Ivan

🎬 • Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) - 7/10

Don't love as much as I recall, and it's definitely where you feel how big and convoluted these films got, but at the end of the day, Verbinski's touch and sticking the landing is what matters.

The real end, sure. This was a good trilogy.

🎬 • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) - 8/10

Maybe not as tight as it's predecessor, but a pinnacle of what you can do with blockbuster filmmaking. A remarkable achievement in adventure and tension that only makes you more invested.

The CGI is still beautiful, and so is Davy Jones.

🎬 • Goat (2026) - 6/10

Exactly if you allowed the average PlayStation user to make a film. Mostly positive. Wish the story was a lot more interesting than it was, because it can. Basketball scenes are worth the price of an admission.

Never thought I'd see a certain kind of slang in a major film.

🎬 • The Weather Man (2005) - 8/10

Really taken aback by the melancholy of how dramatically great Cage is here. A somber yet compelling story of a man trying to refix his life. The cold atmosphere only adds to the brilliance.

Of course, floating SpongeBob is the best scene. Why did it not send?

🎬 • Scarlet (2025) - 5/10

This film is close to being amazing that it's upsetting it never reaches the full potential it clearly has, but fumbles all over to create a rather middling one.

At least some of the music was novel to see in IMAX? The big letdown of 2025 pictures. Really expected more.

🎬 • Send Help (2026) - 10/10

No matter what premium format I'm seeing it in, Raimi's newest classic just gets to me like no other. Intensely great survival and horror married by some career best acting. The grotesque beauty of a director's eternal brilliance.

Nice shot of how high it aims, Linda.

🎬 • Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) - 9/10

It shouldn't work anywhere as brilliantly and enthralling, but as a swashbuckler with high production value in about every department, it transcends being a crappy ride tie-in.

Such pure cinematic magic. A timeless adventure.

🎬 • The Moment (2026) - 6/10

Always a shame when a film starts to get going and then it ends. Definitely felt the more interesting second half made up for the rather flashy first half, but still not overly in love with the end result.

Sound design was realistically annoying that I kept thinking.

🎬 • The Ring (2002) - 9/10

Really great as a supernatural horror and mystery. Verbinski and Watts keep you on the edge through a wet and isolated sense of carefully crafting what exactly the titular Ring is. Saturated with moisture, but precisely.

More mentions of horses than anything else to do.

🎬 • The Mexican (2001) - 5/10

Half of this film kinda works. Half of it really doesn't. In general, very flimsy at basically any genre it wants to tackle. I never bought the romance, nor action, or the thrills. Not great. Should've been shorter.

Got spooked the most by seeing blonde J.K. Simmons.

🎬 • Mouse Hunt (1997) - 7/10

Very cheeky and expressive, but also flexible in it's comedic and physical value. Solid for Verbinski's debut, one that's as unhinged as what he later did.

Never will you see brothers lose to a mouse the same way these men do. A mouse that rules among all humanity.

There are eight billion humans. Only one is remembering to take names.

#MostPopularMarquee. 2026.3.13.

#FuntasticOCs • A Funtastic Release

🎬 • Iron Lung (2026) - 5/10

Some interesting ideas. Sadly didn't feel there was a lot to sustain a whole feature film beyond the novelty. Just has a lot of meandering and untapped potential that holds back what is not far away from being compelling.

The makeup work is good. So ditto for the sound.

🎬 • The Lego Movie (2014) - 10/10

Remains one of the most inventive and creative animated films ever made. Both a brilliant and embracing look at what Lego represents. It has and will to last forever.

And it took me until this watch to realize there's a Western version of Everything is Awesome.

🎬 • Arco (2025) - 7/10

First half is a little too conventional for my liking, but it's that more enticing and dramatically interesting second half that makes me understand the praise. Works well as the bittersweet fairy tale.

Need I mention that the score was also as moving as those flying scenes?

🎬 • Send Help (2026) - 10/10

Raimi working at full force to present a sick, twisted, and horrific journey in power dynamics and survival. One of the most unpredictable rides you could ask from this director and crew. Love.

Award-worthy McAdams acting. Need I say more than to send help to see it?

Doux (ドゥ)
#TheDaughterOfTheDemonLordIsTooKind • #魔王の娘は優しすぎる

🎬 • Sentimental Value (2025) - 10/10

Revisited this for the Q&A. A lot more of a poetic mediation about family than I remember, but that doesn't make it any less engrossing than it already was.

Everyone attending laughed when the IKEA seat was pointed out. It's all good. Deserves all those awards.

Yoshi (if he was sitting on an egg)
#SuperMario • #スーパーマリオ • #SuperMarioGalaxyMovie • #Mario

🎬 • Send Help (2026) - 10/10

His best since Spider-Man 2. I do not say that lightly. Takes you on one of his most sinister rides ever that mixes everything you love about his sense as an artist and just much more.

Rachel McAdams' Oscar-worthy role is one for the ages. Please see this when you can.

Now seated for...

📺 • You and Idol Precure (2025) - 6/10

Really liked the first half. Has a snazzy understanding of idols. But then the second half kicks and it's not as strong from the constant meandering and the wasted potential that's hard to ignore.

Kinda like it, but don't really love it like I thought it was.

🎬 • The Ugly Stepsister (2025) - 7/10

Like it when a film I'm not expecting to be as visually interesting and trusting to communicate it's story that way does. A perhaps too light sometimes in it's story, but it's very solid.

So cool this was recognized for it's wonderful classy grotesque make-up.

🎬 • The Testament of Ann Lee (2025) - 6/10

I love the Seyfried performance. It has a great theatrical presence. The music is outstanding. Sadly couldn't connect with the story as much as I wanted to. A bit too aimless.

Even then, it's the best Seyfried film of December 2025. It deserved better.

🎬 • Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) - 5/10

On board whenever Raimi is in control. Not so on board when it just feels like a very conventional studio blockbuster with a very messy story and the wasted multiverse potential.

I smiled when I saw the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit lunchbox.

🎬 • Doctor Strange (2016) - 5/10

Watched this to understand the Raimi marathon. A resounding meh. Just the most generic origin story that tells you more about it's ideas than showing them.

At least the visuals are sometimes neat. The lack of Rachel McAdams disturbs me greatly. It's not that good.

🎬 • Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) - 3/10

Starts out okay. Then falls off a cliff into one of the most uninspired, forgettable, surprisingly badly acted blockbusters of it's generation. Almost never once I felt any sort of the magic and wonder it wanted to exhibit.

At least the opening is fine.

📺 • Medalist (2025) - 10/10

A very compelling human drama that happens to be about cute ice skaters. Immerses you into their failures and desires so well that it makes you care. Continues to be as moving as it was.

I will be sad if S2 is anything less than stellar. I love it more than I think so.

🎬 • Dead Man's Wire (2025) - 6/10

Good tension. Interesting premise. Devilish leading performance. Not sure if it fully works for me, but I didn't mind that I saw it. Respect what it does more than I personally like.

Second film this week I've seen with that raindrop song. It always manages to.

🎬 • Drag Me to Hell (2009) - 7/10

Goes hard from a directorial angle. The descent to hellish madness is Raimi working with what he does best. The character of it could've been better, as with the acting of how this does it.

Christine Brown had it coming for eating at Norm's. She sorta always did.