My Review of Heartbeats (2010)

 

Written And Directed by Xavier Dolan 

Francis: "I love you. I really want to kiss you. I don't know why I'm telling you this."

Last week, I finally watched I Killed My Mother and I thought it was an impressive debut from Canadian director, Xavier Dolan. This follow up certainly proved that he wasn't a one trick pony.

Once again, Dolan cast himself in a lead role and tbh, I kind of like that he's cast himself as characters that while not entirely likable, they can at least merit a decent amount of sympathy for them.

In this one, he's playing the role of Francis. Francis and his friend Marie (Monia Chokri) were at a dinner party with other friends when Nicolas (Niels Schneider) came into their orbit. Both Francis and Marie were taken by Nicolas and both were determined to get him.

There's a fun, passive aggressive way in which both Francis and Marie pursued Nicolas throughout the movie. Both tried to derail the other and both got their moments with the curly haired guy. Nicolas also seemed to be egging both Francis and Marie on as the movie progressed.

There's a whole segment where the three of them ended up at the vacation home of Nicolas's aunt. For a guy who was happy to make Francis eating a marshmallow into seduction play, even I was a tad surprised when Nicolas eventually spurned his advances. Oh and Marie didn't get lucky with him either.

I guess the lesson to be learned here would be that it's never a good idea to be friends with someone who shares the same taste in men. This however would be a lesson that both Francis and Marie would fail to learn if that last scene was anything to go by.

- Anne Dorval had a small but amusing role as Désirée. Louis Garrel also played the party guest that both Francis and Marie lusted for at the end of this movie.

- There's also a scene with a cherry that's more effective than the marshmallow one.

- Standout music: Dalida's Bang Bang was used effectively a few times here.

- Chronology: It took place over the course of a year in Montréal.

Heartbeats (2010) was definitely a strong second director outing for Xavier Dolan. A fun and slightly complicated love triangle that temporarily frayed a friendship between two characters. I found this rather entertaining.

Rating: 7 out of 10 

My Review of Crimes Of Passion (1984)

 

Written by Barry Sandler

Directed by Ken Russell

Rev. Shayne: "Don't fight me, child. I'm the messenger of God and I only want to heal you."

China: "Heal thyself, pimp shit!"

I watched this one a few years ago and it somewhat stuck with me, so I went back to watch it again late last night. This might be one of the most fucked up films I've seen. Well, just about.

Kathleen Turner gave one of the most daring performances in her career with this film. By day, she's Joanna Crane, a hardworking woman at a fashion house that's arpused the suspicions of her boss, Lou Bateman (Norman Burton). He doesn't trust anyone that hardworking.

That's where Bobby Grady (John Laughlin) factored into things. He was hired by Bateman to follow Joanna and catch whatever criminal activity she was involved in. Instead he got romantically involved with her as his marriage to Amy (Annie Potts) was falling apart.

Joanna's other life was that she was a prostitute named China Blue who specialised in fulfilling men's deepest fetishes. In this role she also attracted the attention of the hypocritical and hyper twitchy Reverend Peter Shayne (Anthony Perkins). She just couldn't get rid of the man.

The dynamic between China and Shayne drove the movie in a big way. He claimed he wanted to save her soul and hated himself for being sexually attracted to her. In some ways, Perkins was channelling a version of his most infamous role. There's even a scene involving crossdressing before Shayne's overzealous obsession came to a boiling point.

With the heavy amount of salacious antics going on in the movie, Grady somewhat served as a grounding force. His marriage breaking down got room to breathe and he's presented as a stabilising alternative to the hedonistic lifestyle that Joanna was experiencing as China. It's a believable enough love story among the craziness.

- Anthony Perkins was constantly sweating in this movie. Shayne was seen taking poppers multiple times and had an array of sex toys.

- China's clients included a man with a fetish for sexual assault, a dying man who didn't sleep with her and a rather obnoxious business couple that China lost her patience with.

- Standout music: Anthony Perkins performing a rather psychotic version of Get Happy during one particular scene.

- Chronology: 1980s America. 

Crimes Of Passion, I'll admit that I found this to be a rather fucked up movie. Kathleen Turner delighted in straddling dual identities, Anthony Perkins seemed completely off his gord and boundaries certainly got pushed. 

Rating: 8 out of 10 

My Review of Mother Mary (2026)

 

Written And Directed by David Lowery 

Sam: "There may be only one of us standing when this is over."

Mary: "I know."

I had such high hopes for this one. I genuinely thought it was going to end up being one of my favourites for 2026 but alas, I guess it wasn't meant to be.

A few years ago, Anne Hathaway played a woman in love with a pop singer. This time around she's the pop singer named Mother Mary and she's got something of a costume crisis. Enough of a crisis for her to hop on a plane and reunited with someone who she previously cut out of her life.

The person in question being costume designer and former friend Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel). The way this movie went, I sometimes wonder if Mary and Sam has a relationship that transcended friendship. They're written like an ex couple at times.

Now this was a very talkative movie and predominantly took place in one area of Sam's rundown home. If it was for a slew supporting characters in the present and flashbacks, this would've almost been a two hander between Hathway and Coel. They mostly keep this movie afloat.

Anyways, the tension between Mary and Sam was down to the former feeling like she was losing her identity in the latter's designs, so she wanted a break. There's also something involving a red fabric spirit being unleashed and some ritual with a fan named Imogen (FKA Twigs) that went horribly wrong.

I'll admit the flashbacks and anything that ventured properly into the horror side of things helped the movie. The music parts while fine were better handled in movies such as Trap (2024) and Smile 2. On the plus side, at least two estranged friends exorcised some past demons and forgave one another.

- Hunter Schafer had a few scenes as Sam's assistant Hilda. Kaia Gerber, Sian Clifford and Jessica Brown Findlay all had good supporting roles.

- Mary's mother died at some point. Sam did seem sympathetic during that reveal. Sam also broke her tooth at one of Mary's concerts.

- Standout music: All courtesy of Mary of course. Burial, Cut Ties, My Mouth Is Lonely For You and Holy Spirit.

- Chronology: Mary flew from LAX to land in thr English countryside to meet with Sam. That incident also took place in Dublin.

Mother Mary (2026) really should've been a winner because you've got both Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel giving it their all but for some reason, it just didn't come together. A shame.

Rating: 6 out of 10 

My Review of Half Man: "Episode 5"

 

Written by Richard Gadd 

Directed by Eshref Reybrouck

Niall: "Ava is pregnant."

Ruben: "Wow. Wow. Honestly that's amazing. I'm gonna be an uncle."

And yet, everything that followed from that little moment indicated that Ruben wasn't best pleased about Niall's potency. In fact it highlighted his own lack of potency and that led to some really tough scenes in this penultimate episode.

In flashbacks for the previous episode, both Niall and Ruben came to some sort of understanding. They were even having double date last with Mona and Ava respectively but issues of money, fatherhood and old insecurities reared their head once again.

Ruben can only mimic being normal for so long but his penchant for explosive rage resulted him having been unemployed for over a year and borrowing money to support both Niall and Mona respectively. His intense jealousy over both got extreme during this episode as well.

Mona wanting her own independence by teaching dance classes had Ruben convinced that she was sleeping with Benji (Gunnar Bjercke). Ruben was right but the way Niall confirmed his brother's worst fears just to save his own skin was awful. Congrats Niall, you just caused a man's death.

This episode sadly was Niall at his absolute worst. His indignant stance at having to pay Ruben back, borrowing money from Ava's father for conversion therapy that obviously didn't work and his refusal to accept his sexuality. For the first time, I actually found myself unsympathetic towards. Add to that, he also slept with Mona after being aware that Ruben's unable to father children.

Back in the current day, this did lead to Niall losing his rag with Ruben outside and the two of them heading into the shed. I'm glad there's one episode left because I don't think I could handle any more stress from this chaotic duo.

- Lori was right to point out that Niall was lying to himself about his sexuality. Even Ava knew he was gay but only ditched him after he slept with a male prostitute.

- Mona quickly realised that Cosmo in Niall's book was actually Ruben. Ruben spoke poorly of her during the episode.

- Did Ava keep the baby? I don't think we've seen them during the present day scenes.

- Yet again, Ruben made a play for Niall's cock as a reaction to Ava being pregnant.

- Standout music: Kylie Minogue's All The Lovers.

- Chronology: 2010 in the flashback. Ava mentioned having a geriatric pregnancy at 42. Anjli Mohindra is younger than Ava.

Although this one might be the weakest compared to what we've had, I did rather like it. I'm gonna give a shout out to both Anjli Mohindra and Amy Manson who were every bit as excellent as Richard Gadd and Jamie Bell have been.

Rating: 7 out of 10 

My Review of Hokum (2026)

Written And Directed by Damian McCarthy 

Ohm (to Mal): "Can I get a room as far away from the craic as possible?"

Earlier this year, I caught up with the director's first two movies, Caveat and Oddity and I saw the potential. With this movie, it was a case of putting an American character in an Irish setting with some interesting results.

The American in question was a burned out writer named Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott). He's trying to come up with a satisfying end to a Conquistador trilogy he's been working on and the ghost of his dead mother, Delia (Mallory Adams) would bring him to the Emerald Isle of course.

This meant Ohm going to Ireland and specifically to The Bilberry Woods Hotel where his parents spent their honeymoon. The place was owned by the rather odd Cob (Brendan Conroy), though more time was given to his son in law and desk clerk Mal (Peter Coonan) and creepy groundskeeper, Fergal (Michael Patrick). 

Ohm lost a lot of points here because the way he was towards the staff, notably bellhop Alby (Will O'Connell) was far too mean spirited. Ohm only seemed to have a soft spot for bartender Fiona (Florence Ordesh) because she knew where an old redwood tree was. Ohm also seemed to have some kindness to local man Jerry (David Wilmot) but only just about.

I get with Ohm, both his parents were dead and there's some guilt over that for him but he's not an immediately likable main character. However the disappearance of Fiona and the rumblings of the Honeymoon Suite in the hotel harbouring a witch (Sioux Carroll) did give this movie something to work with.

The witch herself was a local legend that Ohm was initially dismissive of. However teaming up with Jerry to look into the Honeymoon Suite after hours and trips to the underworld certainly did more to make Ohm a believer than anything else. It's all rather unsettling and it even ended on a strong note with Ohm getting clarity on how to finish his book.

- Mushroom powder factored into the goats jumping on the cars and Alby even spiked Ohm with it as revenge for burning his hand with a spoon.

- Will O'Connell also played Jack the Jackass while Austin Amelio and Ezra Carlisle played the Conquistador and boy from Ohm's book.

- Standout music: Harry Bird and the Rubber Wellies Lonesome Road.

- Chronology: Like the previous two movies, this was filmed in Cork and I assume it's set there.

Hokum might be the strongest of the movies from Damian McCarthy so far. A great central performance from Adam Scott, coupled with strong supporting and a genuinely unsettling witch. I really liked this one.

Rating: 8 out of 10 

My Review of Superman (1941)

 

Written by Seymour Kneitel And Isadore Sparber

Directed by Dave Fleischer 

Clark: "This looks like a job for Superman."

Am I really reviewing a ten minute animated Superman movie? Yes, yes I am. How could I not? After all, it's one of the first debuts for the character, cinematic wise. It's also a rather straightforward enough story.

There's Clark Kent (Bud Collyer). He's a reporter living in Metropolis and working for The Daily Planet. He's also the superhero known as Superman and the latter had a villain to take out in such a short space of time.

The villain in question was known as The Mad Scientist (Jack Mercer). He's got a deadly Electrothanasia-Ray that he intended to use on Metropolis. Superman to one side, the other obstacle for The Mad Scientist was a certain reporter.

In the early days, Lois Lane (Joan Alexander) really was the stereotypical damsel in distress and that's pretty much her function here. She's smart enough to work out where The Mad Scientist but still ended up being captured by the villain and needing Superman to rescue her.

The battle between Superman and The Mad Scientist was fairly straightforward too. The Electrothanasia-Ray got easily destroyed, the baddie defeated while Lois got her scoop and no one was the wiser on Clark's true identity. 

- Apparently there's seventeen of these short films on the character. They're in the public domain. This short is available on YouTube.

- Perry White (Julian Noa) also appeared while Jackson Beck voiced the narrator and a radio broadcaster.

- The catchphrase "Truth and Justice" popped up here.

- Chronology: 1940s Metropolis.

Superman (1941) told a pretty straightforward story and told it rather well. It's a great debut with some gorgeous animation and strong voice acting.

Rating: 8 out of 10 

Another Seaside Town Of Doom

It's been a while and there's some omission that will surface at a later but here's a rundown of recent shows that I've been watching.

9-1-1: Season 9 has probably been the weakest season of the show and there's a part of me that doesn't want to continue watching but I might. I do think Buck going from being kidnapped, having an addiction and now potentially being a father to his dead friends rambunctious son were all storylines that needed more time to breathe. Instead they're all rushed. As for Athena, I guess I am curious to see how she'll fare as a detective next season.

9-1-1: Nashville: Let's be honest, the rivalry between Blythe and Dixie might be repetitive every episode but it's one of the few times where the show's campiness actually works in it's favour. The diss track saga might even be the best story from this largely uneven first season. It even led to a fricking cat fight cliffhanger with the pair.

Daredevil: Born Again: A classic example of wanting to like a season, liking certain aspects but being largely bored with it as it further went along. At this point, I am well and truly over Matt Murdock vs. Wilson Fisk and if this show has any hope of going beyond next season, it needs to get over it as well. There was a decent rivalry between Karen and Heather, death for Vanessa and Daniel, the welcomed return of Jessica Jones but too often this season felt like it was sleepwalking.

The Boys: Season 5 hasn't turned out to be grand epic final that most fans were hoping but it's not quite been the Game Of Thrones style misfire. It's mostly been in between and would fall into "serviceable" at best. Too much time did seem to focus on setting up on Vought Rising and that much hyped Supernatural reunion amounted to very little. Homelander had too much plot armour as per usual but at least we're free of both him and Butcher. I've never been happier to see two main characters die than those two. I will not be covering that prequel series. After this final season, I'm definitely out of interest in this universe.

Widow's Bay: Matthew Rhys continues to build himself as an underrated king of television and his latest show would be one in my current favourite genre. Well, it's more horror comedy and the first half of the season has seen a lot of crazy shit happen in a seaside town. Rhys himself has proven to be well cast as the town's slightly inept Mayor doing his best to help his town and there's a good slew of characters for him to bounce off. I can see this show ending up in a few favourite lists towards the end of the year.

• Dan Stevens and Brian Cox will play different killers in the second season of Dexter: Resurrection. Uma Thurman and Desmond Harrington will also return.
• Sky have acquired the rights to the new Baywatch. The show will premiere on FOX from January 2027.
• A Texas based spin-off for Grey's Anatomy has been commissioned at ABC.
• Vision Quest will premiere on Disney+ from October 12th.
• HBO limited series The Chain has found it's lead in Jodie Comer.
• The Vampire Lestat will premiere on AMC from June 7th. An After show will also air alongside the new season.
• Season 6 of Only Murders In The Building has now gone into production.
• Stuart Fails To Save The Universe will now premiere on HBO Max from July 23rd.
• Scrubs has been renewed for an eleventh season at ABC.
• Netflix have renewed Running Point for a third season.
• The White Lotus has replaced Helena Bonham Carter with Laura Dern. Season 4 is now filming in France.
• Bridgerton will premiere it's fifth season in 2027.
• The final season of The Bear will premiere on FX from June 25th.