Dream Log

THE FURIOUS
2026 | Dir. Kenji Tanigaki | 113 Minutes
5 out of 5
While the plot swerves into absurd territory, particularly in how it catapults the primary antagonist into action ahead of the final act, this is one of those paradigm-shifting martial arts films that comes along only once in a decade or so. Inventive, brutal, and brilliantly-crafted, the fight scenes are truly some of the most spectacular ever conceived. Xie Miao channels Jet Li both in physical prowess and emotional intensity, Joe Taslim should really be a household name for action movie fans by now, and Brian Le simply steals the show as a hulking unrelenting wild card.
 

DISCLOSURE DAY

2026 | Dir. Steven Spielberg | 146 Minutes

4 out of 5

Spielberg delivers a taut sci-fi thriller demonstrating he's still one of the very best at what he does: telling heartfelt stories imbued with wonder and mystery and staging action sequences full of tension. David Koepp's script is somewhat middling but serviceable as a binding agent for some great scenes tailored to Spielberg's strengths. Showing off her incredible versatility, Emily Blunt gives arguably the best performance of her career to date.

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE

2026 | Dir. Travis Knight | 141 Minutes

3 out of 5

As packed with empty calories as a big bowl of sugary 1980s breakfast cereal. This years-in-development live action He-Man movie do-over amounts to vibrant design work and fun action sequences stitched together by a least-effort-necessary screenplay with just a sprinkling of weirdness to keep things interesting. The casting is spot-on, Alison Brie in particular really understood the assignment and I wouldn't be mad if Jared Leto only plays Skeletor from now on.

BACKROOMS
2026 | Dir. Kane Parsons | 110 Minutes
4 out of 5
As atmospheric, fascinating, deeply eerie, and occasionally inscrutable as the web series that spawned it, young Kane Parsons' cinematic expansion of his inspired take on the Backrooms creepypasta is an exceptionally fun and engaging experience. While the picture is not as creatively ambitious as some of the more mind-boggling internet installments of Parsons' narrative, it greatly benefits from Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve going all-in on their performances as a disgruntled furniture salesman and his troubled therapist struggling in liminal spaces of their own making to bring the metaphor full-circle.

 

I LOVE BOOSTERS

2026 | Dir. Boots Riley | 105 Minutes

5 out of 5

A wild blend of fashion, social commentary, and philosophical musings manifest through bonkers sci-fi concepts, Boots Riley's second feature doubles down on genre storytelling hilarity and advocacy for workers' rights. It's an utterly unpredictable ride that's consistently engaging and incredibly funny, its pace kicking into overdrive around the halfway point. Keke Palmer, Naomi Ackie, and Taylour Paige are so much fun as the core trio, while Poppy Liu, Eiza González, LaKeith Stanfield, and Demi Moore also deliver memorable performances.

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)

Affeksjonsverdi (Sentimental Value)

AFFEKSJONSVERDI (SENTIMENTAL VALUE)
2025 | Dir. Joachim Trier | 133 Minutes

"It's hard to love someone who's so full of rage."

After years of estrangement, Nora and Agnes' accomplished film director father Gustav re-enters their lives in hopes of salvaging his relationship with them. While Agnes is keen on reconnecting Gustav, Nora is decidedly not despite Gustav's plan to cast her in lead part for his latest film.

Joachim Trier's Sentimental Value is an artfully understated drama that presents a grounded perspective on familial trauma and the difficult process of reconciliation. Featuring central characters gifted in artistic expression, how the film depicts the different ways Nora and Gustav seek catharsis through creative endeavors is fascinating, but the central conflict stemming from the tension between daughter and estranged father is portrayed in the form of consistent passive aggressive barbs rather than the melodramatic altercations one might expect. Instead, the feature's most cinematic moments are in its brief interludes exploring the history of the family home and all of the emotions contained within its walls over the years.

Sentimental Value also offers sharp commentary on the state of the film industry. Trier is quite frank about how difficult it is for even a renowned Norwegian movie director to get a passion project off the ground, having to rely on the clout of a major movie star, having to shoot the film in English, and most likely having to forgo theatrical exhibition to secure distribution from a certain streaming juggernaut. The challenges of the production run parallel to Gustav's struggle to connect with Nora and, perhaps more directly, process his conflicted feelings left unspoken about his late mother as the film he is making is about her as much as it about his relationship with Nora.

The greatest strength of Sentimental Value is Renate Reinsve's superb natural performance as the complex Nora. Reinsve is phenomenally nuanced in the role, fully embodying a conflicted woman in such dire need of emotional release that her continued retention of resentment against her father threatens to destroy her through figurative steady corrosion - her crippling stage fright despite her talent as an actress, her self-sabotage in the form of pursuing a relationship with a romantic partner who is clearly unavailable, and her depression almost casually revealed to be potentially suicidal late in the picture though it hardly comes as a shock. Stellan Skarsgård as also excellent as Gustav, an ostensibly charming man harboring a deep well of pain who only seems to know how to bond with his loved ones through his love of film however misguided, whether it's casting his daughters in his movies or gifting his 8-year-old grandson DVDs of erotic dramas. The cast also features an affecting performance from Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas as Nora's deeply empathetic sister Agnes and a convincingly earnest Elle Fanning as famous American actress Rachel Kemp who quickly realizes Gustav's plan to have her fill in for Nora is more demanding than she realized.

Sentimental Value is a quiet drama that takes its audience down the long road to understanding and forgiveness without much in the way of artifice. While it isn't the flashiest picture in terms of spectacle or big dramatic swings, it is nonetheless a sobering look at the damage that can be done by festering bitterness. Renate Reinsve is truly stunning in the lead role.


FRAGMENTS
- 2026 Best Picture Academy Award Nominee Hamnet also depicts the pursuit of personal catharsis specifically through theatrical artistic expression

- I can't hear that "Dies Irae" section of "Symphonie Fantastique" without immediately associating it with Stanley Kubrick's The Shining

- This film honestly did not resonate with me as much as I think it should -- I wonder if I'll grow to appreciate it more in time

- Seriously, imagine watching The Piano Teacher and Irreversible at 8 years old, hilarious


007 CONNECTIONS
- Jesper Christensen (Mr. White in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and Spectre)


MCU CONNECTIONS
- Stellan Skarsgård (Erik Selvig in Thor, The Avengers, Thor: The Dark World, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Thor: Love and Thunder)