Category: It’s Fine, almost good

The Plague “Review”

Release date: December 24, 2025 (USA)

Director: Charlie Polinger

Producers: Joel Edgerton, Lizzie Shapiro, Lucy McKendrick, Derek Dauchy, Roy Lee, Steven Schneider

Nominations: Prize of Un Certain Regard · See more

MPAA rating: R

Distributed by: Independent Film Company

I thought The Plague was another zombie movie. WoW did I walk into something else.

I went through a couple of stages reflecting on this movie throughout my viewing experience. A coming of age kept coming to mind but mainly, without spoilers. The Plague is a dark window to viewers on the consequences of bullying.

A great group of young actors which should use this movie for their portfolio. It’s got good things going for it. As much as it’s not a zombie movie. I liked the lens being focused on this angle of dark consequences of bullying. It ramps up and keeps the movie concise. Even a bow tie of an ending? It’s a fine movie at a 6.5/10.

Solid performances from this group of actors. The Plague focuses on a group of young lads apart of a water polo camp. The social dynamics to Ben (Played by Everett Blunck) being new to this group are portrayed very well as the viewer is new to this world and environment. Eli (Played by Kenny Rasmussen) has some sort of infection and dubbed by Jake (Played by Kayo Martin) to have “The Plague”. Touch him and you’ll get it also.

This anxiety from the ruthless hierarchy of the water polo group spirals into psychological turmoil over the summer period. The horror elements or done in away of situational and environment. Something of an intrigue is the inclusion of music almost of that of Aztec in nature.

Thinking of checking out The Plague or already seen it ? Let me know in the comments below. Love to hear your thoughts. RT has it at a 100% believe it or not. IMDb at 7.2/10. Stay tuned for a continued batch of “reviews” as we dive next, into Is This Thing On?.

Thank you for coming by Popped! For your movie “Reviews”. Happy Movie-Going!

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The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants “Review”

Release date: December 19, 2025 (USA)

Director: Derek Drymon

Screenplay: Pam Brady, Matt Lieberman

Running time: 1h 28m

MPAA rating: PG

Distributed by: Paramount Pictures

Has the time come for my childhood self to hang up on old animated I.P…? Let’s discuss!

For a short film, this movie sure felt long. 6 minutes of credits and a 6-minute short film, The SpongeBob Movie could have been cut to get a higher rating. Short film, you ask? Yes, a TMNT animated short was the intro and a fun 6 minutes at that. (Some may say the best 6 minutes for the entire runtime?).

What’s SpongeBob up to this time? Well, now being tall enough to ride the Big Boy Bay rollercoaster. SpongeBob needs the courage and determination to overcome the fears of such a coaster. Setting his path to Mr. Krabs which sends SpongeBob & Patrick on an adventure to the Underwear…. Underworld sorry Ha Ha, to gain his swashbuckler certificate!

I had some laugh-out-loud moments. Was between a 6 & 7. Ultimately, going with a 6.5 for such a short feature feeling so long. The movie starts slow, but does eventually pick up with the adventure.

As mentioned at the top. Maybe I’m getting too old, and the younger generations of fans will love this movie? Well have to see what this weekend brings us as our pre-batch of movies releases for the holidays.

Appreciate you taking the time to come by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. Still to come this weekend are Housemaid & Avatar 3. Maybe I’ll get another viewing of David in there, but let’s see how the week goes.

Until next time fellow movie goers! Happy Movie Going 😀

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Ella McCay “Review”

Release date: December 12, 2025 (USA)

Director: James L. Brooks

Production companies: Gracie Films, 20th Century Studios

MPAA rating: PG-13

Producers: James L. Brooks, Richard Sakai, Julie Ansell, Jennifer Simchowitz

Running time: 1h 55m

I enjoyed it way more than the press & its current review scores are at.

Someone asked me, upon leaving the theatre, what I thought. I said it’s a cute movie. They then asked what it was about. It’s about a 34-year-old woman named Ella McCay becoming the Governor where she was born & raised. Now she must balance her personal life with her family & husband, along with the trials and hardships brought on by becoming Governor.

I enjoyed the characters, performances and story being told. It’s a fine movie worth checking out. Even if those scores are being dragged through the mud with 22% on RT & mid to low 50’s on other platforms.

Here at Popped, I gave Ella McCay a 6.5/10. It’s a fine movie that I didn’t find boring to watch.

Thank you for coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. Last one of this week’s batch, and I’ll be going back to bed. – David! Got to check out the early access yesterday.

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Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 “Review”

Release date: December 5, 2025 (USA)

Director: Emma Tammi

Prequel: Five Nights At Freddy’s

MPAA rating: PG-13

Running time: 1h 44m

Distributed by: Universal Pictures, Cinemundo

I was worried this movie would feel out of season…but ….let’s discuss, shall we!

Elizabeth Lail (Playing Vanessa Shelly), Josh Hutcherson (Playing Mike Schmidt) & Piper Rubio (Playing Abby) are back once again for the sequel to FNAF. Some recap and a dark opener are setting up this sequel, but otherwise, this felt about the same as the original.

Great additions from McKenna Grace (Playing Lisa), a paranormal investigator who heads into the original Freddy’s location on a tour. Without spoilers, she may honestly have some of the best scenes in the movie.

It’s darker when it wants to be. Has better scares when it wants to. Includes gameplay elements from the second game….when it eventually gets there. But otherwise suffers for me personally the same as the sequel did.

Love the nights at Freddy’s. Love the animatronics. Loved the horror elements. Could have done without the relationship BS. Long-winded PTSD segments. The back-and-forth between FNAF content & movie “filler” content.

Otherwise, a fine movie with some good horror scares mixed in. A popped score of 6.5, and worth sticking around for the mid-credit scene. For FNAF fans, maybe stick around to the end for an easter egg?

Thank you for coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews” fellow movie goers :D.

Be seeing you over the weekend for Fackham Hall & Hamnet. Checking out FNAF 2 this weekend? Let me know what you thought in the comments below. Also, for those fans out there of the games. How true/accurate are the movies keeping to them?

Until next time, though, happy movie going fellow movie-goers!

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Keeper “Review”

Release date: November 14, 2025 (USA)

Director: Osgood Perkins

Genre: Horror

Producers: Jesse Savath, Chris Ferguson

Running time: 1h 39m

MPAA rating: R

Loved Tatiana Maslany in Orphan Black and went in expecting something along that…WTF!

I’ll come right out with this one. Someone asked what this movie is about. The question stumped me as I didn’t want to spoil anything. Seriously. This movie summed up is a total WTF experience. It’ll be a solid top-notch streamer late at night. Popped score of 6.5/10. The second half was good, but that first hour had me split.

Liz (Played by Tatiana Maslany) & her partner Malcom (Played by Rossif Sutherland) have an interesting chemistry at first, which I wish I saw a quick connection point between the two before the uncertainty and skepticism.

The film setup this feature beautifully. Establishing the trend and revealing slightly the WTF nature of what’s to come without fully revealing literally anything.

This is what kept me in suspense. Wanting more. Wanting to see what the literal fuck is going on in this title. Maybe that’s why my rating is slightly higher than others, with 6/10 on IMDb being the highest thus far.

Out of all three features in this batch, I would love to know your thoughts on Keeper. Maybe I’ve teased you to check it out, maybe you’re turned away. Either way, this is a fine, almost good movie with 6.5/10. The second half was what almost got this to a 7, but ultimately, without going into spoilers, was the reason why it stayed in the 6’s.

With that, we have our trilogy of movies this week, and I appreciate you all coming by Popped for those movie “Reviews. With Keepers that puts our total movie count at ……. 127 if I counted my posts correctly…. WOW, speak about losing track.

Goal was 100 – Maybe we can hit 150 by the end of December? Let me know your predictions in the comments below, and how many movies you’re currently up to for watch count.

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Now You See Me: Now You Don’t “Review”

Release date: November 14, 2025 (USA)

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Prequel: Now You See Me 2

Running time: 1h 52m

MPAA rating: PG-13

Distributed by: Starz Entertainment, Lionsgate Films, Paris Filmes

Well, that’s new – Prequel: Is Now You See Me 2… because dropping the 3 made this complex?

It’s the third movie of this franchise. This time, with the entire gang and some newcomers…but it’s not over yet ;). Not going to lie. I did see the critic score prior to watching which may have influenced my score but it feels in the right place.

It’s got some good to it, but mostly it’s a fine movie. Takes the magic from previous installments and throws in an ocean’s elven / James Bond ness to it with way more action than I’d expected.

Had a good time being with these characters once more after 9 years being away. Yea! Insane right. The previous movie dropped in 2016, believe it or not.

With a Popped score of 6.5 or a very low 7. We’re going with it’s fine. Almost a good movie. But love to hear your thoughts on this one as it’s going up against the next movie in this week’s batch. The Running Man.

Missed my PoGo event today due to years worth of rain in a day…. but tomorrow is another chance… right ? 😀

Thanks for coming by, Popped for your movie “Reviews”. Let’s jump into The Running Man :D.

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Anniversary “Review”

Initial release: October 29, 2025

Director: Jan Komasa

Producers: Paula Mae Schwartz, Steve Schwartz, Kate Churchill, Nick Wechsler

Running time: 1h 51m

MPAA rating: R

Distributed by: Lionsgate Films

Got busy this weekend, so catching back up – Ready for this week’s batch?

When re-uniting with your siblings for your parents Anniversary. Tension gets high when new partner Liz (Played by Phoebe Dynevor) to Josh (Played by Dylan O’Brien) meet with Josh’s parents. His mother, Ellen (Played by Diane Lane) remembers Liz from a heated school political debate which also causes ripples in the family along with her husband Paul (Played by Kyle Chandler).

This feels in the realm of The Handmaid’s Tale. Which is perfect because one of the three daughters Anna (Played by Madeline Brewer) is incredible in her role of Anniversary. Supporting Birdie (Played by the incredible Mckenna Grace) & Cynthia (Played by Zoey Deutch).

This is a slow-roasting turkey that requires time to build. Awesome ending but sure takes awhile to get there. I’ll leave you there with this awesome cast with a Popped score of 6.5/10.

It’s a fine movie. Has some good content within, but its an investment to get there. Did you check it out? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Thanks for coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. October wasn’t the best month. But we had some fun times with a few films. November is sure to turn up the heat for Oscar nominations. So with that said. Let’s roll forth with Bugonia up next.

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Blue Moon “Review”

Release date: October 24, 2025 (USA)

Director: Richard Linklater

Screenplay: Robert Kaplow

Producers: Richard Linklater, John Sloss, Mike Blizzard

Running time: 1h 40m

Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics, Sony Pictures

Trailer had me intrigued. That intrigued was not ready for this unique experience, let’s discuss!

First things first – If you’re not digging this movie 20/25 minutes in. This probably isn’t a movie for you. It doesn’t pickup. Move scenes or do some crazy action scene, chase, etc. You’re enjoying a conversation between…leads..extras? You decide, within a bar for an hour and a half.

It’s a bloody good conversation. Enjoyable and had several tonal changes, undertones, and inflections. But you’re not leaving that bar without a drink or two…or three :D.

Ethan Hawke has taken a moment away from Black Phone to play Lorenz Hart. Set in 1943, Hart confronts his shattered self-confidence in a bar as his former collaborator, Richard Rodgers (Played by Andrew Scott, whom I know mainly from Sherlock), celebrates the opening night of his groundbreaking hit musical “Oklahoma!”.

Stella performances across the board. Loved Eddie (Played by Bobby Cannavale, who, from the trailer, I thought was Robert from Everybody Loves Raymond) & Elizabeth Weiland (Played by Margaret Qualley).

Personally a Popped score of 6.5/10 it’s a fine movie. I can see why others are giving high praise looking at other scores of 72% up to 88%.

Appreciate you taking the time to come by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. This is the first of 3 within this week’s batch. Stay tuned for the next “Review” – Regretting You :D.

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Black Phone 2 “Review”

Release date: October 17, 2025 (USA)

Director: Scott Derrickson

MPAA rating: R

Prequel: The Black Phone

Running time: 1h 54m

Distributed by: Universal Pictures

My most anticipated movie of 2025…. so how’d it go? Let’s Discuss!

Loved the first title back in 2021. Some big shoes to fill, that’s for certain.

Mason Thames is back after training a dragon earlier this year as Finney. Grown up and haunted by Ethan Hawke as The Grabber he’s the tough kid in school that now smokes cigarettes :O.

Madeleine McGraw, playing Finney’s sister Gwen, has also grown up but now has more severe and extreme dreams than before. These dreams share a connection with their mother, which sends them on a path to a religious campground to do battle with The Grabber once again.

Followed Popped since the first review (Night Swim). You’ll see that I mentioned the Blum house Universe being supposedly created after the events of this movie…. well, I have my theories if this is the path being taken still.

*Spoilers* – I think focusing on the daughter Gwen, could align with the next movie of Blum House, FNAF… let me know what you think? *Spoilers*.

Popped score of 6.5/10, some good scenes, but don’t let it fool you into thinking this was actually a good movie. It’s a solid streamer. The bar was set way too high for it to come anywhere near the first film. Sadly, we may have the M3GAN effect. Changing the tonal shift and psychological aspects to more paranormal may have lost what many like myself, thoroughly enjoyed about its origins.

Thank you all for taking the time to come by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. Next week we have a very nice feast of all sorts. :D.

From Chainsaw Man, Regretting You, Shelby Oaks (Maybe Springsteen) & Bugonia…. all going well, we have a good time. Potentially a solid week, but only time will tell. Wondering about the Oscar noms yet? Me too!

Let’s discuss that the end of October as we near Halloween and the winter movie slate cooks for release! 😀 See you next batch & happy movie going everyone.

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Anemone “Review”

Release date: October 3, 2025 (USA)

Director: Ronan Day-Lewis

Production company: Plan B Entertainment

Executive producers: Daniel Day-Lewis, Brad Pitt

Costume design: Jane Petrie

Running time: 2h 1m

Hearing that Daniel Day-Lewis is coming out of retirement for his son, who’s directing this movie, I had to check out Anemone. (Finding Nemo comes to my mind, Anemone :D).

This movie may not be for everyone. But for those who love cinematography, Daniel Day-Lewis & Sean Bean. This is a good movie for you. (At best a 7.) Personally, I felt like Anemone is a 6, okay film with the Cinematography getting it to 6.5, fine as it was gorgeous.

It wasn’t until just over an hour in that I got what this film was about. Very little was said prior to connecting a story. Mostly told through the directing and visual shots. Overal to give you something of a plot without going to far.

This is a tale of a son Brian Stoker (Played by Samuel Bottomley) in need of / searching for answers of his father. Daniel Day-Lewis plays Ray Stoker who’s living out in the woodlands (Which, by the way, was a beautiful scene with his brother Jem Stocker, played by Sean Bean, entering at the start of the movie).

Going to check this movie out? Love to hear your thoughts in the comments below 😀

Quick, rapid fire for this batch as Critical Role Campaign 4 starts in 20minutes :O. Next up, Good Boy 😀

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