April/May 2026 [27-3]
In Bruges, Long Way North, The Testament of Ann Lee, Mass, Them S1
- In Bruges [2008] - 87
In Bruges is one of those movies that’s either for/ not for you almost immediately. It talks fast, it’s got a foul mouth, and its story is less “told” and more “unfolded” as you sojourn through the small, titular Belgium town. Featuring a phenomenal cast of characters, In Bruges has been on my list for years and years, but I somehow just never got to it. Finally, at the behest of a friend, it found its way onto my screen, and I absolutely loved it. As I mentioned, you’ll know if this one is for you just about instantly, and I love this kind of quirky, slick, “tell you a story that’s not about anything until it suddenly is” kind of movie. Masquerading as a gangster flick, In Bruges is about so much more and tricks you into being embroiled inside a wacky character drama faster than you can complain about the quaint little village you’ve been expelled to. I’ve seen writer/director Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, but I don’t remember the latter and hadn’t even heard of his 2012 release, Seven Psychopaths; Two things which I’ll be remedying immediately.
- Long Way North [2015] - 83
From some of the same artistic team as 2025’s Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, Long Way North is a grand tale of adventure, never taking “no” for an answer, and forging your own path in a world that wants to hem you into a box you know isn’t your fit. This is a fantastic little journey about knowing who you are and working towards your goals in the face of adversity, while also being a beautifully animated exercise in color and expression. Long Way North is an overall excellent movie that’s just a touch on the lighter side for me, but doesn’t have anything critically wrong with it. An excellent score propels this rescue mission up into lands unknown, despite a couple of slightly odd vocal performances, and the art-style itself should be admired alongside other greats like Song of the Sea and the Spider-Verse films; Something I’d love to see this genre in general take more seriously. A genuinely feel good, family adventure, this is a really easy recommendation for something different-but-familiar to round out your exploration collection.
- The Testament of Ann Lee [2025] - 68
This was a weird movie to experience because, I knew basically nothing about it going in, and I now know basically nothing about it walking out either. I’m pretty sure this is a biopic-turned-musical… But it’s so hard to tell possible-fact from definite-fiction that I’ve retained virtually none of the plot just a few days out. I was mostly bored during my watch of this Quaker-Shaker melodic-drama too… But I was also absolutely enthralled by its cinematography and choreography throughout the entire runtime. At 2:17 this movie is [as you’re all tired of me saying] entirely too long for what it is, but it manages to pull off this length by being truly captivating in every frame and featuring such stunning motion during its overall average songs that I’m still running them through in my head. Story wise, this is a nothing plot that’s barely interesting at best, but I’d encourage a watch of “All Is Summer” more or less immediately.
- Mass [2021] - 92
Another venture into the land of “oops, hurting my own feelings”, Mass is an absolute masterclass of dialogue writing that aggressively catapults first-time writer/director, Fran Kranz, into a spotlight position. Defining performances from all involved — mostly led by a never-better Jason Isaacs — make this movie tense, important, and extremely difficult to watch in both the best and worst ways. This is one of those movies that, similar to The Voice of Hind Rajab, nobody should watch, and everyone should have to see. There’s elements of this that remind me of my 2022 #16, The Vast of Night, in their artistic expression, and the whole thing feels like a combination of both that film and my 2023 #22 [what is with the 22’s here?], Locke, mixed with a hefty helping of 2021’s The Fallout; A fantastic film that I was so hurt by I somehow forgot to record when I watched it. This is not a light film, or one to be taken lightly, but it is one that I heartily recommend based on both its execution and perspective on some very serious issues. I’m kind of purposefully obfuscating what this movie is about, because I think the less you know the better; Just be prepared to be hurt.
- Them S1 [2021] - 64
After having mentioned this show last week upon finishing the rancid Beef, I thought it was time to give it another watch, both showing my partner and following my advice of “skip episode 9” to see how well that held up 5-years later. While I think much of my original review of the show is a little [a lot] sensationalist, there’s still much of it that I do stand by. Them is a fantastic looking show that takes a lot of daring risks and executes almost all of them perfectly, but it gets so lost in its wacky narrative sauce that it sort of forgets to be either focused or profound enough to matter in the end. Yes, I still think this is a powerful depiction of a very real reality, but goddamn do I stand hard and fast by my advice to skip EP9 when you get to it, as that episode is not only mostly boring and weirdly placed, but it absolutely ruins the entire premise and mystery of everything happening up to that point. The whole show really needs a once-over to clean up some meaningless characters and plots that go nowhere, but by skipping #9 you can at least have some interesting conversations about what X,Y, or Z characters meant for the metaphor at large… Or you can watch it and be handed the stupidest explanation I’ve basically ever seen. Whatcha gon’ do?
