This isn’t another polished, quip-heavy blockbuster. Instead, Spider-Noir drags superhero mythology back to the hardboiled pulp roots that inspired these stories in the first place, delivering an experience soaked in cigarette smoke, jazz rhythms, gangland violence, moral ambiguity, and trench coat-clad vigilantism. The result is something genuinely fresh: a superhero series that feels less like modern comic-book entertainment and more like a lost detective serial from Hollywood’s Golden Age. And honestly? It’s one hell of a ride.

“Spider-Noir” is a live-action series based on the Marvel comic Spider-Man Noir. “Spider-Noir” tells the story of Ben Reilly (Nicolas Cage), a seasoned, down on his luck private investigator in 1930s New York, who is forced to grapple with his past life, following a deeply personal tragedy, as the city’s one and only superhero.

Film Noir Reborn Through The Spider-Verse

Bringing Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man Noir to life, previously seen in the Spider-Man Noir graphic novels and later voiced by Cage himself in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, showrunner Oren Uziel crafts a series that feels radically distinct from anything else currently in the superhero medium.

Set within a parallel-universe version of 1933 New York City, Spider-Noir plunges audiences into a world drenched in shadow and moral decay. It’s a city of crooked politicians, smoky jazz clubs, gangsters, dames, bruisers, and desperate souls clawing for survival during the Depression era. At the centre of it all stands Ben Reilly; a washed-up private investigator with a drinking problem, a shattered conscience, and one final shot at redemption.

Uziel and his creative team absolutely revel in recreating the atmosphere of classic noir cinema. Every frame feels handcrafted to honour the spirit of filmmakers like John Huston, Howard Hawks, and Billy Wilder, while simultaneously filtering that influence through a comic-book lens. The series embraces noir not just aesthetically, but spiritually.

What makes Spider-Noir particularly inventive is its dual-format presentation. Viewers can experience the series in either “Authentic Black and White” or “True Hue Full Color.” While both versions are impressive, the monochrome presentation is undoubtedly the definitive way to experience the series. The black-and-white cinematography transforms the show into something timeless, making it feel like an unearthed relic from the 1940s.

Meanwhile, the “True Hue Full Color” version offers an equally fascinating alternative, resembling the early Technicolor processes of Old Hollywood with warm sepia undertones and rich saturation. It’s a clever stylistic flourish that gives audiences two entirely different moods to choose from.

Nicolas Cage Was Born To Play This Character

For Nicolas Cage, Spider-Noir feels like the culmination of every eccentric, inspired, and deeply committed performance instinct he’s cultivated throughout his career.

Cage has always approached acting as something heightened and theatrical, famously describing his style as “Nouveau Shamanic,” and that energy is perfectly suited to the heightened melodrama of noir storytelling. But what makes his performance here so compelling is that he doesn’t simply play Spider-Man. Instead, he fully embodies the spirit of the noir antihero.

His Ben Reilly is exhausted, cynical, emotionally battered, and drowning in regret. There’s a touch of Humphrey Bogart cool to him, mixed with the elastic physicality of a Looney Tunes character, while Cage also channels the clipped vocal rhythms of Edward G. Robinson whenever he slips into the guise of The Spider. Somehow, all of these ingredients combine into a performance that feels completely singular.

Cage’s Reilly has clearly already lived through his “Chinatown moment” long before the audience meets him. He’s a broken man who once tried to do the right thing and paid dearly for it. Whiskey bottles pile up around his office, his moral compass is barely functioning, and he’s all but abandoned the idea that heroism matters anymore.

But then comes a mysterious case. A dangerous conspiracy. A beautiful woman. And slowly, reluctantly, Ben Reilly begins rediscovering the responsibility that once defined him.

Watching Cage navigate this emotional resurrection is endlessly entertaining because the actor fully commits to every beat of it. One moment he’s brooding under the dim light of a detective’s office, and the next he’s hurling himself through windows while firing off manic one-liners beneath a trench coat and spider mask.

Long-Form Storytelling Lets Cage Truly Cut Loose

What makes Spider-Noir especially exciting is that it gives Cage room to truly inhabit a character over an extended runtime. Television and streaming have long proven to be fertile territory for character actors, and this format allows Cage to stretch his legs in ways cinema rarely permits anymore.

As Ben Reilly, he remains restrained, bruised, and melancholic. But once he embraces the identity of The Spider, Cage unleashes that unmistakable energy audiences love him for. The physical comedy, bizarre vocal inflections, and fearless theatricality all begin to emerge in increasingly entertaining ways.

Thankfully, Spider-Noir understands that noir storytelling doesn’t need to be relentlessly dour. There’s actually a sharp undercurrent of comedy woven throughout the series, and much of it comes from Cage’s wonderfully oddball performance choices. As the story progresses and Reilly becomes more comfortable stepping back into heroism, the series gains momentum and personality alongside him.

At its core, though, Spider-Noir remains a story about redemption. Beneath the webs, tommy guns, and shadowy conspiracies lies the emotional story of a man reclaiming his purpose and rediscovering what it means to stand up for others. That emotional spine gives the series real weight.

A Perfectly Cast Ensemble Brings This Noir World To Life

Supporting Cage is an absolutely stellar ensemble cast, each performer helping to reinvent classic Spider-Man mythology through the lens of noir storytelling.

Lamorne Morris shines as Robbie Robertson, reimagined here as a whip-smart investigative reporter with mile-a-minute energy and a relentless hunger for the truth. Morris brings a terrific sense of urgency and humour to the role, acting as both Reilly’s conscience and investigative partner throughout the unfolding mystery.

Meanwhile, Li Jun Li delivers genuine elegance and intrigue as Cat Hardy. Styled as the quintessential noir femme fatale, Hardy enters the story as a smoky-eyed lounge singer with secrets buried beneath every flirtatious glance. Li effortlessly channels Old Hollywood glamour while giving the character far more depth than audiences initially expect. Her chemistry with Cage is magnetic, and her arc consistently surprises.

Jack Huston proves equally memorable as Flint Marko, this universe’s version of Sandman. Reimagined as a traumatised World War I veteran turned brutal underworld enforcer, Huston gives the character a simmering menace reminiscent of Robert Mitchum-era tough guys. His physicality is imposing, while his tragic undertones lend the character real emotional complexity.

Alongside him, Abraham Popoola offers strong support as Lonnie Lincoln/Tombstone, another war veteran navigating New York’s criminal underbelly with his own ambitions simmering beneath the surface.

And overseeing it all is the always-excellent Brendan Gleeson as Silvermane, the calculating kingpin of New York’s underworld. Gleeson’s performance is quietly terrifying. Beneath Silvermane’s polished exterior and gentlemanly charm lurks a ruthless strategist constantly manoeuvring pieces across the board. His fascination with both Reilly and The Spider creates a delicious layer of tension that hangs over the entire narrative.

When The Action Arrives, It Hits Hard

While Spider-Noir initially takes its time building atmosphere and character, once the action finally erupts, the series shifts into another gear entirely.

The first major sequence featuring Cage’s Spider unleashing his powers in full is an absolute blast, and from there the action escalates rapidly. What makes these sequences especially entertaining is how creatively the series merges Spider-Man’s superhero abilities with classic gangster-era aesthetics.

Watching The Spider swing between rain-soaked buildings while gangsters unload tommy guns below creates a wonderfully unique visual identity. Fight choreography embraces both pulpy serial-style action and modern superhero spectacle, while still retaining the rough-edged grit of noir cinema.

Importantly, the action never overwhelms the storytelling. Instead, it enhances the mood and tension already simmering beneath the surface. Every brawl feels desperate. Every rooftop chase carries urgency. And every confrontation between The Spider and New York’s criminal underworld crackles with danger.

The series also deserves credit for fully embracing the weirdness of its premise. Spider powers in a noir setting shouldn’t work this well — and yet they absolutely do. Whether it’s inventive web-slinging, brutal hand-to-hand combat, or surreal detective imagery, the show constantly finds fresh ways to blend superhero storytelling with noir iconography.

Prime Video Delivers One Of The Boldest Superhero Projects In Years

Prime Video’s Spider-Noir is the complete package: stylish, atmospheric, funny, emotionally grounded, and gloriously strange in all the right ways.

Rather than chasing trends, the series confidently carves out its own identity and commits fully to its pulp-noir vision. That commitment is precisely what makes it so refreshing. This is a superhero story unafraid to get weird, theatrical, and deeply stylised, while still delivering genuine emotional stakes beneath all the shadow-drenched spectacle.

Final Verdict: Web-Spinning Excellence

Whether experienced in “Authentic Black and White” or “True Hue Full Color,” Spider-Noir stands as one of the most original comic-book adaptations in years. And at the centre of it all is Nicolas Cage, giving audiences another unforgettable performance that reminds everyone exactly why he remains one of Hollywood’s most fascinating performers.

Dark, pulpy, violent, funny, romantic, and wildly entertaining, Spider-Noir swings big, and sticks the landing.

Spider-Noir is streaming now on Prime Video.

Image: Prime Video

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The Green Lantern Oath conjures images of the Universe’s most powerful warrior corps, a group of interplanetary peace keepers made up of species from across the entire spectrum of the universe ready to face down evil, and now HBO Max’s Lanterns is tready to shake things up in an intense tale of psychological complexity as two heroes must conqueror their greatest fears.

Check out the all-new teaser trailer for Lanterns below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

Lanterns follows new recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.

Stepping into the fight against evil are Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre as Hal Jordan, a legendary Green Lantern, and fresh faced recruit John Stewart who are thrust into a brooding psychological mystery thriller that finds a sinister extraterrestrial presence on Earth, and this is definitely not the series fans had anticipated when they saw that Lanterns was arriving on HBO Max.

With it’s boots on the ground rawness, Lanterns smashes together superhero intensity, with a brooding psychological character study, and right from the heart both Jordan and Stewart make for a volatile presence, but they’ll need each others’ support if there to stop whats coming.

Joining Chandler and Pierre in the series are Kelly Macdonald, Garret Dillahunt, Poorna Jagannathan, Laura Linney, Jason Ritter, Ulrich Thomsen, Nathan Fillion, J. Alphonse Nicholson and Jasmine Cephas Jones, while the first two episodes are directed by James Hawes, with Stephen Williams, Geeta Vasant Patel and Alik Sakharov also tapped to direct.

Both Chandler and Pierre look great together on-screen and there’s an almost Butch and Sundance swagger that the pair deliver to the screen. Mixed in further is this exploration of both of their character’s’ military backgrounds, Jordan, a former Air Force test pilot, and Stewart, a former Force Recon Marine, and you can sense that this series will look to explore the presence and plight of veterans in today’s America.

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With its gripping character driven narrative story, Lanterns is set to be an intriguing watch when it arrives on HBO Max on August 17.

Image: HBO Max

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Left on a high stakes cliff hanger with the armies of both the Targaryens and the Hightowers massing for a fight, Season Three of House of the Dragon is going to explode into drama, and the body count is surely going to rise.

Check out the full behind the scenes featurette for Season Three of House of the Dragon below:

This new featurette firmly encapsulates audiences in the incredible scope and massive scale that awaits in Season Three, and the focus is very much on the war, both on the battlefield, and within the halls of power, that determines the Game of Thrones, and all will be in awe once this new series arrives.

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The excitement building up around this new season of House of the Dragon also precipitates the launch of HBO Max in New Zealand with a brand new platfiorm that set to arrive on June 16, and while details are still to be made, this new platform will offer a bold new content experience for audiences.

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House of the Dragon Season Three will arrive on June 21, and the fires will roar.

Image: HBO MAX

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Pulled away from civilian life and thrown straight back into the brutal shadow world of the CIA, Jack Ryan (John Krasinski) finds himself caught in a deadly conspiracy tied to the past actions of his mentor and former boss, CIA Director James Greer (Wendell Pierce). When old sins threaten to unleash catastrophic terrorist violence, Ryan has no choice but to get back in the fight — and things explode fast.

Full-Throttle Espionage Action

Director Andrew Bernstein wastes absolutely no time throwing audiences into the chaos. Ghost War is a full-bore globe-trotting action ride that jumps from Dubai to London to New York with relentless intensity, delivering the kind of muscular espionage spectacle action fans crave.

Bullets fly, buildings erupt, and covert operations spiral into all-out warfare as Bernstein leans hard into the franchise’s tactical thriller roots. The action here feels heavier, grittier, and far more aggressive, with every shootout carrying real weight and impact.

And when the film cuts loose, it REALLY cuts loose. A brutal chase sequence tearing through the streets of London stands out as one of the film’s best moments, while the final act descends into a glorious hailstorm of gunfire, tension, and destruction that culminates with a minigun unloading on full auto. It’s loud, chaotic, and exactly the kind of overclocked action insanity audiences will want from a movie called Jack Ryan: Ghost War.

Krasinski Continues To Own The Role

What continues to make Krasinski’s Jack Ryan so compelling is the balance between intelligence and raw determination. Unlike the invincible super-spies of other franchises, Ryan still feels like a man wrestling with impossible choices, and Ghost War pushes him harder than ever before.

The film explores Ryan’s struggle between the safety of civilian life and the moral responsibility of stepping back into the fire. That emotional conflict gives the film added weight amidst all the explosions and tactical chaos.

Adding extra energy to the mix is Sienna Miller as MI6 operative Emma Marlow, a fierce wildcard agent who charges headfirst into the action. Miller brings serious attitude to the role, and her chemistry with Krasinski injects the film with a sharp edge as the pair blast their way through one dangerous situation after another.

Final Verdict: Tip of the Spear Action

Jack Ryan: Ghost War is exactly what action fans want: hard-hitting espionage thrills, relentless pacing, and enough firepower to shake the walls. It pushes the Ryanverse into a more explosive direction while still keeping the franchise’s grounded political tension intact.

Image: Prime Video

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Watch the all-new trailer for Vought Rising below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

The series follows a twisted murder mystery about the origins of Vought in the 1950s, the early exploits of Soldier Boy, and the diabolical manoeuvres of Stormfront.

Jensen Ackles is front and centre as Soldier Boy, who following the end of World War II is enlisted into the growing shadowy presence of Vought International courtesy of the devilish presence of Clara Vought / Liberty (Aya Cash), more infamously known to us as Stormfront, and in their on-going battles with Communism, there’s also Clara’s private mission to elevate super-powered beings to the ruling elite of America… and its there were things take a radical swing.

The new teaser certainly amps things up right from the start, along with presenting the presence of Vought in a radical new light courtesy of the series 1950s setting, and Prime Video has spared no expense in bringing this richly textured vision of a Supe-enabled, Norman Rockwell-esque past to life, and there’s plenty of mystery and mayhem to hook audiences all the way in.

Audiences will also be intrigued to see that we’ll be able to get a new take on Ackles’s presence as Soldier Boy, and in this new setting, his jingoistic, alpha-bravado will be on full display. But we’ll also be able to see what turned him from a patriot into something much more dangerous. In addition, audiences will also get to meet new heroes who will be introduced to the Vought universe, including Mason Dye as Bombsight, Will Hochman as Torpedo and Elizabeth Posey as Private Angel.

It’s still to be seen how Vought Rising will connect back to the sheer mania of The Boys, but we’re liking what we’re seeing first up, and havoc will make its way to the screen in service of the land of the free and the home of the super when Vought Rising arrives on Prime Video in 2027.

Image: Prime Video

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Sweet, funny, and endlessly watchable, this is the kind of film tailor-made for couples looking for the perfect cosy night at the movies — although singles wanting a little dose of cinematic comfort food are going to fall for it just as hard.

When a lovesick musician is given the wrong number for his dream girl, he teams up with a driven psychology student to find her. Together, they spark a hilarious, campus-wide frenzy that tests their own hearts and ambitions along the way.

A Love Story Built On Chaos

The story follows Owen (Spike Fearn), a lovestruck musician who experiences the perfect night after meeting his dream girl, only known as “Emily”. There’s just one problem: he loses her in the blur of the evening… and he’s missing a digit from her phone number.

Cue the chaos.

Desperate to track her down, Owen crosses paths with another Emily — Emily Raines (Angourie Rice), an American doctoral psychology student struggling to finish her thesis. Seeing Owen’s frantic romantic obsession as the perfect case study, Emily agrees to help him search for his mystery woman, and before long the pair find themselves caught up in one awkward, hilarious, and unexpectedly emotional misadventure after another.

What starts as a quirky rom-com setup slowly evolves into something far more heartfelt as Finding Emily explores the difference between chasing the fantasy of love and actually understanding what genuine connection looks like.

A Brit Rom-Com With Serious John Hughes Energy

What makes Finding Emily work so well is its personality. MacDonald crafts the film with a distinctly British sensibility, but there’s also an undeniable throwback energy here that recalls the best of John Hughes’ classic romantic comedies. The dialogue crackles, the humour feels honest and awkward in all the right ways, and the characters are messy enough to feel real.

Nobody here is perfect, and that’s exactly the point.

Owen is impulsive, emotional, and hopelessly romantic, while Emily approaches love with scepticism and clinical detachment. Watching those two personalities bounce off each other becomes the film’s greatest strength, particularly as their emotional walls slowly begin to crack.

And honestly? Angourie Rice and Spike Fearn are an absolute delight together.

Their chemistry feels natural from the jump, balancing comedy and tenderness effortlessly. Fearn brings an endearing vulnerability to Owen that makes him instantly lovable, while Rice gives Emily a grounded intelligence and emotional complexity that stops the character from ever becoming cliché.

Also deserving applause is a wonderfully chaotic supporting turn from Minnie Driver as Dean Watkinson, who gets hilariously swept into Owen’s increasingly ridiculous quest for love.

Final Verdict: Pure Feel-Good Cinema

From its BritPop soundtrack to its quirky visual style and warm emotional core, Finding Emily is the definition of feel-good cinema. It’s funny, charming, a little messy, and surprisingly heartfelt when it needs to be.

Most importantly, it understands exactly what audiences want from a romantic comedy: laughter, chemistry, and that little flutter in your chest that reminds you why falling in love can feel magical. Cute, cosy, and packed with heart, Finding Emily is the perfect excuse for a movie date night.

Image: Universal Pictures

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The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu.

Hyperdrive Action That Never Lets Up

Jon Favreau approaches this film like a kid finally being handed every single Star Wars toy imaginable and being told to go nuts with them on the biggest canvas possible. The result is a full-throttle adventure serial that barely pauses to catch its breath.

From a jaw-dropping opening battle on a frozen ice world involving towering AT-AT walkers, to grimy underworld escapades in the swamps of Nal Hutta, to brutal gladiatorial combat in the fighting pits of Shakari, this movie moves with the speed of a blaster bolt. Every set piece escalates the danger, the spectacle, and the sense of pure cinematic wonder.

And the best part? Favreau knows exactly what kind of movie he’s making.

This isn’t brooding sci-fi. This is popcorn cinema in its purest form. It’s adventurous, funny, heartfelt, and constantly swinging for the fences. You can feel the influence of classic matinee serials pulsing through every frame, while the IMAX presentation gives the whole experience an overwhelming sense of scale. Ships roar overhead, blaster fire shakes the room, and hyperspace jumps hit with breathtaking intensity.

This is the kind of movie that’ll have kids gripping their armrests while dads sit there grinning like they’re ten years old again.

The Heart Of The Story Belongs To Din And Grogu

As explosive as the action is, The Mandalorian and Grogu works because Favreau never loses sight of the emotional core at the centre of the chaos.

What makes this chapter especially compelling is how the relationship between Din and Grogu evolves. Audiences are used to seeing Din as the stoic protector, but here Favreau shifts the perspective slightly, allowing Grogu’s connection to his guardian to take on new emotional meaning. There’s a genuine tenderness to their dynamic, and the film leans heavily into themes of fatherhood, responsibility, and legacy without ever becoming overly sentimental.

That emotional exploration is mirrored through the introduction of Rotta the Hutt, played by Jeremy Allen White, the long-lost son of Jabba the Hutt. A former gladiator carrying his own emotional scars, Rotta becomes a fascinating counterpoint to Din and Grogu’s relationship, adding surprising depth to the story while giving the film one of its most intriguing new characters.

And yes, for fans worried about Grogu levels — don’t be. This is PEAK Grogu.

The little guy is adorable, chaotic, hilarious, and heroic all at once, and the audience in my screening absolutely ate it up.

Old-School Movie Magic Meets Modern Blockbuster Spectacle

One of the film’s greatest strengths is how beautifully it blends classic filmmaking techniques with cutting-edge blockbuster technology. Favreau and his creative team continue the visual language established in The Mandalorian, combining practical effects, puppetry, creature work, miniatures, and richly textured worldbuilding with state-of-the-art digital effects and lighting technology.

The result feels tangible in a way that so many modern blockbusters struggle to achieve.

Alien worlds feel lived-in. Creatures feel physical. Starships have weight and grit to them. There’s a tactile quality to everything that channels the spirit of George Lucas’ original trilogy while still embracing the massive cinematic scale modern audiences expect.

And honestly? That blend of old and new is where the magic happens.

Final Verdict: A Wild Ride For Every Generation Of Star Wars Fan

Whether you’re a lifelong devotee who grew up with the original trilogy, a dad introducing your kids to Star Wars for the first time, or a younger fan whose gateway into the galaxy was The Mandalorian, this movie absolutely delivers the goods.

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is pure blockbuster escapism done right — exciting, emotional, funny, and packed with enough awe and spectacle to leave audiences completely exhilarated. It understands that Star Wars should feel adventurous. It should feel emotional. And above all else, it should make you feel like a kid again. So buckle up, punch the coordinates into hyperspace, and prepare for one hell of a ride.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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We were very fortunate to sit down with Bernstein for an interview where he discussed the new film at length, and talked about how he amped up the action for a larger canvas, including the film’s all-out final sequence, how he looked to explore a new shade of Krasinski’s Jack Ryan in the series as a ‘tip of the spear’ operator, along with commenting on how actress Sienna Miller as MI6 operative Emma Marlow really changed up the dynamic of the narrative opf the film.

Check out the full interview below:

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Here’s the official synopsis:

In this new film, Jack Ryan is reluctantly thrust back into the world of espionage when an international covert mission unravels a deadly conspiracy, forcing him to confront a rogue black-ops unit, and the clock is ticking. Operating in real time with lives on the line and the threat escalating at every turn, Jack reunites with battle-tested CIA operative Mike November (Michael Kelly) and former CIA boss James Greer (Wendell Pierce), their combined experience the only edge they have against an enemy who knows their every move. Backed by an unlikely new partner – razor-sharp MI6 officer Emma Marlowe (Sienna Miller) – Jack and the team navigate a treacherous web of betrayal, facing a past they thought was long put to rest – making this the most personal, high-stakes mission any of them have ever faced.

For fans of tech-thriller military action, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War fully amps up the action, and this is a film with plenty of run and gun action that delivers a whole heap of hard charging action that will leave audiences amped.

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War is now streaming on Prime Video.

Image: Prime Video

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And now he returns to cinemas with a vibrantly ritualistic experience of image and sound as Academy Award-winning actress Anne Hathaway, alongside rising powerhouse Michaela Coel, deliver transcendent performances in this beautifully twisted portrait of artistry, creation and emotional possession in Mother Mary.

And you’re not ready for this pulsating watch of theatrical immediacy to completely take over you.

Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer on the eve of her comeback performance.

A Burning Gothic Ghost Story Wrapped In Haute Couture

Anytime we see David Lowery’s name attached to a film project, we immediately feel goosebumps. He’s a filmmaker with such a command of his craft that he almost feels like an heir apparent to the master craftsmen of cinema, echoing the pure filmmaking style and ethos of directors such as Francis Ford Coppola and James Gray. And now he returns to cinemas with A24’s Mother Mary to really shake things up.

Following the journey of fallen pop star Mother Mary (Hathaway), who in the faltering fallout of her self-destruction finds her way back to former collaborator and fashion impresario Sam Anselm (Coel), she arrives with a unique commission: to build her a costume for her final ever show. But this ploy is only the beginning of a deeper, far more personal mystery that binds these two women together in a force of supernatural possession that neither can predict nor comprehend.

The end result is a burning, ecstatic Gothic haute couture fashion ghost story that completely takes hold of the audience.

As an audience member, when you get the chance to witness something truly original, you can’t help but get caught up in the immense ecstasy of the presentation. And that’s exactly what Lowery delivers here. This intrinsic puzzle-box of a picture unleashes layer upon layer of narrative contextually, shaped through the interactions of two deeply unique characters, while examining what happens when contemporary society comes between soulmates, and how no one can interfere with the force of nature or the momentum of artistry itself.

Lowery constructs Mother Mary as a shifting chess match of intrigue, desire, suspense, horror and presence, with the movements of each character revealing something deeper, darker and more desperate about one another inside this turbulent hurricane of visual splendour. There’s a sharp, almost Shakespearean edge to the drama which, matched with its intriguing gothic horror sensibility, keeps audiences on edge the entire way through.

The tension builds moment by moment, while the surprises — and the feelings they invoke of love, romance, horror, terror and total bliss — make this a piece of cinema that thumps with a loud and burning heart of pure artistry.

A Sensory Explosion Of Music, Light & Emotion

The whole experience of Mother Mary is a sublime treat courtesy of Lowery and an incredible team of performers and collaborators, and the sheer visual and audio presentation becomes a cocktail of sheer sensation.

Everything about this film carries a level of hyperreality as Lowery pushes the extremes of pop-star performance to a solar level of burning intensity, and the visuals are utterly sublime. Mixing the gothic shadows of Sam’s deserted English estate with Mother Mary’s circular, revealing stage of light and sound is a genius move, and the way the camera moves and transitions pulls audiences directly into the emotions and desires of these characters.

Light and colour swirl about the frame constantly, and this becomes a work of evocative sensation where your senses buzz with feeling from beginning to end.

The soundtrack is equally palpitating courtesy of the artistry of Daniel Hart, Jack Antonoff, Charli XCX and FKA twigs. Every sonic beat lands with immediate force, and it completely overtakes the audience in the process.

Anne Hathaway & Michaela Coel Deliver Career-Best Work

The characterisation within Mother Mary also exists on another level entirely, with Hathaway and Coel delivering mirrored portrayals of fraught, broken co-dependence that take a dark and twisted turn before resolving themselves in the most unexpected way imaginable.

With Mother Mary, Hathaway presents a character whose talents have almost consumed her to the point of madness. In Lowery’s hands, she becomes a Taylor Swift-esque icon pushed to the absolute edge of sanity, and it results in something genuinely unique.

It’s difficult to remember seeing Hathaway this vulnerable and electrifying in equal measure, and what emerges is a character caught in flux between performative goddess and shattered soul. And it absolutely pulls you in.

Matched against her is Michaela Coel as the enigmatic and almost unknowable Sam Anselm, a genius fashion designer and Mother Mary’s original collaborator — perhaps even her creator. Through her interactions with her soulmate-turned-spurned-nemesis, we witness something deeply raw, intimate and psychologically dangerous unfold on screen.

Coel’s presence and performance continually keep audiences on their toes in the most deliberate and unexpected way possible, and the chemistry between both performers burns with unsettling intensity.

Final Verdict – A Pulsating Watch of Performance

Mother Mary is a powerful expression of pure storytelling and heart-wrought emotion, with its visual and performative flair utterly consuming audiences whole.

For those seeking a cinema experience of pure artistic splendour, David Lowery’s latest stands as an utter triumph — haunting, hypnotic and overflowing with feverish cinematic passion.

Trailer

Image: A24 Films

The post ‘Mother Mary’ – David Lowery Conducts A Fever Dream Of Fame, Obsession & Gothic Desire – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

After breaking the mysterious “One Wish Willow” to win Nicki (Indie Navarette), his crush’s heart, Bear, a hopeless romantic gets exactly what he asked for. However, he soon discovers that some desires come at a dark and sinister price.

Love Hurts… And Then It Possesses You

Following his rise on YouTube, Barker storms onto the horror scene with what may very well be the freshest and most frightening genre debut of the year. Obsession isn’t interested in cheap tricks or overproduced spectacle. Instead, Barker crafts a deeply unsettling descent into the horrors of twisted desire, obsessive love, and supernatural corruption, and the result is a film that feels genuinely dangerous. This is horror cinema stripped back to raw nerves, where every shadow feels wrong, every silence feels loaded, and every scene leaves audiences waiting for something horrifying to happen.

And when it does happen? It hits like a demonic freight train.

A Wish Straight From Hell

The premise itself is deceptively simple. Bear (Michael Johnston), an awkward hopeless romantic, discovers a bizarre novelty item known as the “One Wish Willow.” Half joke, half occult curiosity, the object promises to grant one wish to its owner. In a moment of desperation and longing, Bear wishes that his longtime crush Nikki Freeman (Inde Navarrette) would love him more than anyone else in the world.

The wish works instantly. And that’s when the nightmare begins.

What initially appears playful and romantic quickly mutates into something grotesque and terrifying. Nikki’s affection becomes increasingly obsessive, unstable, and deeply unnatural. Barker wastes no time dragging the audience into deeper waters, and with every passing scene the atmosphere grows colder, stranger, and more oppressive.

What makes Obsession so effective is Barker’s refusal to play by conventional horror rules. There’s no overreliance on CGI monstrosities or loud jump scares. Instead, he weaponises tension. Fixed camera positions linger just a little too long. Hallways feel suffocating. Conversations suddenly turn hostile without warning. And every moment Nikki appears on screen carries an unbearable sense that something is profoundly wrong.

The audience never feels safe, and Barker milks that discomfort masterfully.

Inde Navarrette Is Pure Nightmare Fuel

The real secret weapon behind Obsession is Inde Navarrette, who delivers one of the year’s most genuinely terrifying horror performances.

Initially introduced as the rebellious, punk-rock outsider whom Bear secretly idolises, Nikki transforms into something utterly monstrous once the curse of the ‘One Wish Willow’ takes hold. Navarrette’s performance evolves scene by scene into a portrait of escalating madness that becomes almost impossible to look away from. She doesn’t simply play “creepy”; she becomes unpredictability personified.

Every smile feels wrong. Every stare lingers too long. Every emotional outburst feels like it could spiral into violence at any second.

And Barker smartly never explains exactly what’s happening to her.

Is Nikki possessed by a demon? A witch? Some ancient evil attached to the Willow itself? Or is this simply obsession taken to its absolute darkest conclusion? Barker leaves the answers frustratingly elusive, and that ambiguity makes the horror all the more effective. The unknown is always scarier, and Obsession understands that perfectly.

Navarrette especially shines during two sequences that will likely become instant horror-fan talking points. The first is a deeply unnerving “sleep watching” sequence that transforms a simple bedroom moment into pure nightmare territory. The second, a painfully uncomfortable “drunk Jenga confession,” escalates from awkward reveal into absolute psychological terror prose with breathtaking precision.

By the time the film reaches its final act, Nikki has become a fully realised creature of chaos, and Navarrette’s performance descends into something feral, unpredictable, and utterly petrifying.

Horror At Its Most Original And Unhinged

What truly separates Obsession from the pack is just how original it feels. Modern horror often leans heavily on formula, but Barker refuses to hand audiences easy answers or familiar scares. Instead, he crafts a suffocating atmosphere where paranoia and dread slowly poison every frame.

The deeper Bear falls into his “perfect relationship,” the more horrifying the consequences become. Barker cleverly twists the concept of wish fulfilment into something deeply cursed, exploring the terrifying idea that getting exactly what you want might actually destroy you.

And perhaps most impressively, Barker understands restraint. He never over-explains the evil lurking beneath the surface. The film trusts audiences to sit with the discomfort, to question what they’re seeing, and to let their imagination fill in the blanks. That restraint gives Obsession a lingering quality that follows you long after the credits roll. This isn’t simply a horror movie designed to make you jump. It’s designed to infect your thoughts.

Final Verdict – A Freakishly Fiendish Watch

Obsession is one of the year’s most fiendish horror experiences: original, unnerving, and frightening in ways that genuinely get under your skin. Curry Barker announces himself as an exciting new horror voice with a film that feels fearless in its madness, while Inde Navarrette delivers a performance destined to haunt audiences for a very long time.

Sharp, satanic, and absolutely skin-crawling, Obsession is the kind of horror film that leaves viewers staring nervously into dark corners long after they leave the cinema. And trust us… you’ll be sleeping with the lights on after this one.

Image: Focus Features

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