Stubs - Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (2025) English voices: Lily Gilliam, Lucille Ainsworth, Francesca Calo, Page Leong, Jayne Taini. Directed by Maïlys Vallade, Liane-Cho Han Screenplay by Liane-Cho Han, Aude Py, Maïlys Vallade, Eddine Noël. Based on the novel The Character of Rain (Métaphysique des tubes) by Amélie Nothomb. Produced by Claire La Combe, Edwina Liard, Henri Magalon, Nidia Santiago. Run time: 78 minutes. Color. France, Belgium Animated. Drama.

Sometimes, it takes awards season to make you aware of the films that were released, which is what brought Little Amélie or the Character of Rain to my attention. This year, it was one of five films nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. That awareness took the film from unknown to one of my favorite animated films of the year and my personal front runner to win that award.

Stubs - Spinal Tap II: The End Continues

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025) starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner. Directed by Rob Reiner. Screenplay by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner. Based on characters created by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner. Produced by Rob Reiner, Michele Singer Reiner, Matthew George. Run time: 84 minutes. Color. USA. Mockumentary, Comedy

Perhaps proving that you can wait too long between sequels, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, the sequel to This is Spinal Tap (1984), came and went at the box office so fast that if you waited more than a week or so, it was already out of theaters. Budgeted at $22.6 million, the film earned only $3.2 million upon release on September 12, 2025. While commercially a failure, the film has apparently found a second life on HBO Max.

Stubs - One Battle After Another

One Battle After Another (2025) starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infiniti. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Screenplay by Paul Thomas Anderson. Based on Vineland by Thomas Pynchon. Produced by Adam Somner, Sara Murphy, Paul Thomas Anderson. Run time: 162 minutes. Color. USA Black Comedy, Action, Thriller

What is the highest grossing film of Paul Thomas Anderson’s career, a possible Academy Award contender and still considered a box-office failure? The answer is his 2025 film One Battle After Another, loosely based on the novel Vineland by Thomas Pynchon. A modernized version of the novel, with some of Anderson’s own stories incorporated into the narrative, One Battle After Another deals with revolutionaries of the early 2000’s, the French 75, and how actions 16 plus years ago still have consequences.

To be honest, this wasn’t necessarily a film I would have chosen to see. Some of that has to do with Leonardo DiCaprio, who is the star of the film. While he’s often called a great actor, I haven’t really been a fan of the films he’s starred in. However, because the scuttlebutt seems to indicate the film will be popular during awards season, which is now until the Academy Awards, it seemed like one to watch, which I recently did on HBO Max.

Five Nights at Freddy's 2 (Film)

When the first Five Nights at Freddy’s (FNAF) film finally came out in 2023 and proved itself a runaway success, making back over ten times its $20 million budget, a sequel, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (FNAF2), based on the game of the same name, was inevitable. As a fan, I was hyped enough for the film that I attended the Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con, where the cast and crew discussed the experience working on the film and they had announced a Scream reunion with Matthew Lillard and Skeet Ulrich appearing in the same film once again (they also gave away pizza boxes lifted straight out of FNAF). As a reviewer, I recognized the flaws in FNAF, even more so on repeated viewings, though there were assurances that the production crew had listened to feedback and incorporated the criticisms into the sequel, which had a much smoother production. While FNAF2 did leave me curious about the future of the series, I can’t deny that it was overall a step down from the original.

Zootopia 2

Ever since seeing the original Zootopia in 2016, I’ve always felt that there was a lot of untapped storytelling potential for its setting. While this has come in the form of comics and children’s books, as well as the short-form Disney+ series Zootopia+, I’ve felt a lot more could be done with a longer story, as the premise seems to lend itself perfectly to an episodic TV series. While this does not appear to be happening, the next best thing came nearly 10 years later with the announcement of the sequel film Zootopia 2, though my expectations were tempered a bit by Disney’s recent sequel track record. It is then fortunate that the film not only surpassed these expectations, but actually managed to improve on the first in some ways.

Dispatch (PC)

During the 2000s and especially the 2010s, Telltale games made a name for themselves with classic point-and-click adventure games, as well as choice-driven narratives. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t last forever and eventually went bankrupt in 2018. Although the studio would come back soon after, some of their former talent rose from the ashes and formed their own studios, one of which was the LA-based AdHoc Studio, specifically formed with those who had worked on Telltale’s The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us, and Tales from the Borderlands. Early on, AdHoc were hired to work on a live-action superhero workplace comedy, which got scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They didn’t want their work to go to waste, however, so they repurposed the idea into the choice-based narrative game known as Dispatch.

When I had first heard of the game at the 2024 Game Awards, the concept grabbed my attention enough that I played the demo when it released in early 2025. I loved it enough that I bought the game Day 1 on Steam, but couldn’t get around to it immediately thanks to my focus on Silent Hill f, so I didn’t get to really experience the episodic release schedule, two episodes a week for four weeks, in real time. When I did get to Dispatch, however, I thought that AdHoc had made a very strong first impression, one that can only improve from here.

Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan: At a Confessional

Following the release of Rohan at the Louvre, I continued to keep up with the live-action Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan (TSKR) drama as it became available in English, and remain a big fan of it for how well it translates the world of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure to live-action. When another film based on the series, Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan: At a Confessional (At a Confessional) (JP: Kishibe Rohan wa Ugokanai Zange-shitsu), was announced, this time based on the original At a Confessional manga one-shot that started the spin-off manga, I was instantly hyped for it, both as someone who read the one-shot and watched the OVA adaptation, and based on how well Rohan at the Louvre turned out. This hype was instantly all but completely shattered as soon as I heard about how the music was handled (more on that later), but I still wanted to see it anyway once it became available in the US. Now that I’ve finally seen it through Amazon Prime Video, while I did think it was worth the wait to see it in English, it overall falls just shy of Rohan at the Louvre.

Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution (GBA)

Before the original Shantae had a sequel in the form of 2010’s Risky’s Revenge, WayForward started development on a demo for an alternate sequel for the Game Boy Advance (GBA). Due to Shantae’s low sales, however, prospective publishers wouldn’t pick it up and the project went on hold, with different story and gameplay elements recycled for other entries. In 2023, however, WayForward announced that development on the original demo would resume and they would release the finished game as Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution on physical Game Boy Advance cartridges, with modern console ports to follow, as part of their partnership with Limited Run Games. The long-awaited final game would receive mixed reviews from critics, though that’s par for the course with the series.

As a Shantae fan who loves physical media, I bought a copy of the GBA version and later a copy of the modern console port (pre-order still unfulfilled as of this writing). Although I received my GBA copy in a timely fashion, I wouldn’t get to it as quickly as I would have liked for different reasons, but when I did, I locked in and made steady progress in short bursts whenever I could. By the time I got to the end, I enjoyed myself and felt glad that Risky Revolution finally saw the light of day. However, either due to its prolonged development or other limitations, it’s sadly not without some jank.

Once Upon a Katamari (PS5)

Following Touch My Katamari on the PS Vita in 2011 (2012 in the US), the Katamari series went dormant for years aside from mobile games, until the release of Katamari Damacy Reroll (Reroll) in 2018, as part of a series of remakes from Bandai Namco, showed a willingness to revisit the series. The success of Reroll led to a follow-up, We Love Katamari Reroll + Royal Reverie in 2023, the success of which created the possibility of further installments. This would come to fruition with the announcement of a proper new game earlier this year, the first in 14 years, titled Once Upon a Katamari. As a fan of the Katamari series who had actually been waiting for such an announcement the whole time, the news and initial trailer was enough to excite me, albeit with cautious optimism. Thankfully, this optimism paid off, as it feels like the spirit of Katamari is alive and well in this installment.

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc

Note: This review contains spoilers for Chainsaw Man Season 1.

The overwhelming success of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train appears to have started a trend, in which some anime adaptations adapt an arc from the source material as a feature film. Such was the case with 2024’s Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom, as well as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle (Infinity Castle) earlier this year, and this trend continues with Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc (Reze Arc) (JP: Gekijō-ban Chensō Man Reze-hen), which takes place after Season 1 of the Chainsaw Man anime. Since I became a fan of Chainsaw Man through said anime, I was excited for Reze Arc after learning of its canon status, but the two-year gap since the ending of the first season led to me rewatching it again shortly before my appointed screening to get a reminder on what happened. After managing to catch a dubbed screening, I felt Reze Arc was worth the wait.

Silent Hill f (PS5)

Back in 2022, Konami announced a full revival of the Silent Hill IP that included a number of video game projects, including a teaser for Silent Hill f (SHf), developed by NeoBards Entertainment. Even back then, SHf stood out for its distinct Japanese flair, which came from a desire to bring the series back to its roots after worry that the series had grown too “Western” following the Team Silent era (games that they clarified were influenced by Western media, but filtered through a Japanese lens, creating a unique blend of both sensibilities). To this end, they brought on famed horror game writer Ryukishi07, known for the When They Cry series of visual novels, and set the game in 1960s Japan. When this entry finally released in 2025, it not only received critical praise, but became the fastest-selling game in the series, with one million copies sold in only three days.

From the outset, the concept of SHf intrigued me as someone open to exploring other aspects of Silent Hill that developers hadn’t yet tapped into and as someone used to legacy media experimenting with their format once in a while. As such, it was a day one buy for me and I started playing it as soon as I got the chance. Thanks to a combination of personal health factors, however, as well as my prior reviews locking myself into viewing every single ending, it did take me a bit longer than I had initially thought to truly complete the game. Although I found the final product flawed like any other Silent Hill game, I can confidently say that trying out a new direction paid off spectacularly.

Fobia Vol. 1

Note: Product received for free in exchange for a copy of Powers Squared Vol. 1 and an honest review.

When you’ve dedicated yourself to creative works, it’s natural to want to branch out and try new things when inspiration strikes. One such medium creatives have branched out to is comic books, whether they’re actors, like Keanu Revees (BRZRKER) or David Dastmalchian (Count Crowley), or content creators, like penguinz0 (Godslap) or Jacksepticeye (Altrverse). Now, Derrick Acosta of Mega64 fame has thrown his own hat into the ring with Fobia, a horror anthology inspired by other anthologies like Tales from the Crypt and Slow Death, among others. In an impressive feat for a first-time independent comics creator, he managed to raise $34,671 on Kickstarter to bring Vol. 1 of his dream to fruition, with physical books on the way and a Vol. 2 already in the works. As an independent comics creator myself, it’s nice to see someone else with a burning passion for the medium and, as a Mega64 fan, I was curious about his latest venture.

Little Nightmares III (PS5)

Following the success of Little Nightmares II in 2021, it was inevitable that publisher Bandai Namco would want to continue capitalizing on the series, with Little Nightmares III in development under Supermassive Games after original developer Tarsier was purchased by Embracer. Despite the change in hands, I wanted to continue supporting the Little Nightmares IP due to its more unique approach to horror. After waiting patiently for the long-awaited third entry, I found myself enjoying it at first, only to end up getting gated enough by the game’s own mechanics to put it down before getting the chance to finish it.

Stubs - Frankenstein (2025)

Frankenstein (2025) starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, Lauren Collins, Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz. Directed by Guillermo del Toro. Screenplay by Guillermo del Toro. Based on Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley. Produced by Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale, Scott Stuber Run time: 150 minutes. Color. USA. Gothic Science Fiction

If you’re like me, when you think of Frankenstein’s Monster, you immediately think of Boris Karloff, the star of James Whale’s 1931 film; part of the Universal Monsterverse, which for some are the classic horror films. While many of these films are based on classic books, sometimes the adaptation is very loose, which is the case with Frankenstein (1931).

A couple of years ago, I found out for myself by reading Shelley’s book. Not that it ruined my enjoyment of the classic film, but when I heard that Guillermo del Toro was going to make a film based on the book, I was hopeful that it would be closer to the source material. I’m happy to report that, though there is some poetic license taken, including the ending, the new Frankenstein is closer to the Shelley novel.

Tron: Ares

Note: This review contains spoilers for Tron: Legacy.

About fifteen years after the release of Tron: Legacy, and coincidentally about fifteen years after the start of this blog, Tron fans finally witnessed the release of a third film, Tron: Ares. Although Legacy director Joseph Kosinski had plans for a sequel, which would have been known as Tron: Ascension, it entered development hell due to a combination of Tomorrowland bombing at the box office and Disney’s buyouts of Lucasfilm and Marvel, though the company never outright cancelled it. Around 2017, plans shifted to the Jared Leto-led sequel that we have now, with a different writer (Jesse Wigutow), director (Joachim Rønning) and composer (Nine Inch Nails) to boot. As a fan of the franchise, I felt hyped going in despite the chosen lead, as I simply felt glad that Disney gave us more Tron at all. However, now that I’ve actually seen Ares, in IMAX 3D no less, I can happily say that although it’s not the best written installment, it was well worth the fifteen-year wait.

Tron: Catalyst (PC)

Two years after the release of Tron: Identity (Identity), developer Bithell Games would return to the Tron franchise with a new game, Tron: Catalyst (Catalyst), as part of the greater buildup to Tron: Ares. Since there was a general drought of Tron content at the time of the announcement, I was excited for it in part due to liking Tron: Identity, but bought it after it came out as part of a Steam sale and only recently got around to it. While the gameplay may be different, the storytelling remains one of the developer’s strong points and made me invested in seeing more.

Stubs - Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025) starring Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Paul Giamatti, Elizabeth McGovern, Penelope Wilton. Directed by Simon Curtis. Screenplay by Julian Fellowes. Based on Downton Abbey by Julian Fellowes. Produced by Gareth Neame, Julian Fellowes, Liz Trubridge Run time: 123 minutes. Color. United Kingdom. Historical Drama

Like all good things, the Downton Abbey universe has come to an end in a fitting way with Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, the third in a trilogy of post-television films. For people, like myself, who have watched the series and the first two films, this final film is a great culmination for a franchise that started on British television in 2010.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach

Note: This review contains spoilers for Death Stranding.

Although Death Stranding (DS1) originally launched to mixed reception, Hideo Kojima considered creating a sequel to further establish the “Strand” genre. As it turned out, development had started when Kojima had written the story prior to 2020, but the way the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted the world made him decide on a rewrite. Since then, he rewrote parts of the story again in response to positive reception from test audiences, fearing that he had created something too mainstream. The final game launched in June 2025 on the PS5, this time to more positive reception, with the name Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (DS2).

When DS1 came out, I felt like I was in a minority that liked the game in spite of its flaws, but I could still recognize the issues that had turned so many away during its initial release. As such, I liked that more people eventually came around on the game following its PC port, then more excited when I learned about the development of DS2. It should be no surprise, then, that I had been playing the game whenever I could since launch day, pouring as much time as I did before (about 50 hours) until I reached the credits. Where I found the original a flawed, but solid step forward for Kojima Productions, DS2 manages to go above and beyond as an example of a sequel outshining the original in almost every conceivable way.

Elio

I hate to say this about a studio that I loved growing up, but the 2020s have not been kind to Pixar. Although they’ve had hits with Soul and Luca, duds like Lightyear and, to a lesser extent, Elemental have stood out far more than they would have in the past. This feeling perhaps contributed to my lack of motivation to see Elio, their latest release, based on both the original 2023 teaser and revised 2024 teaser, the latter of which had occurred due to a test screening in which not a single person said they liked it enough to watch it in a theater. My apathy felt justified when, despite the revised direction and positive critical reception, the film had bombed at the box office, making only $154 million on a budget of about $150-200 million. Of course, we remained undeterred in our streak of viewing every single Pixar film in some form or another and finally gave it a try when it hit Disney+. Sadly, although I did like it a little more than I thought I would, I still thought while the credits rolled that I would have felt ripped off if I had paid for the full theatrical experience.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle

Note: This review contains spoilers for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Although the original Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga had ended in 2020, the anime adaptation by Ufotable is still going strong, so much so that their interpretation of the Infinity Castle arc was announced as a film trilogy. The first part, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle (Full title: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle – Part 1: Akaza Returns) (Infinity Castle) released this year to strong critical reviews and an equally explosive box office, breaking several records and surpassing 2020’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train (Mugen Train) as the highest-grossing Japanese film worldwide. Rather impressive, to say the least, which is how I watched the English dub alongside those who had only seen Mugen Train and Episode 63 of the anime, contrasting with my own experience as an anime-only viewer who had kept up with the series from the beginning. Although I did feel that Infinity Castle lived up to the hype, I couldn’t help feeling that the film format had, ironically, created a major issue that Mugen Train did so well at avoiding.