Category: A24 Movies

• The Invite and I Want Your Sex: Olivia Wilde’s Year of Wanting

  

  Olivia Wilde is having one of the most interesting years of any actor in 2026 — not because of box office numbers, but because of range. In The Invite, which she also directs, Wilde plays a sexually starved wife whose marriage cracks open the night her upstairs neighbors come to dinner. In I Want Your…

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  August 18, 2026

  2026 Movie Reviews, A24 Movies, Comedy, Drama, Entertainment, Film, Film Reviews, Independent Film, Movie Analysis, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Women Directors

  2026 Films, 2026 Movies, A24, Black Bear Pictures, Charli XCX, Chase Sui Wonders, Cooper Hoffman, Daveed Diggs, Edward Norton, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Gregg Araki, I Want Your Sex, Mason Gooding, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, New Movie Releases 2026, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz, Rashida Jones, Seth Rogen, Sundance 2026, The Invite

• Backrooms Review: Kane Pixels Brings the Internet’s Most Unsettling Universe to the Big Screen

  

  At just 20 years old, Kane Parsons — known online as Kane Pixels — has delivered one of the most anticipated horror films of 2026, and A24’s biggest opening weekend in the studio’s history. Backrooms, the feature film adaptation of Parsons’ viral YouTube series, arrives with the weight of enormous expectation and an internet fandom…

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  June 1, 2026

  2026 Movie Reviews, A24 Movies, Entertainment, Film, Film Reviews, Horror, Independent Film, Movie Analysis, Psychological Drama, Sci-Fi

  2026 Films, 2026 Horror, 2026 Movies, 818 Lens, A24, A24 Horror, Analog Horror, Backrooms, Backrooms 2026, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Film Analysis, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Horror, Horror Cinema, Horror Films, Horror Movies 2026, Independent Cinema, Independent Film, Independent Horror, Indie Directors, Indie Film, Indie Films, Indie Horror, Kane Parsons, Kane Pixels, Mark Duplass, Movie Analysis, Movie Recap, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, New Horror Films, Psychological Horror, Renate Reinsve, Sci-Fi Horror, Will Soodik

• Parallel Tales: How “The Drama” and “Our Hero, Balthazar” Use Dark Comedy to Confront America’s Gun Violence Crisis

  

  In the same season, two films independently chose America’s gun violence epidemic as their narrative catalyst — one a dark romantic comedy starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, the other a debut feature about performative activism and male loneliness. “The Drama” and “Our Hero, Balthazar” couldn’t be more different in tone and approach, yet together they…

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  May 4, 2026

  2026 Movie Reviews, A24 Movies, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Drama, Entertainment, Film, Film Reviews, Independent Film, Movie Analysis, Psychological Drama

  2026 Films, 2026 Movies, A24, Asa Butterfield, Comparative Review, Dark Comedy, Drama, Film Analysis, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Gun Violence, Independent Cinema, Independent Film, Indie Film, Indie Films, Jaeden Martell, Kristoffer Borgli, Movie Analysis, Movie Recap, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movie Themes, Movie Thoughts, New Movie Releases 2026, Oscar Boyson, Our Hero Balthazar, Picturehouse, Robert Pattinson, Satire, The Drama, Zendaya

• 5 Film Reviews: From Indie Drama to Horror Chaos and Blockbuster Spectacle

  

  A quick catch-up on five recent films spanning indie drama, documentary storytelling, horror spectacle, and blockbuster franchise filmmaking. From intimate character studies to chaotic genre thrills and nostalgic IP-driven entertainment, this roundup explores the range of tones and styles shaping today’s cinematic landscape.

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  April 6, 2026

  2026 Movie Reviews, A24 Movies, Action, Animation, Comedy, Dark Comedy, Documentary, Drama, Entertainment, Film, Film Reviews, Horror, Independent Film, Movie Analysis, Queer Cinema, Thriller, Women Directors

  2026 Films, 2026 Horror, 2026 Movies, A24, A24 Movies, Alexandra Shipp, André is an Idiot, André Ricciardi, Anya Taylor-Joy, Brie Larson, Chris Pratt, Demi Lovato, Female Directors, Female Empowerment in FIlm, Female Filmmakers, Female Protagonists, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Forbidden Fruits, Glen Powell, Horror Movies 2026, Independent Film, Independent Film Company, Indie Film, Indie Films, Jack Black, Kirill Sokolov, Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Meredith Alloway, Movie Recap, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, Movie Reviews, Movie Sequels, Myha’la, New Movie Releases 2026, Nintendo, Nostalgia in Film, Octavia Spencer, Patricia Arquette, Roadside Attractions, Rose Byrne, Shudder, Stephanie Laing, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, They Will Kill You, Tony Benna, Tow (2025), Universal Pictures, Victora Pedretti, Warner Bros. Pictures, Women in Film, Zazie Beetz

• undertone Review: A24’s Debut Horror Is a Masterclass in Sound, Dread, and Guilt

  

  Podcasts, paranoia, and a demon drawn from ancient folklore — Ian Tuason’s undertone is a masterfully controlled debut that uses sound, silence, and negative space to excavate grief, guilt, and the fear of becoming your mother. A24 knew exactly what they were acquiring. Here’s the full review.

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  March 24, 2026

  2026 Movie Reviews, A24 Movies, Entertainment, Film, Film Reviews, Horror, Independent Film

  2026 Films, 2026 Horror, 2026 Movies, A24, A24 Horror, Abyzou, Adam DiMarco, Black Fawn Films, Canadian Horror, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Ian Tuason, Independent Cinema, Independent Film, Independent Horror, Indie Film, Indie Horror, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, New Movie Releases 2026, Nina Kiri, Paranormal Horror, undertone, undertone 2026

• Oscars 2026: Politics, Horror Breakthroughs, and the Night Hollywood Finally Changed

  

  The 2026 Oscars delivered historic wins, long-overdue recognition, and a surprising embrace of genre filmmaking. From Paul Thomas Anderson’s Best Picture triumph for One Battle After Another to Ryan Coogler’s groundbreaking success with Sinners, the ceremony reflected a changing Hollywood—one increasingly shaped by political storytelling, horror innovation, and new voices.

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  March 16, 2026

  2025 Movies, A24 Movies, Awards Season, Entertainment, Film, Women Directors

  2025 Films, 2025 Movies, 2026 Oscars, 98th Academy Awards, Amanda Seyfried, Amy Madigan, Andy Jurgensen, Autumn Durald Arkapaw, Avatar: Fire and Ash, Awards Season, Awards Season 2026, Best Films of 2025, Cassandra Kulukundis, Chase Infiniti, Chloé Zhao, Die My Love, F1, Frankenstein, Frankenstein (2025), Hamnet, It Was Just an Accident, Jennifer Lawrence, Jesse Plemons, Jessie Buckley, Kpop Demon Hunters, Ludwig Göransson, Michael B. Jordan, New Movie Releases 2025, No Other Choice, One Battle After Another, Paul Thomas Anderson, Ryan Coogler, Sinners, Sorry Baby, The Testament of Ann Lee, Weapons

• Pillion (2025) Review: Harry Lighton’s Tender, Unorthodox Love Story About Power, Desire, and Self-Discovery

  

  In Pillion (2025), director Harry Lighton explores queer love, power dynamics, and self-discovery within the world of a modern BDSM biker community. Anchored by performances from Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård, this unorthodox romance challenges expectations of intimacy, consent, and emotional growth.

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  February 12, 2026

  2025 Movie Reviews, 2026 Movie Reviews, A24 Movies, Entertainment, Film Reviews, Independent Film, Queer Cinema, Romantic Comedy

  2025 Films, 2025 Movies, 2026 Films, 2026 Movies, Alexander Skarsgård, BDSM film, British Film, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Harry Lighton, Harry Melling, LGBTQ cinema, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, New Movie Releases 2025, New Movie Releases 2026, Pillion, Queer Cinema, Queer Love Stories

• Top 30 Films of 2025: A Year Defined by Risk, Reckoning, and Reinvention

  

  A personal ranking of the 30 films that defined my 2025 — shaped by risk-taking, reinvention, and moral reckoning. From intimate character studies to bold genre experiments, these are the films that lingered, challenged expectations, and revealed where cinema felt most alive this year.

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  January 22, 2026

  2025 Movie Reviews, A24 Movies, Action, Comedy, Drama, Entertainment, Film Reviews, Franchise Revivals, Horror, Independent Film, Movie Analysis, Psychological Drama, Romantic Comedy, Sci-Fi, Superhero, Thriller, Women Directors

  2025, 2025 Films, 2025 Movies, 28 Years Later, A24, Alex Garland, Alex Russell, Alfie Williams, Amanda Seyfried, Amazon MGM Studios, Archie Madekwe, Ari Aster, Óliver Laxe, Bi Gan, Brady Corbet, Bring Her Back, Bugonia, Carson Lund, Charlie Polinger, Chase Infiniti, Chloé Zhao, Clint Bentley, Cooper Hoffman, Daniel Craig, Danny Boyle, Danny Phillippou, David Jonsson, Die My Love, Dylan O’Brien, Eddington, Eephus, Emma Stone, Eva Victor, film, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, films, Focus Features, Francis Lawrence, Frankenstein (2025), Guillermo del Toro, Hamnet, Hedda, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Imogen Poots, Independent Film Company, It Was Just an Accident, Jacob Elordi, Jafar Panahi, James Sweeney, Jennifer Lawrence, Jesse Plemons, Jessie Buckley, Joachim Trier, Joaquin Phoenix, Joel Edgerton, Josh O’Connor, Josh Safdie, Kaouther Ben Hania, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Kristen Stewart, Lee Byung-hun, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lurker (2025), Lynne Ramsay, Marty Supreme, Mary Bronstein, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Phillippou, Mona Fastvold, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, movies, MUBI, Music Box Films, Neon, Netflix, New Movie Releases 2025, Nia DaCosta, No Other Choice, One Battle After Another, Oscar Isaac, Park Chan-wook, Paul Mescal, Paul Thomas Anderson, Pedro Pascal, Ralph Fiennes, Renate Reinsve, Resurrection, Rhian Johnson, Roadside Attractions, Robert Pattinson, Rose Byrne, Ryan Coogler, Sally Hawkins, Searchlight Pictures, Sentimental Value, Sinners, Sirāt, Sony Pictures Releasing, Sorry Baby, Stellan Skarsgård, Teyana Taylor, Théodore Pellerin, The Chronology of Water, The Long Walk, The Plague, The Secret Agent, The Testament of Ann Lee, The Voice of Hind Rajab, Thessa Thompson, Timothée Chalamet, Train Dreams, Twinless, Wagner Moura, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Warner Bros. Pictures, Weapons, Yorgos Lanthimos, Zach Cregger

• The 25 Best Horror Films of 2025 — Ranked

  

  Fear, flesh, and feeling collide in 2025’s most unforgettable horror films. From intimate character studies to blood-soaked spectacles, this year’s genre offerings pushed boundaries, challenged expectations, and proved once again why horror remains one of cinema’s most vital storytelling spaces. Here are my 25 favorite horror films of 2025 — ranked, reflected on, and celebrated…

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  December 30, 2025

  2025 Movie Reviews, A24 Movies, Entertainment, Film Reviews, Horror, Independent Film, Mockumentary, Movie Analysis, Psychological Drama, Women Directors

  2025 Films, 2025 Movies, 28 Years Later, Adam Stein, Alex Garland, Ash (2025), Ben Leonberg, Best Horror Movies 2025, Black Phone 2, Bone Lake, Bring Her Back, Charlie Polinger, Christopher Landon, Clown in a Cornfield, Companion, Dan Trachtenberg, Danny Boyle, Danny Phillippou, David Cronenberg, Drew Hancock, Drop, Eli Craig, Emilie Blichfeldt, film, Film Criticism, Film Critique, Film Recommendations, Film Review, Film Reviews, Final Destination: Bloodlines, Flying Lotus, Francis Lawrence, Frankenstein (2025), Genre Cinema, Good Boy, Guillermo del Toro, Heart Eyes, Horror, Horror Cinema, Horror Films, Horror Franchise, Horror Movies 2025, Horror Sequels, In Our Blood, Josh Ruben, Mercedes Bryce Morgan, Michael Phillippou, Michael Shanks, Modern Horror, Movie Rankings, Movie Recommendations, Movie Review, movies, New Horror Films, New Movie Releases 2025, Osgood Perkins, Pedro Kos, Predator Badlands, Queens of the Dead, reviews, Ryan Coogler, Scott Derrickson, Sinners, Strange Harvest, Stuart Ortiz, The Long Walk, The Monkey, The Plague, The Shrouds, The Ugly Stepsister, Tina Romero, Together, V/H/S/ Halloween, Weapons, Zach Cregger, Zach Lipovsky

• The Year of Relationships: 2025 Movies That Get Love Right (and Wrong)

  

  Where do we, as a society, currently stand when it comes to relationships? Dating? Commitment? The landscape has shifted so dramatically that it sometimes feels like we’re living in an entirely new emotional era. The openness of relationships has expanded far beyond where it once was—breaking away from antiquated, traditional notions and allowing people to…

  Rolando Illanes Jr.

  December 4, 2025

  A24 Movies, Comedy, Drama, Entertainment, Film Reviews, Horror, Independent Film, Movie Analysis, Psychological Drama, Romantic Comedy, Sci-Fi, Women Directors

  2025 Films, 2025 Movies, A Nice Indian Boy, A24, Adria Arjona, Alicia Vikander, Alison Brie, Amazon MGM Studios, Andrew Ahn, Best Films of 2025, Bleecker Street, Blue Harbor Entertainment, Bone Lake, Bowen Yang, Callum Turner, Celine Song, Chad Hartigan, Chloé Zhao, Chris Evans, Companion, Dakota Johnson, Dave Franco, David Freyne, Drew Hancock, Elizabeth Olsen, Eternity, Film Recommendations, Fleur Fortune, Focus Features, Hamnet, Heart Eyes, Himesh Patel, Independent Film, Indie Directors, Indie Film, Jack Quaid, Jessie Buckley, Jonah Hauer King, Jonathan Groff, Josh O’Connor, Josh Ruben, Karan Soni, Keeper, Kyle Marvin, Lily Gladstone, Logan Lerman, Maddie Hasson, Marco Pigossi, Mason Gooding, Materialists, Mercedes Bryce Morgan, Michael Angelo Covino, Michael Shanks, Miles Teller, Molly Gordon, Movie Recommendations, MUBI, Neon, New Movie Releases 2025, Oh Hi! Film, Oliver Hermanus, Olivia Holt, Open Marriage in Film, Osgood Perkins, Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Roshan Sethi, Rossif Sutherland, Ruby Cruz, Screen Gems, Sony Picture Classics, Sophie Brooks, Sophie Thatcher, Splitsville (2025), Tatiana Maslany, The Assessment, The History of Sound, The Threesome, The Wedding Banquet, Together 2025, Universal Pictures, Vertical Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures