Category Archives: Fantasy

Drama, Fantasy, Horror, No Spoiler Reviews

INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (1994): The Things I Liked…

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For the longest time, my favourite Brad Pitt movie has been Fight Club (1999). Watching just a few clips of the trailer on IMDB almost had me postponing writing this review, so I could rewatch it right away. That is, until I remembered I’m supposed to be working hard on my discipline this month, and so I’m back here happily typing. After all, Interview with the Vampire, the Neil Jordan-directed drama/fantasy/horror film, based on Anne Rice’s novel of the same name, is the main focus of this post.

Interview With The Vampire (1994), Tom Cruise, Warner Bros Pictures
Interview With The Vampire (1994), Tom Cruise, Warner Bros Pictures

Starring Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Christian Slater, Kirsten Dunst, and Antonio Banderas, Jordan’s film is about Louis (Pitt), a vampire, telling his epic life story. A life of love, loneliness, hunger, and betrayal.

I’ll get right to it, Jordan’s film is one of my all-time favourite movie experiences. I enjoyed almost everything about it. Whether it be the story, dialogue, performances, production design, cinematography, or costumes, I simply saw beauty everywhere I looked as this film played. Except, of course, each time the camera was focused on rodents. I watched through my fingers during those scenes.

Interview With The Vampire (1994), Kirsten Dunst, Warner Bros Pictures
Interview With The Vampire (1994), Kirsten Dunst, Warner Bros Pictures

There are no bad performances in Interview with the Vampire. For me and many others, it’s a young Kirsten Dunst who stands out most. Because she brought an emotional depth to her character, Claudia, in a way that many would deem impossible for an eleven-year-old performer to do.

If you haven’t already, watch Interview with the Vampire, for all the reasons above. And whether or not becoming a vampire is of interest to you, don’t be surprised if, within an hour of screen time with Louis, Lestat, and or Armand, you find yourself agreeing that the only way to watch this movie is with the side of your neck exposed.

What is the title of your favourite Brad Pitt movie?

Happy Film Loving,

G

Source: JustWatch
Crime, Drama, Fantasy

THE SECRET AGENT (2025): New Trailer Starring Wagner Moura, Maria Fernanda Cândido, Gabriel Leone…

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The Secret Agent (2025), Wagner Moura, NEON
The Secret Agent (2025), Wagner Moura, NEON

In search of refuge and peace, a technology expert returns to Recife, Brazil, his hometown, after fleeing a mysterious past. Only, peace and refuge aren’t quite what he finds in the city.

Set in 1977 and starring Wagner Moura, and directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho, additional key cast for The Secret Agent includes Maria Fernanda Cândido and Gabriel Leone.

I love the look and feel of this trailer. It reminds me of The Penguin Lessons (2024), which is also set in South America, in the mid-to-late 1970s. I want to experience something like the vibe of that again.

Are you also interested in ‘travelling’ to Recife, Brazil, for just two hours and thirty-eight minutes?

Alice Carvalho, Udo Kier, Isabél Zuaa and Hermila Guedes also star.

The Secret Agent Release Dates: November 26th, 2025 (US)…

Happy Film Loving,

G

Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, No Spoiler Reviews

ELIO (2025): The Things I Liked…

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Elio (2025), Pixar
Elio (2025), Pixar

My experience of Elio (2025), the animated adventure about a young space fanatic who desperately wants to be abducted by aliens, didn’t exactly go well.

The visuals are as rich and engaging as I’d hoped. I was honestly locked in right away, and things were fun enough once Elio finally got to Space. Yet, seemingly out of nowhere, I lost interest at the point when Elio was left to take on the space bullies.

Something inside decided that that specific hero’s journey, with those characters, wasn’t for me at that time. I suspected where the story was going to go and chose to leave it to those who are more enthused by Elio’s upcoming face-off.

I may return to Elio another time, but I’m choosing to look forward to Zootopia 2 (2025) instead, which I hope will have me fully locked in, especially since I absolutely loved Zootopia (2016).

I’m curious, did you watch Elio and have a good time?

Happy Film Loving,

G

Source: JustWatch
Comedy, Family, Fantasy, No Spoiler Reviews

WEDNESDAY SEASON 2 (2025): The Things I Liked…

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I’m fully claiming it. I enjoyed Wednesday Season 2 even more than the first. I don’t want to say that it feels bigger and better, but it is bigger and better. Just not in a way that reads as forced.

In this new season, Young Wednesday’s shenanigans remain at the centre of things, as expected. But the extra magic comes from a great story, Wednesday’s growing confidence, and how her family members are included in this season to great effect. For example, Catherine Zeta Jones really comes into her own as Morticia Addams, and Joanna Lumley is brilliant as Grandmama Hesta Frump.

Other memorable characters include Evie Templeton’s Agnes Demille, a.k.a. Wednesday’s stalker, and Lady Gaga as Rosaline Rotwood.

Typical of films/shows that involve Tim Burton, the production design and costumes are beautiful, along with the cinematography and dialogue.

The worst thing I can say about Wednesday Season 2 is that Wednesday’s little brother, Pugsley Addams is annoying. However, even that failed to stick. Because when I turned to Google to see if others agreed, my displeasure dissipated when someone said that Pugsley is simply awkward… which is still arguably annoying, but perhaps more easily forgiven.

Make time for Wednesday Season 2. It really is well-executed and fun.

Happy Film Loving,

G

Source: JustWatch
Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance

ETERNITY (2025): New Trailer From Elizabeth Olsen, Miles Teller, Callum Turner…

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Eternity (2025), Elizabeth Olsen, A24
Eternity (2025), Elizabeth Olsen, A24

Read my spoiler-free movie review of Eternity (2025).

David Freyne is the director of Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen and Callum Turner’s latest fantasy/romance/drama, Eternity. A film set in an afterlife where souls have a week to decide where to spend eternity.

Imagine being Joan (Olsen), who has to choose between her first love, who died young, and the man she spent her life with.

I love this premise! After all, it’s not often that a movie gets made about a topic you find so interesting that you’re both excited and surprised the subject was covered quite in this way before.

Of course, immediately, I thought of Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper and Jameela Jamil’s The Good Place (2016 – 2020), a well-executed series about the afterlife, which I highly recommend.

The likelihood that this will turn out great is promising, considering the talented cast. I just hope that there’s a good resolution for Joan, who now seems to be in a version of hell she hadn’t quite anticipated.

Are you also looking forward to Eternity?

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, John Early, Betty Buckley, Jeff Sanca, Panta Mosleh, Noah Bromley, Lucy Turnbull, David Z. Cohen, Barry Primus, Jeanie Cloutier and Panta Mosleh also star.

Eternity Release Dates…

Happy Film Loving,

G

Source: JustWatch