Category: It’s Fine, almost good

Whalefall “Review”

Story by: Daniel Kraus

Producers: Brian Duffield, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Jeb Brody, Allan Mandelbaum

Adapted from: Whalefall

Running time: 1h 46m

Release date: October 16, 2026 (USA)

Director: Brian Duffield

Tore myself away from Fire Emblem / LoZ Ocarina of Time to watch monsters battle…. 😀

Watched this last week, but I was trying to beat FE Fortune’s Weave (almost done with Act 2, 130 hours played) before the remaster of the epic Legend of Zelda OOT is released. Well, we’re here on its release date with Godzilla Minus One, so let’s rapid-fire Whalefall and catch up :D.

I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t connect with this film like so many others have. I went in expecting a realer, more grounded version of Pinocchio when they’re stuck in the whale. I didn’t connect with the family or the story of his father. I hoped the whale scenes would be cool, but my expectations didn’t match what’s on screen, and it really pulled me out of the movie. Without spoilers, It’s pretty funny that I watched Godzilla just now and mention monster battles.

Either way, It’s an okay movie. Personally, a Popped score of 6/10

Appreciate you taking the time to come by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. Stick around for the king of monsters – Godzilla – In my Minus One “Review”.

Happy movie-going, fellow movie-goers!

0

Street Fighter “Review”

Release date: October 16, 2026 (USA)

Director: Kitao Sakurai

Producers: Jason Momoa, Takayuki Nakayama, Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Stefan Makhoul

Distributed by: Paramount Pictures

Can Street Fighter compete with Mortal Kombat? Let’s Discuss :D!

By the end of the movie, I felt like it was nearer to MK2 than the first. Great Job building your foundation for the hopeful sequel! But there’s a lot to “fix” to make this the movie I had hoped for. But I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

First of all, Capcom or whoever was involved with the animated portions. Please make the animated movie of Street Fighter. I’d love to test it for a potential opportunity for Smash Brothers :D. Those animated scenes were incredible!

My fave characters were Dhalsim, played by Vidyut Jammwal & Vega, played by Orville Peck. Bonus fave: Cody Rhodes as Guile; his lines/scenes were hilarious.

Overall, a solid cast playing solid tier characters from Street Fighter. Which makes it disappointing that you hardly get to see some of them actually fighting. I was excited for the tournament, but I can’t get into that without spoilers, so I’ll leave that there. There’s a lot of Ken & Ryu in this first movie. An origin, if you will, of their characters/friendship. I’d have preferred that movie be told via the animated movie and then the live action kicks in for the tournament. You’ll see what I mean if you check the movie out :D.

Speaking of solid tier characters, shout-out to the three main ladies of this movie that had awesome performances. Chun-Li played by Callina Liang, Cammy played by Mel Jarnson & Juli played by Rayna Vallandingham, (Would have loved to see more of her in action).

Loved the movie when the characters were interacting with one another (the bar scene comes to mind), along with the movie having fun with itself, which is what I wanted from the very start :D. Before we get to the score, let’s talk about music. Because there’s a packed playlist of songs in this feature, get ready for an audible experience to go alongside your action/drama movie :P.

I gave MK2 a 6.5, a vast improvement from the first title. It had a lot of goodness in it. Same goes for Street Fighter. Though the Ken Ryu drama dragged it slightly below, giving this a Popped score of an okay 6/10. I’ll watch it again for sure for certain scenes in preparation for the sequel….which we’ll hopefully get….right?

Thanks for coming by Popped for your movie “reviews”. Appreciate you waiting also on this one. I had intended to write this yesterday, but getting back from the movie and being up 3 hours later for work, I was beat haha.

Join us next week for my most anticipated best animated feature of the year – Wildwood 😀 Along with Clayface in a much darker style than the version I know from Harley Quinn :D.

Until then, Happy movie-going fellow movie-goers.

0

Other Mommy “Review”

Release date: October 9, 2026 (USA)

Director: Rob Savage

Story by: Josh Malerman

Producer: James Wan

MPAA rating: R

Running time: 1h 34m

Finding myself with the critics on this one – My wife enjoyed it, which maybe balances my 6.5/10 Fine Rating :S

Other Mommy does it’s job of being a horror movie. There were plenty of scenes I felt tension and unease. For me personally, this felt like two different edited cuts thrown together and called a day. When the movie felt more grounded in supernatural I was enjoying the scares. Once experimental supernatural became a thing I was rather put off and over this very short horror film. To short to be feeling like there was bloatware added on to pad the clock.

Just leading up to the title screen had me feeling like I just watched the trailer. The jawing edits, entering the rollercoaster half way down the buildup left me wanting more substance. Some better ground work would have been appreciated. I get the story tells it by the end but other than the scares. I really didn’t care to learn by the time reveals occured.

If Resident Evil didn’t just recently release I’d of liked some demon designs but it felt like a copy cat rip off. Honestly the movie felt like Backrooms / Resident Evil with a sprinkle of Paranormal Activity. I enjoyed aspects but I was totally over the movie by the ending scenes wrapped up. Critics hit it with a 20% RT Score. My wife enjoyed it for reasons I can’t discuss without spoiling.

So with that in mind. What are your thoughts on Other Mommy? Watched it and loved/hated it ? On the fence or waiting to check it out. Let me know in the comments below.

Appreciate you taking the time to come by Popped for your movie “Reviews”.

Coming up next Thursday is Street Fighter :D.

Until next time, happy movie-going, fellow movie-goers 😀

0

It Ends “Review”

Release date: August 21, 2026 (USA)

Director: Alexander Ullom

Running time: 1h 29m

Distributed by: Neon

92% This must be good!…..right?

4 friends driving down a straight road never found their turn-out. It Ends takes you on a dark purgatory story of what-if scenarios. Continuing forth is the only available route. To track backwards leads to dead ends. When people in the woods start to awaken from the car noise, acting like zombies screaming for help. What do you do other than continue to drive forward down the straight road?

I hope you enjoy these 4 characters because you’re locked in as much as they are with one another. There are some interesting ideas here, but do they ever really get developed or delved into to enrich the story? For me personally, it’s what dragged this movie down into the 7’s. When the formula ran stale, we got a change-up for both the viewer and actors. That’s sadly about where things didn’t change up and ended the movie with a weak 7 mostly; it’s a fine movie.

Just checked the audience score and seeing a 50%. Seems like I’m in the middle, so curious where It Ends lands with you all? Planning on checking it out on streaming? Let us know in the comments below.

Final “Review” to come of this weeks batch, The Legend of the White Dragon :D.

0

Insidious: Out of the Further “Review”

Release date: August 21, 2026 (USA)

Director: Jacob Chase

Running time: 1h 46m

MPAA rating: PG-13

Distributed by: Sony Pictures Releasing

2026 is jam packed with horror so let’s keep it going in August with Insidious (6?)..

Horror rarely scares these days anymore. But this entry’s intro has some solid tension and a scene that got me :P. Sadly, the remainder of the movie doesn’t keep that same energy. But there are moments for sure :D.

Out of the further felt like a second phase or saga of the Insidious franchise. Going from the established traveler to now introducing carriers, individuals who were able to bring things to and from the material plane from the further.

The story focuses on a family over a 20-year generational timeline. The intro sets up some rewarding scenes that I appreciated in this latest installment. Some old favorites return; however, it mostly felt like filler.

That’s all dependent on the franchise’s next direction, based on the ending without spoilers. Popped score of 6.5/10. It’s almost good, but that ending could have been epic. Discuss that further in the comments after you’ve experienced this latest edition.

Appreciate you coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews”.

Stick around for the “Review” on The Magical Faraway Tree.

0

Disclosure Day “Review”

Release date: June 12, 2026 (USA)

Director: Steven Spielberg

Music composed by: John Williams

Producers: Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger

Screenplay: David Koepp

Story by: Steven Spielberg

Let’s discuss this without spoilers then potential spoilers – Once you know, you know…

No Spoilers “Review”

Colman Domingo has been incredibly busy with so many good movies of late. Does Disclosure Day add to this list? Depends on your experience, I’d say. For a movie focused on not revealing the last third of the movie through the trailer. I had to see this before being spoiled. Other than some low ratings / negative buzz, I didn’t hear anything about the movie as I avoided it at all costs.

So what did I think? – Honestly, I was so captivated by this movie, despite its length. I was lured in to find out the big reveal. Would have said it’s a solid good movie worth watching once. Then the reveal occurred. Okay, it’s not massive for me personally, but hey, I was actually getting filled with emotions, almost wanting to cry O.o WHAT! Yeah, I dunno, had to listen. Sadly, it didn’t hit the landing, though, and with that, Disclosure Day is getting a fine, almost good rating of 6.5/10 Popped score.

Potential Spoiler “Review”

Disclosure Day focuses on 2 individuals, Josh O’Connor (Playing Daniel Kellner) & Emily Blunt (Playing Margaret Fairchild), as their stories begin apart. We get to learn about them, and we’re introduced through them in two very different ways, the lore and setting of what Disclosure Day is all about.

On the one hand, we’re introduced at a very fast pace, being dunked into the deep end and learning about things later on. The other is gradual, explored through fascinating aspects of daily life with a slight abnormality.

I felt this movie was created as a discussion point to land home and end on a point where theatre goers get to break it down and translate it to real life. Well, let’s get to it in the comments below? 😀 Shall we? :D. Any who, a fine movie, almost good in fact. 6.5/10 or a weak sauce 7.

Potential Spoiler Discussion

If you’re avoiding the trailer, then don’t read this part, dummy!

With Men In Black releasing in the late 90’s. I feel like this discussion had the seeds sown back then. It would have been nice to go a little further into Disclosure Day and see the next part of the discussion rather than bringing “Men in Black: Origins” as a familiar example. I won’t go further to avoid spoilers for those intrigued to read but want to learn a little more.

Thank you all for coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews”!

With that, fellow movie-goers, I look forward to returning later in the week with an onslaught of titles. From Horror Leviticus. Drama with Girls Like Girls. Action Adventure with The Death of Robin Hood, & of course, the juggernaut that is Toy Story 5!

Lots to look forward to for sure. Lots to catch up on. All making for an excellent time this summer at the theatre!

Until next time, happy movie going, fellow movie goers 😀

0

The Breadwinner “Review”

Release date: May 29, 2026 (USA)

Director: Eric Appel

Screenplay: Nate Bargatze, Dan Lagana

MPAA rating: PG

Running time: 1h 40m

Producers: Nate Bargatze, Dan Lagana, Jeremy Latcham

While horror continues to break records and lift the movie industry, it’s always nice to check on the smaller releases.

When looking into possibly skipping a release this week. While Tuner & Pressure got high 90’s for audience & critic scores. (Checking those out tomorrow) The Breadwinner had Critics scoring in the 20’s & Audience in the 80’s. Had to go check it out and see where it landed on my rating system :D. Was it worth checking out?

While the first half was needed for the second half to pay off. I thought the first half was okay at best. The latter really came together almost pulling off a good rating but for Popped – Score of 6.5 It’s almost good.

What’s it about for the audience to give such a high score? – Katie Wilcox (Played by Mandy Moore) has invented a Star-Minder to help her children get ready in the morning and with their daily routines. Gaining backers & interest. Katie lands a spot on the TV Show Shark Tank, which sets the movie in motion for her husband, Nate Wilcox (Played by Nate Bargatze), to look after their three children and take time off work in order to do so.

Sadly, Nate isn’t the funniest, but supported by his three daughters and some surprise characters met along the way. I did chuckle from time to time 😀 Especially that second half of the movie. I can see families and little ones getting a kick out of this. Even some coming-of-age tales can teach us by the end.

Did you check out the breadwinner this weekend? Love to hear your thoughts below!

Thank you all for coming by Popped for your movie “reviews”. Stay tuned for later today when I return from watching Tuner & Pressure!

0

Normal “Review”

Release dateApril 17, 2026 (USA)

DirectorBen Wheatley

ProducersBob Odenkirk, Derek Kolstad, Marc Provissiero

Story byBob Odenkirk, Derek Kolstad

ScreenplayDerek Kolstad

Running time1h 30m

Well this is a normal movie :p Let’s discuss!

Bob Odenkirk is back with another action-type movie similar to that of Nobody, this time playing a Sheriff during an 8-week interim period for the county of Normal. A regular, normal town that he aims to leave in the same state that he arrived in. This small town is based in Minnesota, and as the movie opens and the poster states…. this small town has a big secret about it.

Personally, I prefer the style of Nobody 1, but I can see this being another good 1 time watch at the movies. Personally, being a weak 7 or dipping possibly into 6.5/10. It’s a one-time watch, but not bad at all. Sadly, the shortcomings for me personally came from the execution of creating a normal town so well that when things started to occur, it felt off for this world that had been created.

Hot Fuzz comes to mind, thinking along the lines of style change-ups for examples that I refer to. Hot Fuzz feels in the right place compared to this attempt.

That’s just my thoughts after watching Normal. Love to hear from yourselves after checking normal out.

Thanks for coming to Popped for your movie “Reviews”. Still to come in April is Michael, before we jump into May with back-to-back big releases from Devil Wears Prada 2, Mortal Kombat 2 & Mandalorian, with possible hidden easter eggs throughout. What’s the May movie you’re most looking forward to? Checking out Michael? Love to hear in the comments below.

Until next batch though, happy movie-going fellow movie-goers 😀

0

Exit 8 “Review”

Release dateApril 10, 2026 (USA)

DirectorGenki Kawamura

Running time1h 35m

LanguageJapanese

Distributed byToho Co., Ltd.

Horror based on a video game made by Neon – Sign me up 😀

You receive a phone call while coming off your commuter train, and everything disconnects the moment you turn the corner. Exit 8 sign appears before you, a long corridor with a man walking towards you. Now watch that scene over and over again…. with a twist.

I wanted to give this a 7. Possibly, it could have been, with conversations that struck after the film ended between my wife and I. Is there more depth than first received? More layers to peel back with future viewings? I’m honestly not sure. But the repetitive nature of watching the same scene over and over would get tedious before the formula switched up. No spoilers here just my experience watching this movie with no experience of playing the game.

Okay here’s the rules to the game. Spot an anomaly, immediately turn back. Otherwise proceed to exit 8.

That’s pretty much it. It’s a fine/okay watch. Popped score of 6.5/10. Woke up this morning to see RT of 94% Critic Score :O. But they hated on Mario which was packed with fun scenes and adventure :s. No idea. Either way, love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Planning to check it out or curious?

Thanks for coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. Stay tuned for a much lighter feel good movie coming up next. You, Me & Tuscany.

0

They Will Kill You “Review”

Release dateMarch 27, 2026 (USA)

DirectorKirill Sokolov

CinematographyIsaac Bauman

Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures

EditorLuke Doolan

Executive producersKirill Sokolov, Alex Litvak, John Schoenfelder, Russell Ackerman, Carl Hampe

Awesome Trailer – Maybe to awesome….. let’s discuss!

The movie sets up on a very different tone than the trailer. But just you wait. This movie gets insane! Over-the-top campy horror with tons of blood. Cheesy liners and action. Packed so full of cheese your spouse is gonna walk away loving it while you’re sitting there being like….WTF did I just watch?

Honestly, when it was being its over-the-top self, I was having a fun time. But the movie kept flip-flopping between making a movie with one tone, then flip-flop to over the top crazy, no ceilings too high to go crazy with. From a 7 to an okay 6/6.5 out of 10. This is the first 2026 movie getting the….So Bad it’s Good? Rating.

Thinking between this and Ready or Not 2… go check out Ready or Not 2 in theatres. They Will Kill You on streaming or during downtime between now and Mario’s release.

There’s a lot of fun to be had with this one, if only they cut out the serious tonal parts and made this a sub-1-hour feature. For an hour and a half, this felt long and got boring. Even the crazy, over-the-top nature was making me numb to it. Pinch of salt, though, my wife, sitting next to me, was loving it.

Going to check out They Will Kill You this weekend? Love to hear from you all in the comments below!

Appreciate you coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. Next week is the epic! Super Mario Galaxy. With bonus movie Drama. Very exciting!

Until next time, fellow movie-goers – Happy Movie Going! 😀

0

A WordPress.com Website.

Up ↑