Although the film takes place in the summer, it was shot in the winter.
Night of the Reaper (2025)
A college student returns to her hometown, takes a babysitting job, and becomes the target of a masked serial killer.
Halloween without 80s, synth tracks, suburbia, babysitters, imbeciles, and massacre is not Halloween! Here’s co-writer/director Brandon Christensen’s film in a nutshell: the standard, unoriginal yet effective opening sequence sets the tone. Predictable development after that: Introduction of the main characters and their problems, ensuring the killer’s return for more bloodshed. Then, an increase in suspense, thriller and horror by implicating the whole community and their deaths, and enhancing the “whodunit” mystery!
So, is there anything new? No! Do you need to watch it? Absolutely yes! The heroine hears a sound outside, so she leaves the house with the door open to go to the forest! Oh, she also goes to the dark basement, saying, “Hello?”. Really?! Anyway, it is Halloween, and films like Night of the Reaper keep the “celebration of the dead” fresh and relevant, making your problems fade away for just a little while. Shudder does a brilliant job with horrors that don’t require too much thinking and involve a lot of blood.
Its downside is the twists. They bring Scream vibes to the party, but even they have ended up being a visual fatigue, as they try too hard to be smart for their own good, undermining the audience’s intelligence.
Back to Night of the Reaper, forget its flaws and have a blast with it. It’s Halloween!
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V/H/S/Halloween (2025)
V/H/S comes back with an anthology of trick-or-treats straight from hell.
The franchise never disappoints. The standard narrative – one main story (backbone) from start to finish and multiple stories that interject – keeps the audience entertained and thrilled, making them want to know how the main story will end and, at the same time, watch the numerous stories that each one of them offers a different flavour to the selected theme. In this instance, Halloween.
Numerous directors, diverse horrors, and found-footage, VHS, B-movie vibes… all for your entertainment to enjoy with your loved ones or alone. The characters are crafted to be disposable, so you can genuinely relish their cinematic demise – OK, not all, and in some cases, certain deaths are disturbing. None of the stories should be taken seriously, despite the serious effort put into the film. Shudder oversees a franchise that is meant to be gruesomely entertaining, with plenty of horror conventions observed, and a talent pool of writers and directors who accomplish this entertainment in truly diverse and creative ways.
While I’ve watched all of them, I have only reviewed a couple of them, but all of them are worth it:
V/H/S/94 (2021): https://kaygazpro.com/v-h-s-94-2021-horror-mystery-thriller/
V/H/S/Beyond (2024): https://kaygazpro.com/v-h-s-beyond-2024/
The nights you decide to stay in, have fun with them. It’s Halloween, after all. It’s fun, right?
Rrrriiiighttt???
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Through the Lens: Confronting Animal Cruelty
Documentaries like Earthlings, Food, Inc., and Undercover: Inside the Bunker show horror while asking you to feel it. Cinema reflects the world… it reflects who we are… And who we could still become.
Image References: IMDb
24 Hour Party People (2002)
Tony Wilson’s journey from the 70s to the 90s and Manchester as the epicentre of music.
Realistic and trippy as much as funny and dramatic. Writer Frank Cottrell Boyce, director Michael Winterbottom and lead actor Steve Coogan (Tony Wilson) create something extraordinary. The life of a man who led the music industry in the UK, and more specifically in Manchester. The greatness of the phlegmatic British humour is what makes films like this work. Coogan delivers this deadpan performance that almost no one else can on that level. Next to him, Lennie James, Paddy Considine, John Simm, Andy Serkis, Peter Kay, Sean Harris, Simon Pegg and a lot more, offer plenty of laughs and unfold a surrealism that, for better or for worse, is actually reality-stranger-than-fiction kinda situation(s). Most of the things you see in the film are real-ish and are things that you’ll think to yourself, “you couldn’t make that up.”
That kind of humour is what characterises Britain and speaks volumes about the culture; the way people create situations, deal with situations, laugh, cry, celebrate, mourn, and, overall, deal with life’s quirks and foibles. Winterbottom and Coogan nail all these in 24 Hour Party People and offer an original spectacle that, alongside films like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), Human Traffic (1999), Snatch (2000), Mean Machine (2001) and more, characterise the transition from the 90s to the 00s for British Cinema.
24 Hour Party People is a chronicle of the key events that unfolded in the music industry in Manchester over two decades. It evokes a complex mix of emotions surrounding the artistic and business aspects, featuring outstanding performances and eye-opening situations.
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Django Unchained (2012)
In one dinner scene, Leonardo DiCaprio almost broke character due to the racist dialogue. Samuel L. Jackson pulled him aside and said, “Motherf*cker, this is just another Tuesday for us.”
James Cameron
“Don’t get seduced by your own stuff. Don’t get high on your own supply. The hardest thing as a filmmaker is when you’re watching a film that you’ve worked on for several years. You know every frame so intimately that holding lots of the objectivity of a new viewer who has just seen it for the first time is the hardest thing. Every aesthetic decision you make — and you make thousands of them every day, have to — in theory, must be done from you being a blank slate.”
The Accountant 2 (2025)
Brothers Christian and Braxton reunite to solve a mystery-murder, but the rabbit hole goes deeper than anyone thought.
Exactly what it was meant to be, nothing more, nothing less. Writer Bill Dubuque and director Gavin O’Connor return with the sequel to a film that left most of us excited, entertained, and pumped up. Is the sequel as great? Short answer: no! Tiny longer answer: It doesn’t matter.
The Accountant 2 is a solid action/thriller that will make you forget your problems for over two hours. It’s funny, action-packed, with great performances and a villain with abilities that can match the “boys.” But it is also something else… dramatic! While in a Hollywood manner, the film touches on the unstoppable and horrifying subject of human trafficking and the disgustingly inhumane side of human nature. Something that brings me to my last point…
The dilemma posed by films like this and series like Dexter (2006), Daredevil (2015), and The Punisher (2017). If we knew vigilantes would get the job done, one way or another, would we root for them in real life? Would we want people with such skills to act outside of the law if we knew that they would make this world a better place? I posted an episode one examining that question: https://www.tiktok.com/@kaygazpro/video/7452713700860988705
Regardless of what you think, Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal make an excellent duet, and Cynthia Addai-Robinson and Daniella Pineda go toe to toe, offering spectacle. Definitely worth your time!
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The Cut (2024)
A retired boxer wants to make a comeback for the title and goes through extreme and illegal ways to cut down on weight, affecting him and his relationship with his team.
Emotional and, on occasion, painful to watch. When we talk about the early, experimental Sean Ellis (director), we talk about Cashback (2006) and The Broken (2008) – two films where what you see is a lot more than meets the eye. They are definitely my two favourite films of his. Mainly, it’s because of the darkness they hide in. Then, he went somewhat conventional, yet still brutal and original: Metro Manila (2013), Anthropoid (2016), and The Cursed (2021): https://kaygazpro.com/the-cursed-2021-fantasy-horror-mystery/. Conventional or not, Ellis’ stamp is on all of those films.
So where does The Cut stand? Like most of his films, The Cut is not for everybody. Despite appearances, boxing and what led Boxer (Orlando Bloom) to follow that path is the subplot. The plot revolves around his determination to make it to the ring, to cut down on weight and be there no matter what. And the “no matter what” is the plot. Writers Justin Bull, Mark Lane, and Ellis surface the deep trauma (subplot) that has made Boxer who he is, as well as the dark passenger who steers the wheel behind his motivation. There is a reference by Boz (John Turturro) to the journey and the destination, dismissing the journey and praising only the destination. Intentionally or not, The Cut is all about the journey, discounting the destination.
Regardless of what you read about it, it is definitely worth your time. Bull, Lane, and Ellis have crafted a dark and thought-provoking film that explores trauma, will, action, and consequences. With Bloom, Turturro, and Caitriona Balfe on board, you’re in for a mesmerising experience. Extra credits have to go to Bloom, who lost 52 pounds (23+ kg) for the role and got ripped.
Upon watching it, think about it. Are we consciously guided by our will or unconsciously by a past that, unbeknownst to us, has been in the driver’s seat the whole time?
P.S. Unintentionally, this review was written back-to-back with a film that has a very similar theme, Him (2025): https://kaygazpro.com/him-2025/. See how two similar themes can be so dissimilarly made. The beauty of cinema!
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Blood on Velvet: Cinematic Killers and Classical Music
Why do high-profile killers in film often listen to classical music during violence? It’s not just for style — it’s about power, class, and control. The scariest monsters don’t growl. They quote Nietzsche… and hum Mozart.
Image References: IMDb
Michelangelo Antonioni
If you ask me what directing is, the first answer that comes into my head is: I don’t know.
The Insider (1999)
The deposition given by Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe) takes place in the actual courtroom of Jackson County, Mississippi, where the real Dr Wigand testified.
Him (2025)
An up-and-coming quarterback is invited to train with a legend, only to discover the dark secrets behind his fame.
The constant need for heroes. What we want vs. what they need. The sacrifices they make vs. the hot dogs we overconsume while judging them… Co-writer/director Justin Tipping and the producers behind it – yes, Jordan Peele amongst them – created an artistic portrayal of what is and isn’t inside someone’s head whose ambition is such that they are willing to sacrifice everything… until they realise their ambition was probably not even theirs… and there is nothing left to sacrifice. And somewhere there, scattered in all three acts, social commentary about race, society, people, individuals, peer pressure, press pressure, steroids and illegal drugs, idolatry, fake role models, the occult, distorted biblical references, identity loss, and the pursue of a success that is nothing like it looks permeate reality and its incalculable perceptions, disillusioning its existence.
Think of Whiplash (2014), but mostly Black Swan (2010) in a mixture of stylised music video with colourful symmetrical and asymmetrical shots, edited like a music video with experimental touches that aim to express the paranoia behind fame, using American football and all the darkness behind the scenes through apocryphal depictions. And if you find that last sentence confusing, wait until you watch the film. What is for sure is that Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers and Julia Fox do a fantastic job in front of the camera.
There have been numerous negative reviews about it, as well as some somewhat positive ones. Don’t take anyone’s word for it – not even mine. Watch it and be the judge. Is it an audiovisual experimental metaphor that will one day be praised or a narratological mess?
P.S. Regardless of whether you praise the film or not, Kira Kelly’s stylised cinematography and Taylor Joy Mason’s meticulous editing need to be acknowledged.
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Tsiou (2005)
The film cost under €1,000, was shot in 16 days at 8–10 hours per day, and although it sold only 3–4,000 tickets, it became a cult hit, especially online and on pirated DVDs.
Wes Anderson
“If somebody asks me about the themes of something I’m working on, I never have any idea what the themes are… Somebody tells me the themes later. I sort of try to avoid developing themes. I want to just keep it a little bit more abstract. But then, what ends up happening is, they say, ‘Well, I see a lot here that you did before, and it’s connected to this other movie you did,’ and… that almost seems like something I don’t quite choose. It chooses me.”
Cheap Ads, Cheaper Products, Valuable Time
Lazy voiceovers, rushed edits, hollow promises… they don’t just insult your taste — they insult your time. And when the platforms keep hitting you with ads nonstop, ask yourself: Is this the kind of message… or product… I really need?
The Long Walk (2025)
In a dystopian America, a group of teenage boys must keep walking until only one of them is left.
Great concept and execution, despite certain unrealistic flaws. Writer JT Mollner, the man behind the script of one of the best films of 2024 (even though made in 2023), Strange Darling (2023): https://kaygazpro.com/strange-darling-2023/, adapts Stephen King’s story, and his script is tight and engaging – but also exaggerating (we’ll get there). Director Francis Lawrence, the man behind the “The Hunger Games” franchise, returns to his element, portraying a dystopian America where teenagers must once again “save” the country by doing something extraordinary. This time, it is a lot less flamboyant and puts “heroism” into a different perspective.
The heroes are not heroes, and the masses cannot be saved by watching young men dying for no apparent reason. The fact that they have to do their biological needs in front of everyone speaks volumes. What they do is not motivating and can’t bring any change whatsoever. It’s an idle effort of a fascist regime to keep people occupied with a “reality” that only brings pain, misery and despair. And that’s just one aspect of the film’s drama. The second significant aspect is that those young men attempt to befriend one another and encourage and support each other, knowing that “at the end, there can be only one.” So, all this death for nothing.
King, Mollner and Lawrence do not reveal the year this takes place or what happened that caused the country’s desolation (some kind of war). The Running Man (1987/2025), The Hunger Games (2013-Present), The Purge (2013-2021), and Battle Royale (2000) are all examples of dystopian eras where people find entertainment/catharsis in disturbing games/procedures, an attempt to achieve something that will never happen. They are not solutions, but rather extensions of the decadence they undergo.
While the film is solid, the young men’s “achievement” is an exaggeration. There is very little to no chance for people to achieve walking for so many days constantly, especially if they have soiled themselves. Regardless, you can turn a blind eye to that and enjoy the thrill and drama that King, Mollner and Lawrence offer.
All actors do a fantastic job in front of the camera and deserve a massive round of applause. The one that, for me, stole the show, though, and brought tears to my eyes, is Judy Greer. Her role as a suffering mother is heartbreaking and encompasses the film’s underlying message about parents seeing their kids marching to their deaths. Absolutely devastating! And Greer should be nominated for an Oscar!
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Breaking the Waves (1996)
The film debut of actress Emily Watson, which earned her first Oscar nomination.
David Fincher
“What you learn from that first, and I don’t call it ‘trial by fire,’ I call it ‘baptism by fire,’ is that you are going to have to take all of the responsibility, because basically when it gets right down to it, you are going to get all of the blame, so you might as well have made all of the decisions that led to people either liking it or disliking it. There’s nothing worse than hearing somebody say, ‘Oh, you made that movie? I thought that movie sucked,’ and you have to agree with them, you know?”
Close-Up (1990)
The film won dozens of awards and was included in “1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die” by Steven Schneider.
Sovereign (2025)
An extremist man and his son, who is forced to follow him, commit their most extreme act and find themselves in a standoff.
The power of independent American cinema! Feature debut for writer/director Christian Swegal, who made a film that provides a lot of food for thought. He mounts the camera on his shoulder and follows the action wherever this journey takes him. The natural lighting and the slow-paced editing offer a great deal of cinematic realism about a subject that is unfortunately very real. For those who don’t know: “Sovereign citizens are concerned with the legal framework of society. They believe all people are born free with rights — but that these natural rights are being constrained by corporations (and they see governments as artificial corporations). They believe citizens are in an oppressive contract with the government.” (Dr Kaz Ross, Lecturer in Humanities (Asian Studies), University of Tasmania)
Nick Offerman (Jerry) mesmerises in front of the camera, depicting a person who is determined to defy or bypass the law and is willing to lose it all to prove himself right. A person who is also determined and willing to take his son, Joe, down with him. Jacob Tremblay portrays that kid who is lost and whose true kindness, intelligence and abilities are doomed to be overshadowed by the extremism his father imposes on him. While at it, remember that one day, Tremblay will blow us out of the park with a performance that will propel him to the skies (to me, he’s already done it). Sovereign‘s action is slow, but the plot is suspenseful and dramatic. Dennis Quaid is a veteran with fifty years of experience under his belt, and his character (John) is what adds an extra layer of drama to a life that is already burdened with tragedy.
While I’m sure most of us have found ourselves in frustrating situations with the government, the bank, the law, and bureaucracy, extremism will never provide any solutions. Never has, never will. Unfortunately, though, this is what led to the creation of individuals like Jerry Kane and the particular group of like-minded individuals. One of these, some of these, or even all of those above have formed a system that keeps feeding extremism in various shapes and forms, and indoctrination, and creates a state of extremism vs. extremism, leaving little to no place for reason, peace and life to thrive.
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Jason Vorhees vs. Michael Myers: Origins and Development of Cultural Fear
They never speak. They never stop. But they’ve always reflected us. Jason Voorhees and Michael Myers aren’t just killers — they’re cultural icons. Manifestations of fear, pain, vengeance… and what we try to hide from ourselves. This day, I guess on Halloween, too, always ask yourselves: Why do we keep bringing them back?
Image References: IMDb
Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)
Three stories from three different eras, the Predators come to Earth and battle our most ferocious fighters.
Meticulously thought and executed! Dan Trachtenberg was the right person to take over the franchise. Starting with Prey (2022), now Predators: Killer of Killers and soon Predator: Badlands, we have exactly what we wanted: diversity, continuity, and connection. Killer of Killers is an anthology with numerous easter eggs to satisfy the most demanding fans. There is a total lack of realism, but the animation genre was never intended to be about that. It offers spectacle, and despite its numerous gimmicks and plot holes, it is enjoyable and prepares the ground for Badlands, which aims to knock our socks off.
Trachtenberg, co-director Joshua Wassung, and the visual effects teams did a fantastic job hyping us up a few months before Badlands, connecting the past with the present and getting us ready for the potential merger of two cinematic worlds, where two alien species will face off against each other – if you know what I mean.
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American Gangster (2007)
During the Thailand shoot, Ridley Scott hired extras who were actually part of Frank Lucas’ real cartel.
Western Ghosts in Japan: A Cinematic Pattern
From Lost in Translation to Earthquake Bird, Western characters in film often escape to Japan — not for romance or business, but to lose themselves. These films reveal something deeper about alienation, disconnection, and the emotional allure of being misunderstood. But what does Japan truly represent in these cinematic journeys?
Image References: IMDb
Human Traffic (1999)
A group of young men and women’s weekend in Cardiff that promises partying, drinking, dancing, taking drugs, and realising what happened afterwards.
Realistic, and funny as well as sad. Writer/director Justin Kerrigan hits the nail on the head with a comedy that derives from British culture. There might be exaggerations in his narrative, but they only emphasise mentalities that represented and, to a large extent, still do the youth in the United Kingdom. Cannabis, amphetamines, LSD, and ecstasy were, amongst others, what young men, women and non-binary people used to get on a night out, of course, combined with alcohol, dancing, drinking, and sex, and that would characterise a great weekend. And then face the consequences…
Understanding the 90s means that there is an understanding of the Thatcherite era, but that is not the purpose of this review. Sticking to Human Traffic, what can best describe the frenetic weekend is the psychoanalytic theory of who you are, who you want to be and who society wants you to be. Hence, there are numerous instances of how these characters would like to react to certain situations but lack the courage to do so. But in their head, they do, and you get to see those reactions. The music plays an equally significant role, as it expresses feelings that words can’t (Brilliant soundtrack).
In front of the camera, John Simm, Lorraine Pilkington, Shaun Parkes, Nicola Reynolds, and Danny Dyer offer a truckload of laughter as well as plenty of food for thought. It is really a shame that Kerrigan did not follow up with more films, as his talent showed straight away. He is coming back with Human Traffic 2 soon, though, so let’s see if he will meet the predecessor’s standards.
People shake off life’s difficulties in their own ways, sometimes individually, sometimes collectively. The British way of letting steam off has been repeatedly mocked and accused around the world (sometimes rightfully, sometimes not), and while I can see why, only those who live here can truly understand its origins. Lastly, please note that not all youth act or react in such an extravagant manner.
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The Last Stop in Yuma County (2023)
A travelling salesman finds himself stranded in a rest stop with a group of people and two armed robbers who wouldn’t hesitate to shoot everyone.
Well-made and suspenseful! Writer/director Francis Galluppi does an excellent job in all three production stages. The script is solid, the shots are long, well-lit, and framed, and the pace and rhythm are precisely what the narrative demands. All the characters are introduced properly and have their distinctive personalities, and their utterances, actions, and reactions offer cinematic realism without going over the top.
Until all hell breaks loose, the whole film feels like a constant build-up. It is intense, making you wonder what you would do in such a dire hostage situation. I couldn’t help but notice certain Tarantino-esque influences that only add, though, to the film’s quality. Jim Cummings, Jocelin Donahue, Faizon Love, Richard Brake, Nicholas Logan, and Michael Abbott Jr. do an excellent job in front of the camera. Special mention and credits go to the one and only Barbara Crampton, who lights up every shot she is in.
You might make it to the end and think to yourselves that nothing that knocked your socks off happened, and that might be true. Regardless, it is an enjoyable and thrilling journey about greed, despair, bad luck, love and the dream of a better life… however, that plays in everyone’s head.
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Intruders (2015)
A house invasion takes an unexpected turn as the owner and the house are not what they look like.
House invasion with strengths, weaknesses and surprises. This isn’t your usual house invasion horror/thriller. T.J. Cimfel and David White’s script add a dark psychological aspect to a subgenre that is terrifying as it is. Having malicious people with unknown intentions breaking into your sanctuary is one of the most horrific situations one can encounter. Cimfel and White add an equally gripping subplot that offers a superb twist to the story. Director Adam Schindler does a great job of visualising that concept with a darkness that only matches the internal world of the broken (anti)heroine and villains.
Having said all that, there are parts of the story that don’t add up, but don’t try to make much sense of them. Just enjoy the ride, as this is a totally different hour invasion. Lastly, Beth Riesgraf, Rory Culkin, and Kack Kesy are great in front of the camera.
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The Departed (2006)
For his role in the film, Leonardo DiCaprio visited Boston before shooting and met with members of the Irish mafia.
New Life (2023)
A fixer is hired to track down a young woman, but none of them know what is really at stake.
Flawed but emotional and exciting. An apocalyptic level independent thriller/horror that offers a lot of emotion, mainly due to the dramatic subplot: The fixer (Sonya Walger) suffers from a condition you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy, and the young woman (Hayley Erin) suffers from a virus that can end the world as we know it. Writer/director John Rosman’s characters are solid: A woman who wants to live with decency and a young woman who just wants to see the world. The ending pays off, and what happens between the two women couldn’t be anything else. In the meantime, the chase is better on paper than on screen – something that brings me to the flaws of the film.
The execution is somewhat problematic, as certain scenes that could potentially be uncut and lengthy are chopped up, disrupting the pace and rhythm of what is happening and diminishing the power they arguably had on paper. Furthermore, long shots strengthen the actors’ performances, and in this case, this is what they would also have achieved for Walger and Erin.
Overall, it’s worth your time as it adds value to a subgenre that has stood the test of time.
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Richard E. Grant
“Ensure that your script is watertight. If it’s not on the page, it will never magically appear on the screen.”
Travis Bickle vs. Arthur Feck: Two Sides of a Broken Mirror
What happens when society ignores the ones slipping through the cracks? In this cinematic deep dive, we explore the eerie parallels between Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver) and Arthur Fleck (Joker). Different eras, same decay. Same isolation. Same slow descent into chaos. Are they monsters… or mirrors? And what does their spiral say about us?
Image References: IMDb
Martin Scorsese
“Always get to the set or the location early, so that you can be all alone and draw your inspiration for the blocking and the setups in private and quiet. In one sense, it’s about protecting yourself; in another sense, it’s about always being open to surprise, even from the set, because there may be some detail that you hadn’t noticed.”
Identity in Modern Cinema
We live in an age of reinvention — but if you could change who you are, would you still be you? From Persona to A Different Man, this episode explores how modern films reflect our evolving relationship with identity, self-perception, and the desire to be seen… differently. What happens when certain parameters blur the line between who we are and who we appear to be?
Image References: IMDb
Ida Lupino
“Instead of saying ‘Do this,’ I tried to make everybody a part of it. Often I pretended to a cameraman to know less than I did. That way, I got more cooperation.”
Albert Maysles
“As a documentarian, I happily place my faith in reality. It is my caretaker, the provider of subjects, themes, experiences – all endowed with the power of truth and the romance of discovery.”
Hallow Road (2025)
A daughter calls her parents in the middle of the night to tell them she’s been in a terrible accident, and the night takes the most unexpected turn.
Minimum budget, maximum impact. Similar to Locke (2013), Hallow Road raises serious questions and then presents unethical dilemmas before it provides any answers or indications towards those answers. And as if that family drama is not enough, the addition of paranormal horror intensifies the suspense till the climax.
But is it paranormal? Is it psychological? When you make it to the end, it is up to you to decide. William Gillies’ script is tight and surfaces the importance of certain dilemmas and choices, placing you in the parents’ shoes, making you wonder what you would have done. Babak Anwari has mastered the unexpected in thriller and horror, and, here, in a Hitchcockian way, he has managed to maintain the suspense till the very end. Under the Shadow (2016), Wounds (2019), and I Came By (2022) are prime examples.
It is not without flaws, but it only lasts an hour and fifteen minutes, and if you see it as a summer camp story, it will captivate you. Furthermore, Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys are brilliant, offering realistic responses to a terrifying scenario.
P.S. Only after seeing it, check the actors behind the voices. That might raise a few more questions…
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Solidarity for all the innocent lives that suffer the atrocities of war!
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Todd Haynes
“Films aren’t real; they’re completely constructed. All forms of film language are a choice, and none of it is the truth.”
Dream Scenario (2023)
A professor’s life turns upside down when thousands of people around the world start dreaming about him.
Unique script, approach and perspective! A whole analysis can be written about Dream Scenario. Writer/director Kristoffer Borgli and A24 made a film where every cut matters. The diegetic (natural) and non-diegetic (added) sounds are meticulous, as well as the lack thereof. The slow motions and the specific choice of angles add to every other element that, at first gradually, and then consecutively, confuses you about what is real and what isn’t.
Why is this happening? How is it even possible? It doesn’t matter. What matters is how people react to this phenomenon. And equally important, how Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) expresses his actions and reactions. Every sequence is visual poetry and an audiovisual experience. Borgli, Cage, and A24 brought to life something exquisite that defies many narrative formulas. Julianne Nicholson is also fantastic, and all of them, as well as the rest of the cast and crew, deserve massive praise.
Again, so much could be said about the relationship between the dream/reality sequences and image and sound, but I will let you see for yourselves. If you are interested, please read below how this film made me feel and inspired me to post online about it.
Thanks for reading!
Please, don’t forget to share. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.
Solidarity for all the innocent lives that suffer the atrocities of war!
Stay safe!
“Dream Scenario” (2023): Dreams, Nightmares, and the Attention Economy
What if fame and attention came to you for doing nothing — and vanished just as quickly? That’s the world “Dream Scenario” reflects: A highly knowledgeable man unrecognised in his field becomes the dream of the masses — and then their nightmare. He does nothing to deserve either. That, perhaps, is the point.
It mirrors our world of social media and television, where people rise to fame for nothing and fall just as fast for the same nothing. Demagogy thrives, witch hunts flare through tabloids, and mass audiences turn as quickly as they applaud.
Everyone has the right to dream big. Dreams are the creations of our unconscious mind — the writer, editor, and director. Reality, however, is the truth we ultimately must face.
The lesson? Let’s not support or give in to “nothing.” Stopping the scroll and using the remote to turn off “nothing” are small but powerful acts — ways to protect our sanity and focus on people, ideas, and situations that truly help us grow.
Agree or disagree — constructive criticism and critical thinking are a couple of compass points that should guide how we scroll, what we consume, and the culture we choose to sustain.
Hollywood and the Lack of the Working Class
From The Grapes of Wrath to Cinderella Man, Hollywood once told stories about ordinary people. But where are they now? While indie films like The Florida Project and Nomadland carry the torch, mainstream cinema seems to have turned a blind eye. Is it the industry… or the audience?
Image References: IMDb
Late Shift (2025)
The night shift of a nurse and the multiplicity of her duties that bring her to the edge.
Puts your job and life into perspective. I’m not sure if IMDb got it wrong or deliberately misrepresented the information, but the logline and two out of three genres are misleading. It’s neither a crime nor a thriller – just a high-tension, realistic drama. In a nutshell, what you get is protracted shots that show nonstop the reality the nurses face daily. Late Shift is an hour and a half buildup, introducing everyone but mostly emphasising the stress the nurses go through. What’s the climax, you ask? Floria, the primary nurse, surviving the physical and mental collapse.
Leonie Benesch’s (Floria) performance is as realistic as it gets, and writer/director Petra Biondina Volpe is the one who provides all the material for her to shine. Volpe’s script, but also her pace and rhythm on screen, will make you mentally tired just by watching it. This is not easy to achieve. From beginning to end, the cuts become invisible and the story constantly flows, making it look like a never-ending shift in an endless night.
There are some interesting and alarming stats at the end that we should not overlook. They are actually terrifying. Film has the power to raise that awareness by presenting a world within ours. At least, Late Shift takes place in a country (Switzerland) where the hospitals are like 5-star hotels. There are countries where those hospitals seem straight from hell. No one would want to be either a patient or a nurse there.
Please, don’t forget to share. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.
Solidarity for all the innocent lives that suffer the atrocities of war!
Stay safe!
John Wick: A Ruling Underground World
No cops. No law. Just rules, reputation, and revenge. John Wick shows us a world where life is cheap — but honour is everything. Are there other films like it? Let’s talk.
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
The first film to win an Oscar for Best Make-Up, the same year the category was introduced.
Spike Lee
“Music is, for me, a great tool of a filmmaker, the same way cinematography, the acting, editing, post-production, the costumes are. You know, to help you tell a story.“
Chungking Express (1994)
Kar-Wai Wong described the film as a “road movie.” Each scene was written either the night before or the morning of shooting.