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.
In new drama/horror/thriller, Speak No Evil; Mackenzie Davis, Scoot McNairy and Alix West Lefler play a family who agree to spend a weekend away with another family they met on vacation.
Unfortunately, their potentially idyllic stay becomes a psychological nightmare; thanks to Paddy (James McAvoy), Ciara (Aisling Franciosi) and Ant (Dan Hough).
Directed by James Watkins; this is one of those trailers that almost makes me wish I was more into scary movies.
I fully suspect I’ll get mad at Louise ( Mackenzie Davis) and her partner several times, for not racing out of there much sooner. Still, maybe I’ll stick it out because I’m curious about Paddy and his more than complicit partner Ciara.
Are you drawn to Speak No Evil, which happens to be a remake of a 2022 Danish film of the same name? I really hadn’t anticipated that remakes could be ‘allowed’ this quickly after the original release. Silly me.
Written/directed by Jeymes Samuel, The Book of Clarence is the story of a man named Clarence who risks everything for a better life. His inspiration? the rising Messiah, of course.
Lakeith Stanfield, David Oyelowo, RJ Cyler, James McAvoy, Omar Sy, Afre Woodard, Benedict Cumberbatch and Anna Diop are among the key cast.
So many thoughts going through my head with this one. I’m excited to see Stanfield deliver as he always does. I also can’t wait to see the various aspects of the universal human experience on display for us to collectively recognise, reflect upon and laugh at.
I’m ready for the great soundtrack, especially if the music in this trailer is anything to go by.
Even though I definitely can’t say I had a great time during all of the two hours and forty nine minute run time of of director Andy Muschietti’s IT Chapter 2, the last hour or so was pretty thrilling.
Starring James McAvoy, Javier Botet, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader and Bill Skarsgård, I had to watch this final instalment of the IT (1990)remake because the cast and trailers were great. I was also determined since this was essentially my last chance to see if I could find at least one of the IT movies scary, at all.
I had a lot of feelings throughout, but, unfortunately, once again, scared really wasn’t one of them. At the very best, I was very grossed out by the scene with the 8-plus-legged severed head. I enjoyed many of the visual effects and the acting. Unlike in the 1990 IT film, this time, both the children and their adult versions performed pretty well.
IT – Chapter 2 (2019), Jessica Chastain, Warner Bros. Pictures
As for the question of why the first hour and forty minutes of IT Chapter 2 weren’t great, it certainly didn’t help that, due to the editing and some characters looking similar, I didn’t find it easy to follow who was playing the adult version of whom. The other key reason is the pace. I know that much of the film is set in Derry, Maine, which is essentially a slower-moving place than a city, but that doesn’t mean the story had to move that slowly, surely? I remember that an hour into the film, I found myself disappointed to not even be halfway through the movie.
There were also, unfortunately, some moments where I couldn’t fully suspend my disbelief. Firstly, the biting of the little girl’s head; how on Earth did she not scream? Secondly, at the reunion dinner, how did it take so long for the restaurant workers to check on the disturbance, especially considering all the screaming and banging? Last but not least, the scene where Chastain’s character performs a certain feat of strength towards the end. I just don’t honestly believe she possessed the physical strength required to do what she did.
Overall, though, thanks to the good performances – particularly by McAvoy and Chastain, plus the fun special effects, IT Chapter 2 is worth watching, if you’re curious enough. Especially so if you have more patience than I.
Lastly, I couldn’t help but conclude by the end that Muschietti’s film seems to be quite a good advert for why therapy is important, and often, if not always, a good idea.
The latest official trailer for director Andy Muschietti’s IT Chapter 2 – starring Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, James McAvoy and Bill Skarsgård is finally here.
The first thing I noticed with this impressive trailer is how wonderfully creepy Skarsgård looks as Pennywise. The second is the brilliant casting of most, if not all of the adult versions of the kids in the movie.
I wonder if this could be the version of IT that actually really terrifies me. I’m ready to find out. At least I think I’m ready to find out.
Javier Botet , Sophia Lillis, Jack Dylan Grazer, Finn Wolfhard, Jaeden Martell and Troy James, also star.
The Movie My Life 