Tony P

Review: I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) (4 out of 5 stars) The 2025 entry of I Know What You Did Last Summer arrives with the glossy sheen of a modern horror update, promising both nostalgia and reinvention. It partially delivers on both fronts, but leans a bit too hard on aesthetic polish over atmospheric dread. The Positives: Standout Performances from New Talent: Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, and Sarah Pidgeon breathe new life into the franchise. Cline brings emotional weight and vulnerability, Wonders adds edge and wit, and Pidgeon balances the group with grounded realism. Together, their chemistry carries the film through some of its weaker narrative moments. A Smart Requel Balance: The movie walks a fine line between reboot and sequel, using the original’s mythology without feeling shackled to it. References to past events feel organic rather than forced, and the new storyline stands on its own without overexplaining. Fans of the original will catch the nods, while newcomers can dive in without homework. Pacing Pays Off in the Second Half: Once the plot begins to move (around the 40-minute mark), the film becomes a tightly-wound thriller. The suspense builds effectively, the kills are stylish and occasionally inventive, and the final act delivers a satisfying payoff. Director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson shows she has a good eye for tension—when she lets the story breathe. The Negatives: Misguided Setting Choices: One of the defining features of the original I Know What You Did Last Summer was its moody, coastal small-town vibe—a setting that created an oppressive sense of isolation and dread. In this version, the director swaps fog-drenched docks and winding roads for sun-drenched hills and minimalist modern homes, fully leaning into an L.A. aesthetic that undercuts the suspense. Everything is too polished, too Instagram-friendly. The horror feels like it’s happening in a luxury AirBnB rather than a town haunted by buried secrets. The choice feels deliberate, but misguided—more interested in fashion than fear. Wasted Use of Legacy Cast: Fans expecting meaningful returns from original stars like Jennifer Love Hewitt or Freddie Prinze Jr. will likely be disappointed. Their cameos are brief and mostly surface-level, used more for marketing than narrative weight. There's little emotional resonance, no real reckoning with the past, and their scenes could have easily been cut with no real consequence to the plot. Sarah Michelle's cameo role was perfect. A Slow and Shaky First Act: The film takes its time establishing its new characters and mystery, but the pacing feels disjointed. The first 30 minutes drag with shallow drama, filler dialogue, and too many party scenes that do little to build dread. When the horror does finally kick in, it feels like a different movie. While the back half is stronger, many viewers may be turned off by the sluggish start. Final Verdict: I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) gets credit for trying to modernize a classic without rebooting it completely. With strong performances and a tense back half, it's far from a failure—but the overly sleek LA aesthetic and a weak first act keep it from becoming the revival fans were hoping for. Stylish and self-aware, but lacking the eerie soul of the original.

Review of Together (2025) ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ Together is a film that walks a fine line between emotional depth and thematic ambition but ultimately stumbles due to some frustrating execution. That said, it’s not without its strengths. The Positives: First and foremost, the setting is a standout—evocative and immersive, it adds a moody atmosphere that grounds the film’s heavier themes in a tangible, visually compelling space. The "cemetery of leads" concept is equally intriguing: a symbolic and literal resting place of discarded possibilities, failed futures, and alternate paths—it's one of the most creatively unsettling metaphors seen on screen this year. Lastly, the core themes of memory, loss, and existential connection are handled with surprising sensitivity, making the film resonate emotionally even when it falters structurally. The Negatives: Unfortunately, Together suffers from uneven pacing. The first act drags with heavy exposition, while the finale rushes through what should have been its most meaningful revelations. The villain also falls flat—predictable from the moment they’re introduced, lacking nuance or complexity, and ultimately failing to deliver a satisfying counterweight to the protagonists. Perhaps most frustratingly, the trailers gave away far too much. Key scenes and twists were spoiled, which severely undercut the impact of several story beats that would have been more powerful if left to unfold naturally. Overall, Together is worth watching for its ambition and a few truly unique ideas, but it's best enjoyed with tempered expectations—and preferably without having watched the trailers first.

Smurfs = Solid Good funny popcorn fun. Silly at times but fun

Excellent... Eerie and stellar performance from Dakota Fanning. Twists were good as well.

Surprise of Spring 2022! Ambulance was the perfect Michael Bay Film. Perfect popcorn movie !! The cast was superb !! Michael Bay Delivers !!! 5/5

WandaVision 2 of Madness was Nice. Loved the Special Effects. Olsen carried the film. Strong performance.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) (+ ) Cool Creatures in the film. Mads Mikkelsen did a great job giving his take on Grindelwald. Added a great dimension to the character. Potter World Building was best in Fantastic Series (- ) Too Much comedy at times was distracting Ezra Miller's casting felt off. Hope they explore more of Jude Law's Dumbledore in future films. Director left audience wanting to know more about Dumbledore's than were they started which was weird. Overall, Very Good 4/5