Dream Log

I PLAY ROCKY

2026 | Dir. Peter Farrelly | 128 Minutes

4 out of 5

An inspirational crowd-pleaser of a picture chronicling the rough-and-tumble making of an inspirational crowd-pleaser of a picture, while it may not be exactly revelatory for diehard fans of Sylvester Stallone's breakout film, it's a well-paced, frequently funny, and emotionally engaging underdog story that's very easy to get behind. The second half of the narrative covering the remarkably challenging production of Rocky is where this feature is at its best, the stakes feel real and knowing how it ends actually makes it more fun. Anthony Ippolito is exceptional as struggling 70s era Stallone, delivering a well-rounded performance that goes beyond his uncanny resemblance to Sly.

GODZILLA MINUS ZERO
2026 | Dir. Takashi Yamazaki | 135 Minutes
5 out of 5
About as perfect a direct sequel to Godzilla Minus One as it can possibly be, Takashi Yamazaki delivers a bigger scale, more thrilling, even more emotionally harrowing kaiju picture that has more on its mind than giant atomic monster mayhem (although there's a whole lot of that, too). With the strongest, most compelling human story of any Godzilla feature to date, the narrative thoughtfully questions how much an individual is willing to put on the line for a chance at securing the safety of the next generation, a predicament made even tougher for its central characters who have already been through so much. Improving upon the Oscar-winning visual effects of the previous film, this one delivers enormous spectacle that's out of this world. 

WILDWOOD

2026 | Dir. Travis Knight | 130 Minutes

5 out of 5

An honest-to-goodnesss epic fantasy masterpiece, thematically rich and visually magnificent. This splendid adaptation of Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis' novel presents the type of all-ages narrative that doesn't pull its punches in depicting the dark misfortunes of life, asking its audience to discern the difference between the time to let go and the time to fight. It's director Travis Knight and stop-motion animation studio Laika's finest feature to date, offering up a mind-blowing level of craftsmanship and technical wizardry to deliver some incredible cinematic imagery. Also, it just makes me want to move to Portland, Oregon.

CLAYFACE

2026 | Dir. James Watkins | 109 Minutes

5 out of 5

An R-rated character-driven gnarly horror picture that doubles as a tragic supervillain origin story. The feature impressively weaves a remarkably emotionally accessible narrative without skimping on the aspects that make the titular monster both a physical and psychological abomination. Stars Tom Rhys Harries and Naomi Ackie deliver engaging performances, keeping the fantastical premise relatively grounded and thoroughly compelling.

STREET FIGHTER

2026 | Dir. Kitao Sakurai | 125 Minutes

4 out of 5

Perhaps the most delightful surprise for viewers may be that interwoven within this relentlessly goofy self-referential fan-service-fueled action comedy re-adaptation of Capcom's premiere fighting game franchise is a pretty decent anime film courtesy of animation house Titmouse. As a whole, the plot of the picture is purely nonsensical, but frankly so is source material, and at least these takes on the iconic World Warriors are true enough in spirit to their coin-op pixel counterparts. The main draw is the fun over-the-top physics-defying fisticuffs, and there's plenty of that, though some of the fight sequences could have lasted longer with less choppy editing. Extra star for the presence of Yoko Shimomura's Character Select theme, ever tricking my brain to sense the smell of greasy fresh-baked pizza.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY
2026 | Dir. Destin Daniel Cretton | 145 Minutes

"People like us don't get to live a normal life. We don't get to have friends or a family. Those people are gone. That life is over. So why don't you just be honest with yourself? Are you Peter Parker, or are you Spider-Man?"

 

 

Erased from the minds of his loved ones, Peter Parker spends years in virtual seclusion dedicated to protecting the streets of New York City as Spider-Man, reluctant to build new relationships. Peter's world is once again turned upside down when a mysterious new threat with bizarre abilities attacks his allies in the Department of Damage Control, while his powers go haywire after suffering unexpected emotional devastation.

Following the multiversal upheaval of No Way Home, director Destin Daniel Cretton and writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers deftly weave an intricate story in Spider-Man: Brand New Day that is fully immersed in the angst of being Peter Parker. For all of its high-flying comic book style action, the central conflict of the film is an internal one, the friendly neighborhood hero struggling with the dichotomy of his Spider-Man persona, prioritizing his sense of duty, over his Peter Parker persona, withholding long overdue self-care in a state of self-imposed isolation. The various misfortunes that Peter suffers throughout the narrative, horrifyingly made manifest by the arachnid aspects of his altered DNA overtaking his humanity, are directly attributed to his hesitation to reconnect with his girlfriend, his best friend, and to forge any new relationships whatsoever. Peter awkwardly sidesteps a neighbor who shows interest in him, casually brushes off his police detective pseudo-workmate's attempts to get to know him better, and New Avenger Yelena Belova even openly calls him out for his obvious loneliness. This conflict is accentuated by various dramatic foils to Peter in the form of Frank Castle who embraces his homicidal vigilante Punisher persona, Bruce Banner who carefully suppresses his Hulk persona with technological assistance, and Jean Grey who furiously abandons all hope for meaningful connection in her battle against persecution for being a mutant. The vicarious feeling of triumph delivered so well by the picture is particularly uplifting when Peter Parker attains balance and closure, as his deep capacity for compassion wins out, allowing him to restore some semblance of humanity to Frank, as well as some sorely needed empathy to Jean.

The action direction for Brand New Day surpasses all previous live action Spider-Man films. The web swinging sequences are incredibly dynamic and entertainingly immersive, even more so for the scenes with the added wrinkle of Peter clumsily having to learn how to use organic web-shooters on the fly. Elevated to the stratosphere courtesy of contributions from the legendary Jackie Chan Stunt Team, the fight scenes featuring Spidey facing off against Scorpion, Hulk, and the Hand are choreographed with ingenious grace and whimsy. For more blatant visual effects, Jean's psychic powers are made to look as practical as possible when her consciousness jolts from one host to the next, and while the illusion of grounded practicality goes out the window in the showstopping finale with Jean freezing a large portion New York City denizens in their tracks for miles within her radius, the presentation is executed with more subtle visual flair than the average summer blockbuster. Also of note is Michael Giacchino's brilliant musical score, bringing back his memorable Spider-Man theme with the clever twist of noticeably paring it down and dialing it back to represent Peter's new tortuously solitary status quo.

In his seventh appearance as Peter Parker, Tom Holland is genuinely better in the role than ever, exuding quiet soulfulness, playful mischievousness, or seething rage appropriate to the wild places the story goes. Zendaya continues to give MJ a grounded down-to-earth quality with a just pinch of amusing paranoia. Needless to say, the chemistry between Holland and Zendaya is off the charts, which makes the impossibility of Peter and MJ rekindling their romance all the more tragic. Playing a fresh take on Jean Grey as the primary antagonist of the picture, Sadie Sink is captivating, giving a rather moving performance. The supporting cast features Liza Colón-Zayas as Peter's warm confidant NYPD Detective Jean DeWolff, Jon Bernthal bringing his Punisher Frank Castle to the big screen with a noticeably softer take, Jacob Batalon as Ned adorably obsessed with Spider-Man as ever, Tramell Tillman as the sly Damage Control boss Bill Metzger, Michael Mando returning as Scorpion Mac Gargan for several battles against Spidey, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner serving as both an inspiration to Peter and his alter ego Hulk as an unexpected opponent, Florence Pugh as hilariously brutality honest Black Widow Yelena Belova, and Marisa Tomei playing a small but key role as the Aunt May in Peter's memories.

Extending Tom Holland's excellent tenure as Peter Parker, Brand New Day is a quintessential Spider-Man film, truly one of the very best, doing an exemplary job of conveying everything that makes the friendly neighborhood web-slinger such a compelling and relatable hero. With so much heart and style, Destin Daniel Cretton digs into the very core of what the struggle of being Spider-Man is all about while also delivering thrilling and inventive action. The picture also strikes the ideal balance of telling its own poignant character-driven story while playing in and building upon the shared Marvel Cinematic Universe sandbox in significant meaningful ways.


POST-CREDITS STINGER
New Spider-Man sighting. Location: Unknown.


FRAGMENTS
- It's a nice bit of MCU continuity for Zabryna Guevara's Sheila Rivera from the Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again to cameo as the mayor, but it's a slight letdown in that they were never going to make even a passing reference to the events of that show despite the political cataclysm that put a stranglehold on masked vigilantes like Spider-Man in the shared New York City setting

- I adore Liza Colón-Zayas on The Bear, really appreciate how she has a significant part to play in this movie

- On my first viewing, the V-Max red herring of a MacGuffin had my mind racing, it had me seriously wondering if Damage Control somehow subjugated Wanda Maximoff, but the reveal turned out to be truly heartbreaking

- Similarly, I was really hoping the rumors surrounding Sadie Sink's casting as Jean Grey were false because it seemed totally out-of-place for such a prominent X-Men character to be introduced in a Spider-Man sequel, but it absolutely works for me within the context of this story

- Tom Holland and Jon Bernthal also appear together in 2017's Pilgrimage

- Tom Holland, Jon Bernthal, and Zendaya also appear together in Christopher Nolan's 2026 take on The Odyssey

- Zendaya and Florence Pugh also star in Dune: Part Two and Dune: Part Three

- Marvin Jones III makes a cameo appearance as the villain Tombstone, previously providing the voice for character in Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

Toy Story 5

TOY STORY 5
2026 | Dir. Andrew Stanton | 102 Minutes

"Toys are for play, and play is how she'll find the right friend!"

 

Hoping it will help Bonnie overcome her shyness and make new friends, her parents gift her an electronic Lilypad tablet designed for children. However, Bonnie's favorite toy Jessie and Lily are immediately at odds over what is best of Bonnie. As Bonnie's feeling of loneliness and alienation worsen, Jessie must confront her own trauma on her quest to help Bonnie.

Pixar further extends their premier Toy Story film series and centers the spotlight on Jessie in this fifth installment, addressing her trauma from abandonment head-on and allowing her to fully process it when her mission to help the socially awkward young Bonnie make friends with other children unexpectedly forces Jessie to return to her first home. The picture also examines the ever-changing landscape of electronic technology for kids, questioning the very definition of what it means to be a toy. While it would have been easy for filmmakers Andrew Stanton and Kenna Harris to completely demonize the use of tablets and phones, true to the thoughtfulness present in the best Pixar films, the narrative instead illustrates how electronic and non-electronic toys may play well together while stressing the importance of moderation. Where Toy Story 5 falters as a completely satisfying experience is in its occasionally stagnant pacing, with a large portion of the feature primary taking place at the ranch where Jessie is stuck, plus not exactly helping is the overall dourness in tone that permeates through the dual storylines of Jessie and the others toys' desperation to stave off obsolescence and little Bonnie's struggles with alienation and isolation as other kids her age mock her online for still playing with toys. Fortunately, a electronic potty training aid played by Conan O'Brien brings a ton of laughs, and an extended subplot involving a roving legion of high-tech Buzz Lightyears from a lost shipping container, though giving off the impression that it might as well be another film entirely, is both fascinating and very amusing.

Visually, the biggest highlights of Toy Story 5 are the imaginative and highly-stylized play sequences. Shifting to an appealing storybook aesthetic, these scenes significantly elevate the film while presenting and embellishing murder mystery, espionage, and soap opera genre tropes through the eyes of children. The scenes featuring the squadron of Buzzes are also very impressive. In particular, the moment the Buzzes receive their software update and gain drone capabilities is incredibly fun.

Joan Cusack as Jessie is the beating heart of Toy Story 5, capably taking on the lead role in this installment and hitting a wide range of emotions spot-on. Playing Buzz Lightyear, as well as fifty fresh-out-of-the-packing Buzz Lightyears, Tim Allen seamlessly reprises the role he's voiced for over thirty years as if he's never stepped out of the recording booth. Tom Hanks' Woody is a welcome presence for the sake of continuity if nothing else, though the cowboy's role in this particular story is decidedly inessential. Greta Lee really plays up the condescending tone of the tablet Lily until the plot takes an intriguing turn just before the final act, allowing her to demonstrate a good deal of nuance. The cast also features Scarlett Spears as the painfully insecure Bonnie, Mykal-Michelle Harris as Blaze - the spirited new kid in Jessie's first home, and Conan O'Brien dialing up his silly brand of comedy to the max as the Smarty Pants device.

Toy Story 5 exudes all of the heart and charm of the previous installments of Pixar's flagship film series, but its narrative momentum never quite picks up and lifts off to the heights of its predecessors. While the picture explores ideas regarding the nature of electronic devices and the impact screen time has on young children with a high level of sophistication, main characters Jessie and Bonnie are left stranded in intensely negative emotions for much of the story, making it a rather tough watch for much of its runtime. It's a good Toy Story film, well worth watching for those who are invested in its characters, but it may be a harder sell for everyone else.


MID-CREDITS STINGER
The legion of Buzz Lightyears land on a schoolyard of grateful children.


JOHN RATZENBERGER AS...
- Hamm the piggy bank


PIXAR INTERCONNECTIVITY
- As Jessie and her posse ride down a stretch of road to rescue Lily, the entire group pauses for a Pizza Planet truck zooming towards them


FRAGMENTS
- The voices of Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, and Carl Weathers are sorely missed

- Appropriate to Toy Story 5 being a Jessie-centric film, Randy Newman's score heavily references Sarah McLachlan's "When She Loved Me" from Toy Story 2, which is still far more memorable than Taylor Swift's widely-publicized single "I Knew It, I Knew You" that plays at the top of the end credits

Train Dreams

TRAIN DREAMS
2025 | Dir. Clint Bentley | 102 Minutes

"This world is intricately stitched together, boys. Every thread we pull, we know not how it affects the design of things."

In early 20th century America, laborer Robert Grainier experiences love and loss as time marches relentlessly forward.

Adapted from Denis Johnson's 2011 novella of the same name, Clint Bentley's Train Dreams tells what is ostensibly the simple life story of an American workman at the dawn of the 20th century from his birth to his eventual passing, but it does so by delicately transporting the viewer through a meditative and exceptionally poignant journey. The film offers a wealth of insight into protagonist Robert Grainier's psyche not only through the voice of an omniscient third-person narrator applied rather skillfully but also through glimpses into Grainier's haunting dreams. While Grainier is a man of few words, the feature does an outstanding job of turning his joys, fears, and aspirations into the audience's own. As Grainier's understanding of his place in the grand scheme of nature is gradually influenced by the people in his life, arguably the viewer by extension attains a bit of existential perspective as well.

Filmed in the forests of Washington state in a 3:2 aspect ratio to evoke a sense of nostalgia, the look of the feature is visually striking, immersing viewers in the lush majestic greenery of the natural world juxtaposed against humanity's relentless industrial progress. It's all the more devastating when the land is set ablaze at the midway point of the narrative, bathing the picture in shadow and flame as Grainier plunges into despair. The film depicts Grainier's dreams in an appropriately surreal manner, populated with fleeting visions of his murdered Chinese workmate and, eventually, the wife and daughter he lost.

Joel Edgerton is perfectly cast as Grainier, believably rugged but gentle exuding a deep well of emotion, totally captivating as his performance alone carries the film for long stretches at a time. As Grainier's wife, Felicity Jones is lovely, effortlessly portraying a capable woman with an inner world of her own. In a small but memorable part, William H. Macy is absolutely convincing as a veteran explosives expert with the wisdom and respect for the environment that comes with years of experience in the wilderness. The supporting cast also features Nathaniel Arcand as a kindly storekeeper who cares for Grainier in his most desperate time of need and Kerry Condon as a forestry services worker who befriends Grainier later in his life.

Train Dreams is a soulful meditation on life, nature, love, and loss. While the story of Robert Grainier plays out on a relatively small scale, the film makes a solid case is both universally relatable and remarkably profound. The picture is a visually and emotionally satisfying cinematic experience.


FRAGMENTS
-  Will Patton who previously narrated the audio book of the original novella provides the voice over for this film adaptation

- Kerry Condon also appears in 2026 Best Picture Academy Award Nominee F1


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Kerry Condon (FRIDAY in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame)

Sinners

SINNERS
2025 | Dir. Ryan Coogler | 138 Minutes

"Blues wasn't forced on us like that religion. Nah, son, we brought this with us from home. It's magic, what we do. It's sacred, and big."

Sharecropper and dutiful son of a preacher, young Sammie Moore longs to leave his plantation to be a traveling musician. One fateful night, Sammie discovers the full unexpectedly supernatural extent of his talent.

Ryan Coogler's Sinners is a monumental work of art. Filled with drama, music, romance, action, and buckets of blood, the picture is a superbly entertaining crowd-pleaser. Beyond its value as a widely accessible and all-around excellent genre film, the feature also serves as a sobering examination of the existential fears people of color experience in America that are as relevant in the early 20th century as they are today. Depicting the thinly veiled hatred of bigots who don't even bother to lie convincingly, the insidious threat of cultural appropriation and subsequent absorption, and the importance of finding and holding onto moments of joy especially in the face of adversity, Sinners skillfully weaves a story that encompasses a prevalent aspect of the American experience with poignancy, earnestness, and emotional resonance.

Perhaps more than the immersive production design by Hannah Beachler that transports the audience to rural 1930s  Clarksdale, Mississippi or exceptional visual effects work that convincingly duplicates the picture's lead actor, the genre-traversing musical score courtesy of constant Ryan Coogler collaborator Ludwig Göransson is nothing short of integral to Sinners. The sound of blues accompanies the heroes of the picture, while the vampires introduce elements of Irish folk music, gothic-horror-coded organ, and even heavy metal into the eclectic soundscape. Göransson's audacious soundtrack is always in service the plot, made abundantly apparent in the central set piece of the feature, worth the price of admission alone, in which the impressionable young musical savant performs his signature song and literally summons spirits from the past and future as the blues tune is infused with the sounds of rock, hip hop, West African drum beats, and even Chinese opera.

Michael B. Jordan is simply perfect as both the lethally no-nonsense Smoke and the wild hot-headed Stack, personifying the duality of zero compromise and foolhardy recklessness in the day-to-day struggle to survive. Hailee Steinfeld and Wunmi Mosaku both share electric onscreen chemistry with Jordan, emotionally powerful halves of two vastly different tragic romances. The picture's breakout star Miles Caton is absolutely engaging as Sammie, naturally charismatic in a memorable cinematic debut, and his voice is out of this world. Stealing all of his scenes, Delroy Lindo brings both hilarious comedic timing and pathos as veteran bluesman Delta Slim. Jack O'Connell makes for a compelling villain as the vampire Remmick, giving the fiend outstanding layers of depth. The supporting cast also features superb performances from Li Jun Li, and Jayme Lawson, and Omar Benson Miller.

Sinners is an unequivocal milestone for American cinema. The picture functions beautifully as a breathtaking celebration of the transportational power of music, as a stirring Prohibition-era drama set in the perilous cotton field hellscape of Jim Crow Mississippi, and as a mercilessly gruesome vampire movie authentically rooted in folklore. It vividly illustrates the struggle of American minorities against the myriad forces of oppression, whether it takes the form of overt violent bigotry or the insidious lure of cultural assimilation.


MID-CREDITS STINGER
In 1992, Sammie receives a pair of unexpected visitors.


POST-CREDITS STINGER
Sammie practices playing and singing "This Little Light of Mine" in his father's church.


FRAGMENTS
- This marks actor Michael B. Jordan and composer Ludwig Göransson's fifth consecutive collaboration with director Ryan Coogler

- Ruth E. Carter designed some of the featured period costumes for Marvel Studios' troubled production of Blade

- The "I Lied to You" sequence is instantly one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history, and as a Chinese American, I could not be more surprised and thrilled to see Chinese opera represented among the spirits including a brief but prominent appearance from Monkey King Sun Wukong

- Conversely, Jack O'Connell's Mandarin is disappointingly atrocious

- The manner in which Smoke goes out in a blaze of glory taking out the Klansman reminds me of the finale of Cowboy Bebop

- Seeing Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld in early 90s fashion is incredibly amusing


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Michael B. Jordan (N'Jadaka/Erik "Killmonger" Stevens in Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

- Hailee Steinfeld (Kate Bishop in The Marvels)

- Wunmi Mosaku (B-15 in Deadpool & Wolverine)