The Odyssey is all the craze, as it became Christopher Nolan’s career-biggest opening weekend. A lot of love, a lot of critique, and a lot of hate have taken over the internet’s discourse, and we love it! Art doesn’t have to be loved by all. Art should make people feel, and what moviegoers are experiencing is large quantities of it.
If big epics are not for you, we have one of our favorite movies of the year so far for you. This was a slow week with one new release: Pinocchio: Unstrung.
He has no strings to hold him back now.
Influenced by a sinister Cricket and created by Geppetto, Pinocchio launches a violent crusade to carve himself into a real boy like his brother James, one piece at a time.
-Letterboxd
Not bad reviews so far from the critics, but with travels and a birthday this week (HBD Kelly!), we don’t have time to check this one out. But luckily, we caught The Invite a couple weeks ago, and it is well worth talking about.
Here’s what we have for you this week:
Concession Stand Scorecard: The Invite
Watchlist Worthy: Writer/director of Weapons (2025) is back w/ a video game adaptation
This week’s movie - The Invite
Letterboxd Description:
It’ll be fun.
Joe and Angela’s marriage is on thin ice. When they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbors for a dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places.
Best Watched With
Pineapple upside-down cake lovers
End Credit Thoughts
One of the funniest and emotional movies of the year. Honestly, best watched knowing very little about it. However, if it cannot be helped, here are some thoughts.
Except for the opening sequence, this entire movie is set in one location. One beautiful, full-of-character-and-personality location. Between this and The Drama, it is quite the year for insanely curated and desirable apartments. This movie is an adapted stage play, so having one set feels most appropriate. We were worried that it would get tiresome and repetitive, but hot damn, were we wrong.
The scenes take place throughout the apartment, and each room really does feel like we’re moving through entirely different places. The use of mirrors adds a lot to the creativity and adds a visual representation of distance between characters or a sense of openness in the space. If it works for Feng Shui, it’ll work for cinematography. The movement through different rooms often matches the shift of tones and themes of the movie, making following the story seamless and avoiding being mundane.
Clearly, for this movie to work, the performances must be incredibly captivating and moving. To hold the audience’s attention for 107 minutes in one location is quite the feat, but the cast steps up to the challenge and crushes it. Olivia Wilde, Penelope Cruz, and Edward Norton have elite synergy; well-timed line delivery, communicating without speaking, and providing believable performances as they embody and transform into their characters. Yes, Rogen seemingly plays himself — of course weed is involved, and his notorious signature laugh is unmistakably him — but his dramaticism, self-deprecating humor, and ability to be emotional when needed fit this world perfectly. So far this year, we’ve never laughed so hard one moment and flabbergasted the next.
Wilde is also the director and wanted to shoot the movie on film, but the studio deemed it too expensive. Like any dedicated artist, she refused to diminish her vision and paid for the film stock herself. We are so happy she did. The film grain adds texture and richness to the visuals, and we believe it is a subtle but important part of what makes this movie work so well. Apparently, A24 thought it visually striking—and obviously well performed—enough to purchase the film after its Sundance screening, providing the producers with the means to pay Wilde back for the film stock. Good.
Once the story got going, there was no guessing what the hell was going to happen next. We eventually sat back, accepted that we were on this unknown ride, and let the absurdities unravel. It’s top-tier humor with impeccable comedic timing, while diving into the hardships and emotional turmoil some experience in relationships. Wilde and the writers did a great job balancing the ups and downs to create a well-rounded story that left us surprisingly emotionally touched.
Well worth the money and time invested. Watch this one in theaters.
Josh Jump Scare Count: 0
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Resident Evil by Zach Cregger
Letterboxd Description:
A NEW ERA OF EVIL.
Bryan, a medical courier, is in the process of making a delivery when a sudden outbreak occurs, forcing him to fight for survival.
Okay this might only excite a small percentage of the population, but we need everyone else to get on board. Zach Cregger, the mastermind behind Barbarian and Weapons, is returning to the big screens this Fall with a take on the legendary game series Resident Evil.
Now, that will excite most fans of the game, but Cregger at the helm should excite others who are horror fans. And Austin Abrams should excite EVERYONE ELSE. This dude is amazing on camera, and his character in this trailer seems to be another gem.
So many easter eggs for fans of the game, which are too be expected, but what really looks fun is that Austin’s character is not acting like a movie protagonist - his actions in the trailer are that of a Resident Evil PLAYER. So exciting.
Tune in!
-Eric
Also Directed by Zach Cregger:
Barbarian (2022)
Weapons (2025)
Tune in next week for | Spider-Man: Brand New Day
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