Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025): To be very frank, I struggle to set all the DA movies apart. But what I do know, is that they are very good at generating the same feeling of wholeness and nostalgia, which is what you pay for when you go to watch it in the cinema. All the cast is back and the themes feel very familiar, with the focus on Lady Mary succeeding her father as the true owner of DA. On top of that, she’s got to deal with her divorce, which was not at all something one could easily maneuver around while in good society. The stakes might seem low, but the familiar flow and faces make this a worthy follow-up for series of the show. 7
The Ritual (2017): Hitting your mid 30s does tend to cause the rituals that held friend groups together to fall apart. Well, that’s the basis of this movie by David Bruckner, which stars Rafe Spall, Robert James-Collier, Arsher Ali and Sam Troughton. As said friend group goes off the beaten path, both literally and metaphorically, their friendship is tested by supernatural forces with folk horror tendencies. There are many strong visuals throughout and the story resonates at a deeper level, tapping into common fears and tribulations of adulthood. I don’t think it does quite enough to feel true and particular, but it ends up being a fun little diversion. 7
The Threesome (2025): This is one movie that really can’t find the best way out of a good setup. What makes it frustrating is that there’s a lot of potential left unrealized in what is, anyway, a very decent watch. That’s because even when some of the characters are annoying, it keeps you invested with some heartfelt moments. I won’t spoil the premise, but I’ll just say that this feels like the cliff notes, not the whole story. Director Chad Hartigan and writer Ethan Ogilby avoid most of the real life complexities that would have given this real texture, making it seem a bit like the film-length equivalent of a montage. Thankfully, the acting (Zoey Deutch, Jonah Hauer-King, Ruby Cruz) is strong enough to elevate the highlights, but even though I was strangely taken by the watch, there was a part of me that wanted to trash it for not being more ambitious. I reined it in. 7
Hellraiser (2022): I had this left over from the body horror week, and by a complete coincidence I realized it was directed by David Bruckner, i.e. the guy who did The Ritual. My thoughts on the original Hellraiser weren’t all rosy, but clearly there were some iconic elements that could imaginably be well served by a polish. It’s interesting then what I thought works and what doesn’t. This modern Hellraiser is diligently put together in a way that’s both proficient and bland. The mostly generic cast feels throwaway and at two hours, this one could definitely have been well served by a trim. But then the story does come together decently, the underscoring of addiction, drugs and extreme experiences is neat, and some of the deathly visuals are really sweet. I’m not so sure about the reimagining of the Cenobites, who kind of look like cosplayers, more than they do creatures to haunt your dreams. Still, I think the movie works within the genre, even if it fails to offer a definitive and memorable reimagining of a classic. 6
Splitsville (2025): I can’t imagine this one would have gotten the wide release it did without Dakota Johnson and the hope it might somehow walk the coattails of The Materialists (2025). It makes a slow start, before shaking things up a bit and settling in its own rhythm, as two couples struggle with making their relationships (not) work. Essentially, I guess this riffs on the idea that we can act as enlightened people and accept sexual openness. It takes messy relationships to the next level and has some moments of real levity and warmth. But a lot of the time the movie is just as messy as its characters, and not in a fun way. Not without originality, Splitsville suffers from a lack of real bite, embracing non-conforming conformity instead. 6
tributary stu 