Category Archives: Drama

Drama, Music

MOTHER MARY (2026): New Trailer From Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer and FKA twigs …

8 Comments

From writer/director David Lowery, Mother Mary is a new drama/music film about an iconic pop star who returns to her estranged costume designer. Inevitably, long-buried wounds resurface.

Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer and FKA twigs are among the key cast.

The trailer explicitly stating that ‘this is not a ghost story’ only makes me think that’s exactly what it is. Especially bearing in mind the visuals. I’m both curious and scared to see it. However, I’m too invested in its stars not to at least try to watch this.

Considering how emotionally taxing Hathaway’s role appears to be, I hope this movie turns out great, so it all feels extra worth it for her.

Will you be making time for this one?

Alba Baptista, Kaia Gerber, Parinas Esmailsadeh, Julia Stolba, Dani Vitale, Laura Meakin, Sian Clifford, Jessica Brown Findlay and Atheena Frizzell also star.

Mother Mary Release Dates…

Happy Film Loving,

G

Biography, Drama, History, Music

CALIFORNIA SCHEMIN’ (2025): New Trailer From James McAvoy, Romany Shaw, Amber Anderson…

6 Comments

Based on a true story, California Schemin’ is a biography/drama, and the directorial debut of Scottish actor James McAvoy.

Starring McAvoy, Romany Shaw, and Amber Anderson, the story follows two young men from Scotland who conned the music industry by pretending to be an established Californian rap duo.

Because of the inevitability of such a plan falling apart, and the huge challenge of coming back from the deception, I wonder if the idea was to make as much money as possible, before ‘gladly’ leaving it all behind. I’m thinking the answer is no. In which case, the expectation was likely that they’d get away with it, at least for a while.

Whatever the answer, I look forward to learning about the circumstances that led the young men to their decision. And of course, I’m excited for McAvoy’s directorial debut. He is one of my favourite actors after all.

Is this one going on your watch list for 2026?

James Corden, Jennifer Winn, Samuel Bottomley, Seamus McLean Ross, Tayla Kovacevic-Ebong, Sonny Poon Tip, Lucy Halliday, Rebekah Murrell, John Scougall, David Goren, Chloe Anais Hunt, Tony Bittner-Collins and Chris Dixon also star.

California Schemin Release Dates: April 10th, 2026 (UK)…

Happy Film Loving,

G

Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller

MERCY (2026) New Trailer From Rebecca Ferguson, Chris Pratt, Kenneth Choi, Annabelle Wallis…

8 Comments
Mercy (2026): Rebecca Ferguson, Amazon MGM Studios
Mercy (2026): Rebecca Ferguson, Amazon MGM Studios

A trailer has landed for Rebecca Ferguson and Chris Pratt’s latest sci-fi/crime/thriller, Mercy.

Also starring Kenneth Choi, Noah Fearnley, and Annabelle Wallis, director Timur Bekmambetov’s film has Ferguson as the AI that must decide whether Pratt’s detective character murdered his wife.

I admit it, this trailer is better than the last, and I may still be unsure about how good this will be, but I’m leaning towards giving it a try because of how it’s shot. Ultimately, I want to see if this End of Watch (2012)/ Minority Report (2002) mash-up will work.

What are your thoughts on Mercy after this second trailer?

Rafi Gavron, Chris Sullivan, Kali Reis, Kylie Rogers, Jeff Pierre, Philicia Saunders, Renata Ribeiro and Jamie McBride also star.

Mercy Release Dates: January 23rd, 2026 (US & UK)…

Happy Film Loving,

G

Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi

THE GREAT FLOOD (2025): New Trailer From Director Byung-woo Kim, Starring Kim Da-mi, Park Hae-soo, Kim Kyu-na…

13 Comments
The Great Flood (2025) Kin Da-Mi, Netflix
The Great Flood (2025) Kin Da-Mi, Netflix

Written/directed by Byung-woo Kim, The Great Flood is a new sci-fi/adventure/disaster movie about a catastrophic flood that sweeps across planet Earth.

Starring Kim Da-mi, Kim Kyu-na, Park Hae-soo, and set in South Korea, the desperate search for a young child trapped in a flooding apartment begins.

Did James Cameron’s Titanic (1997) pop to mind for you, too? The stakes are clearly much higher here since the whole world is apparently ending, but this sure does look epic.

I’m in for the shooting style, the special effects and the story. The amount of physically taxing work it must have taken to make this movie, and do it well, appears immense. I find the premise super intriguing, meaning I’ll have to watch it. How are you feeling about The Great Flood?

Kim Byung-nam, Lee Dong-chan, Kim Kyu-na, Kim Su-Kyung, Kwon Eun-sung and Yuna also star.

The Great Flood Release Dates: December 19th, 2025 (US & UK)…

Happy Film Loving,

G

Drama, Mystery, No Spoiler Reviews

BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER (2025): The Things I Liked…

12 Comments

Ballad of a Small Player has two real standouts: Colin Farrell’s performance, and, speaking as someone who loves light and colour, the bright neon visuals of Macau.

The truth is, within the first three minutes, I’d already googled ‘Is Macau worth visiting if you don’t gamble?’ The results said yes. But after watching what unfolds in director Edward Berger’s drama/mystery/thriller, I’d have to think a bit harder before booking my ticket.

Ballad of a Small Player (2025), Colin Farrell, Netflix
Ballad of a Small Player (2025), Colin Farrell, Netflix

What makes Ballad a tough watch for me is that it follows a high-stakes gambler who’s already on the decline. We’re essentially watching someone have a bad time in the middle of their gambling addiction, as they cling to the hope of one last big win.

There are a few amusing moments, but this is certainly not a comedy, and since I’m still in my ‘no dark, depressing films for me, please’ era, I can’t say I fully enjoyed the overall experience. That said, there’s no faulting Farrell or anyone in the cast, and the film looks fantastic, colour-wise. As such, if you’re not in the same era as me and darker themes don’t bother you as much, then feel free to give Ballad a chance. You might have a better time with it.

Happy Film Loving, 

G