For those who haven’t noticed, our site spent much of May, and the beginning of June, on the backburner as we tended to one technical issue after another following a move to a new web host. In what was a frustrating time, there were still movies being seen and series being watched, but our coverage laid dormant, for the most part, during that time. Now that we are out of the woods, so to speak, read as I share my thoughts on some of the big releases from last month in a bit of rapid fire fashion in what I am calling ‘Rapid Fire Reviews Vol.1.’ There may be more of these in the future, or maybe not. Either way, this edition will cover the titles listed below (click on the title to jump straight to the review).
Hokum
Obsession
Is God Is
At the Place of Ghosts
Pressure
Passenger
Backrooms
Jack Ryan: Ghost War
Off Campus Season 1
Hokum
Adam Scott is someone we don’t often see in horror films (the last being a cameo in last year’s ‘The Monkey’), Hokum is the kind of horror film we often see. For better or worse, much of the horror genre as of late has felt like a grab bag, pulling various derivative story tropes and elements in the hopes of crafting another winning film. That being said, these kinds of flaws can be overcome with adequate filmmaking. When a film can put all the pieces together, the result is a compelling watch, regardless of genre.
In the case of Hokum, this Irish-set horror tale sure looks and sounds the part, however, a thin narrative and thin characters make it all ring hollow. In spite of this, its supernatural story full of tortured pasts, grief, and something sinister operating in the midst of the forests of West Cork, Ireland will still find an audience as it definitely nails the atmosphere. In the end, Scott and writer-director Damian McCarthy (Oddity) make a film that does all the right things, and goes through all the right motions, but the lack of a compelling throughline ultimately holds it back from achieving greatness.
Obsession
What has since gone on to become an absolute phenomenon, Obsession has audiences around the world obsessed, and for good reason. The feature debut of Curry Barker, known for his YouTube comedy shorts with partner Cooper Tomlinson (who co-stars in the film), shows vision and flare, making the most out a small budget of $750,000. One can only imagine what he could have accomplished with a larger budget, but what he accomplished here is still a feat. Full of the kind of ambition that will undoubtedly be better harnessed by making more films, Barker creates such an unsettling atmosphere that, along with phenomenal performances from Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette, make for a horror film that leaves audiences uncomfortable throughout.
Not afraid to be brutal, both psychologically and literally, it only adds to that often overwhelming discomfort. Showing a great handling of its characters and their dynamic, we learn to care about them in spite of their flaws. Leaving much open to interpretation, audiences will have their own takeaways which could evolve over additional rewatches. Its wish-based premise, should it be readapted into a sequel or an anthology series as has already been discussed, shows some promise as to further explorations into more characters, but there is still potential for more fine tuning. It will certainly be interesting to see what Curry Barker does next, especially with more projects in the near future. The best thing I’ve seen last month, it is only fitting that it should be featured here.
Is Good Is
Another feature debut, Aleshea Harris’ Is God Is (writing and directing an adaptation of her play of the same name) is a different kind of revenge tale, turning the dial up to 11 at times, much to its own detriment. A film with something to say, many ridiculous left turns somewhat undercut that message. That being said, those who like it will really like it, and those who do not, will not. While I may not quite be its target audience, there is still plenty to enjoy here. On paper, it is a revenge tale but, over time, the story essentially doesn’t matter. In the end, the film goes as far as Kara Young and Mallori Johnson take it. Playing Racine and Anaia, a pair of sisters who have faced unspeakable tragedies throughout their lives, those hardships only brought them closer together. Suffering from disfiguring burns across their bodies, all they had was one another. The heart of the film is their dynamic and how it evolves over the course of the film.
Faced with their fair share of hardships along the way, the two would be tested on a moral and spiritual level as uncovering the truth about their tortured past pushed them to their absolute limits. Using the film’s world, and these sisters’ experiences, there is an inherent commentary there, but it is not used to its full potential. Not playing it straight, the film can get too silly for its own good, leaning on exaggeration for dramatic effect. Boasting an impressive supporting cast featuring Vivica A. Fox, Janelle Monáe, Mykelti Williamson, and Sterling K. Brown, outside of Brown, they are wasted here. Though its style and edge will help it stand out, the film lacks the substance to stick the landing.
At The Place of Ghosts
This post had to have some Canadian content, therefore cue At The Place of Ghosts. Another sibling-based tale, this Nova Scotia shot supernatural drama sees a pair of once close, but now estranged, brothers reunite as adults to face a malevolent spirit who forces them to confront their traumatic upbringing as they venture into Sk+te’kmujue’katik (or the Place of Ghosts), a forest that exists outside of time. Blake Alec Miranda and Forrest Goodluck play Mise’l and Antle, brothers confronted with visions of the ghosts of their past alongside the forest’s own ghosts. In order to reconcile their fractured relationship and finally move forward, they must literally face the ghosts that have been haunting them all their lives.
Putting an Indigenous twist on the standard supernatural thriller, the film may not bring much new to the table, but the dynamic between the brothers and the chemistry of Miranda and Goodluck, make it work. Similarly, though it may not be long (clocking in at under 90-minutes), the supernatural premise is merely the means for this meditative journey of family, identity, and healing, one where Mise’l and Antle refind their bearings. In what was a personal work for Two-Spirit, L’nu filmmaker Bretten Hannam from Kespukwitk, L’nuekati (Nova Scotia), that meaning was there from the start and it made the film all the better for it.
Pressure
The quintessential dad movie, there only so much that can be done to dress up Pressure for general audiences. Dads love WWII and war movies so, in theory, this should have everything they would ever want, but this largely war-adjacent true underdog story just lacks the same oomph. Pinning Andrew Scott against the resurgent Brendan Fraser is usually a winning strategy, however, they could only do so much here. For better or worse, audiences that are more familiar with the true story are likely to find the most enjoyment out of this one. With a plot whose stakes are centered around the weather at or around the infamous D-Day incursion as it related to planning the actual day of the event to ensure the safety of the legions of soldiers about to storm the beaches of Normandy, it does not inspire the most excitement.
Meanwhile, the conventions of the true story/biopic genre also catch up to it. Knowledge of the source material may garner added appreciations from those audiences but, otherwise, it can’t quit escape its predictability factor. Regardless of how co-writer/director Anthony Maras and stars Scott and Fraser may try to force stakes and tension, they are just not there. More deliberation than action, some audiences may be unable to reconcile with that. However, to their credit, Scott and Fraser help keep it afloat, in spite of the latter being miscast as a blustering Dwight Eisenhower. Scott’s inherent likability makes his James Stagg a compelling enough lead, while Kerry Condon is a scene-stealer as Kay Summersby. Far from the top echelon of WWII films, this one will hit the spot, more so for fans of Scott, Fraser, or Condon.
Passenger
Setting the tone with one of the best trailers of the year so far, Passenger can’t quite sustain it. Nevertheless, it puts a fun spin on the haunting/possession genre, with the focus not being attached to a specific place. Taking the horror to the open road, a young couple (Jacob Scipio, Lou Llobell) who have forgone their everyday lives in favor of becoming van lifers, found themselves the target of an evil-minded spirit that has latched onto them. Where films like these succeed or fail is in their exploration into their supernatural antagonists. Here, leaning on Americana and old hobo lore, at least the basis of the spirit, known as the ‘Passenger’ (Joseph Lopez), is somewhat interesting. And, for better or worse, that is the only thing the film has going for it.
Swap the setting, and all the beats are virtually the same, as the couple and the ‘Passenger’ play a sort of cat-and-mouse game as the latter try to evade it to no avail. After finally coming to terms with their situation, learning about it and its history would reveal the key to stopping it. Doing so was easier said than done, as their back-and-forth brought on some decent scares. Other than an overabundance of dark lighting, director André Øvredal nails the uncomfortable ambiance, but all of that doesn’t matter of the film does not offer enough of a reason to care about what happens. Ultimately, Scipio and Llobell make for a couple just flawed enough to become emotionally invested in. Questionable decisions on their part once again drive the plot, but it isn’t as irritating here. Melissa Leo also makes a short, yet memorable appearance.
Backrooms
The other big release of this past month, Backrooms has been another phenomenon, making Kane Parsons an overnight sensation. The film, based on his YouTube series of the same name, is a hard one to pin down. A sci-fi adjacent horror, the film is about the horrors within us, about our own insecurities and self doubts. The ‘Backrooms’ are simply a manifestation of our own fragile psyches, a large, seemingly infinite extradimensional expanse of empty rooms hidden from reality. Somehow stumbling onto them was Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a divorced, failing furniture store owner who saw them as an escape from his crumbling life. What started off as a fascination became an obsession. Through his calculated exploration of these rooms, he found meaning in a place where he could be himself and not have to change for anyone.
Meanwhile, his therapist Mary (Renate Reinsve) became worried by Clark’s disappearance, so she went looking for him. Finding the ‘Backrooms,’ she got more than she bargained for, trying to wrangle him and escape. Bringing Parsons’ world to the big screen is quite the undertaking, and the work here is beyond impressive, doing so mostly practically. Creating a sense of wonder, that feeling quickly became a nightmare, as the truth slowly revealed itself. While the pacing is fine, Clark’s psychotic break felt a bit too sudden, happening largely off screen as the film splits its focus between he and Mary. Hinting at a deeper lore, the film leaves the door open for a sequel, but its ambiguous ending is certainly thought-provoking. Ejiiofor and Reinsve do their part, however, Parsons’ vision is something to behold and this is only the beginning. Perhaps with more experience, he can build a better story around that vision.
Jack Ryan: Ghost War
‘Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan’ is a Prime Video original series than ran for 4 seasons and 30 episodes, bowing out in 2023. Leaving the series finale open-ended, it was clear that there were plenty of stories left to tell with these characters. Being in such high demand nowadays, star John Krasinski’s career may have gotten in the way of his return as the titular character at least until now. Jack Ryan: Ghost War is a Prime Original Film and the first feature film set in the universe of the original series, and gets the gang back together for another mission where the world is once again at stake. Those kinds of stakes are not unlike any one season of ‘Jack Ryan,’ but the film does a decent job at packing all the action and intrigue of one season into its 100+ minute runtime.
The film is essentially another season of the series that offers audiences more of the same, but it’s still cool to see Krasinski and Wendell Pierce’s James Greer together again. Fans of ‘Jack Ryan’ should flock to this one, otherwise, there is very little about this effort that stands out in any way. Those looking for their globetrotting spy thriller fix will be more than satisfied, but Ghost War is purely a play for Jack Ryan fans, for which I am one. Krasinski and Pierce have not missed a beat, as the latter is given a more active role in this feature adaptation. On the other hand, new addition Sienna Miller is a scene-stealer as MI6 agent Emma Marlow. In the end, perhaps these occasional features are the best way to keep the franchise going moving forward. Whether or not the franchise does move forward remains to be seen, I am not ready to move on just yet.
Off Campus Season 1
In terms of series, Off Campus became the first big obsession of the year. Hockey related series are big now, with ‘Heated Rivalry’ knocking the door wide open so what better time to bank on popular IP to leverage all that fascination? Based on the popular YA book franchise by Elle Kennedy, this college-set romantic drama series goes about the way one would expect, pitfalls and all. That being said, despite tapping into the same story beats, what lifts this particular series is the sheer likability of its cast. Their chemistry absolutely makes the series. The first season chronicles an unlikely love story between music student Hannah Wells (Ella Bright) and the university’s star hockey player Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli). Exploring the complex dynamic of these characters, the series gets to another level once Hannah, and her best friend Allie (Mika Abdalla), become more ingratiated with the Briar University hockey team as a whole.
As these different worlds and lives combine, there are plenty of ups and downs for the characters and their relationships as they try to navigate through their first experience with adulthood. Finding themselves while forming the kind of friendships and deep bonds that will last beyond hockey and college, the rest of the cast, including Stephen Kalyn (Dean Di Laurentis), Jalen Thomas Brooks (John Tucker), and Antonio Cipriano (John Logan), are a blast to watch, with each bringing something to the table. As much as this first season was about Hannah and Garrett, the work to flesh out the other characters was another highlight (especially Allie and Dean). To their credit, the aforementioned cast all deliver strong performances, as viewers will fall in love with them (including non-fans of the source material). As further seasons will follow other books in the franchise, each focused on the relationships of the other members of the hockey team, the series has promise moving forward. This was a surprise.
With May 2026 finally in the books, our sights are set on the future as we continue to move forward. The site is slowly coming back from some unfortunate technical issues and we look forward to delivering much of the same content you have come to expect. Thank you for your patience.
still courtesy of Focus Features
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.
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