Movies

As a huge animation fan, I was really excited about Inside Job – it was created by Shion Takeuchi, who wrote for Gravity Falls, one of my all-time favorites! Plus, Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch and BoJack Horseman director Mike Hollingsworth were executive producers, so the talent behind it was amazing. That’s why I was so bummed when Netflix unexpectedly canceled it, completely scrapping any future seasons they had planned. It felt like a real loss for unique animated storytelling.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny came out during a tough year for major summer movies. Films like Warner Bros.’ The Flash, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and Marvel’s The Marvels all disappointed at the box office. Despite positive audience scores (87% on Rotten Tomatoes), Indiana Jones only earned $393 million worldwide, which wasn’t enough considering its estimated $350 million production cost.

The dramatic confrontation turned out to be a distraction, with Steve’s romantic competitor, Jonathan, unexpectedly arriving to help just in time, setting up the group’s ultimate win. Everyone survived – a conclusion some critics found a bit too convenient, especially since the episode aired on New Year’s Eve. The story then jumps forward 18 months, showing the group reunited on a rooftop. Steve is the only one still living in Hawkins, where he’s become a popular baseball coach and sex education teacher, and dreams of having a large family. He seems like the kind of person who will be a permanent fixture in the town, and whose death will one day be front-page news in The Hawkins Post.

The endings of both 28 Years Later and The Bone Temple feel drastically different from the rest of their respective films. 28 Years Later shifts tone with the sudden appearance of Sir Jimmy Crystal and his followers, while The Bone Temple features a shocking conclusion and brings back Cillian Murphy as Jim, the protagonist from the first movie and a long-term survivor of the Rage virus.

Johnny Martin, known for directing Alone, helms the new action film Off the Grid, starring Josh Duhamel as Jack Guy, along with Greg Kinnear, María Elisa Camargom, Michael Zapesotsky, Ana Golja, Michael Papajohn, and Peter Stormare. Despite receiving harsh reviews, the movie is currently climbing the streaming charts in the United Kingdom and is available to rent in the U.S. You can find the official summary and read some of the critical reactions below.

Directed by Isao Yukisada, Revolver Lily is a sleek new action thriller starring Ayase Haruka (known for Our Little Sister and Ichi). Haruka’s performance as a highly skilled assassin who’s pulled back into the world she left behind has earned her a Best Actress nomination at the 2024 Japanese Academy Awards. The film follows her as she comes out of retirement – and eliminates many enemies – to safeguard a young boy.

Fans of the DC show Pennyworth will be disappointed on Saturday, January 31st, as the first two seasons are being removed from HBO Max. However, the third and final season, originally from Epix, will continue to be available on the Warner Bros. streaming service for now.

Even though ‘Avatar’ has earned over $1 billion worldwide, director James Cameron is worried Disney will approve further installments. He notes the film industry is currently struggling and ‘Avatar 3’ was very expensive to produce. To ensure future movies happen, the next films need to be financially successful, and Cameron is exploring ways to make them more affordably. He jokingly suggests that, if the fourth and fifth movies aren’t greenlit, Michelle Yeoh can at least participate in a press conference he plans to hold announcing the news.

As expected after their secretive meeting, the Traitors unfortunately chose to eliminate Monet when he started to suspect Lisa. It was a mistake he didn’t share this with anyone besides Candiace, who was also a Traitor. During a toast to Monet’s memory, Colton praised his style, and Lisa subtly corrected him, saying he was “one of the best dressed.” It was a remarkably tone-deaf moment.

Kathleen Kennedy recently told Deadline that it’s currently unclear if Rian Johnson will return to direct future Star Wars films. She explained that his work on the Knives Out movies for Netflix has taken up most of his time, putting his involvement with the Star Wars franchise on hold.