the monster is contained in a secondary compartment.

So how does the monster get out and, decades later, attack the characters in Rebirth? Did everybody in the facility just run away and leave it with the keys to the door? Even if the monster got out, wouldn’t somebody or something make sure it got “put down” after murdering a dude in a hazmat suit? I know—I’m overthinking it, but this movie put that in my head in the first 10 minutes. By the time the film ended, I couldn’t accept or enjoy the monster mayhem, because I was always questioning it. I ruin things that way.

Overview: When five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident, they cover up their involvement and make a pact to keep it a secret rather than face the consequences.

A year later, their past comes back to haunt them and they’re forced to confront a horrifying truth: someone knows what they did last summer ... and is hell-bent on revenge!

As one by one the friends are stalked by a killer, they discover this has happened before, and they turn to two survivors of the legendary Southport Massacre of 1997 for help.

Verdict: I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER started out as a YA novel by Lois Duncan, first published in 1973. It was adapted as an R-rated teen slasher in 1997, followed by a 1998 sequel, I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. (There’s also the 2006 I’LL ALWAYS KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, but that isn’t part of the current continuity).

Now we’re back to the 2025 edition of I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. The screenplay by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who also directed, & Sam Lansky, from a story by Leah McKendrick & Robinson, does an impressive job of putting together a new R-rated slasher with rational (in this context) reasons for bringing back characters and iconography from the original.

The small coastal town of Southport, North Carolina has done its best to cover up and forget about the 1997 murder spree, but reminders will surface soon enough.

It’s the Fourth of July, and former couple Ava (Chase Sui Wonders) and Milo (Jonah Hauer-King) have returned to town for the engagement party of their respective best friends, wealthy Danica (Madelyn Cline) and even wealthier Teddy (Tyriq Withers). After the celebration, the four decide to go for a drive to watch the fireworks. They invite old high school buddy Stevie (Sarah Pidgeon) to join them.

Alcoholic Teddy isn’t at the wheel, but does something that unintentionally causes a pickup truck to crash off the road, through the guardrail, and into the sea. Panicked, Teddy insists that his father, successful real estate developer Grant (Billy Campbell), can deal with the police, but none of them can ever speak of what really happened.

Danica thinks Teddy has the right idea. Milo is ambivalent, but ultimately sides with them. Stevie and Ava both want to go down to the crash site to see if the pickup driver is still alive, but ultimately Stevie capitulates, and finally Ava agrees to silence.

By the following Fourth of July, Ava and Milo have returned to town. Ava brings along a new friendly acquaintance, true-crime podcaster Tyler (Gabriette Bechtel), who is an expert of Southport’s bloody history.

And then Danica gets an anonymous note … !

Since they are prominently featured in the advertising, it’s not a spoiler to note that 1997 I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. return in their old roles. The new edition makes smart use of both their characters, and both actors have fun with their older, wiser and snarkier characters.

Wonders brings integrity and intelligence to Ava. Cline has crack comedic timing as daffy Danica, and Withers is expressive with Teddy’s mood swings. Director Robinson pays homage to the first movie with the staging of several sequences, as well as a few nifty surprises. Some jump scares work, some don’t, but what’s consistent here is the clear affection between the group of friends. We invest in them emotionally because they are palpably invested in each other.

As slasher franchise expansions go, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER doesn’t reinvent any wheels, but it does what it is supposed to do efficiently and generally entertainingly. [Abbie B.]