That’s the hard lesson learned by wedding singer and would-be rock star Rick Power (Paul Rudd) in Power Ballad, a rousing, heartfelt and uproariously funny musical comedy from director John Carney. Packed with big laughs, infectious energy and genuine emotion, Power Ballad stands tall as one of the year’s most entertaining cinematic experiences.

One Song Changes Everything

Carney’s latest feature follows Rick Power, a former aspiring rocker whose dreams of fame disappeared somewhere between youth and adulthood. Now settled in Ireland with his wife and daughter, Rick earns a modest living performing at weddings while quietly holding onto the hope that his big break might still be out there somewhere.

That opportunity appears unexpectedly when Rick crashes an extravagant wedding celebration and crosses paths with former boy-band sensation Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas). After a boozy night of music and camaraderie, the pair collaborate on a song that leaves Rick buzzing with creative fulfilment.

For Rick, it’s simply a memorable night and a chance to make music again.

Until six months later.

Suddenly, the song has become a global smash hit, earning millions and revitalising Danny’s career. There’s just one problem: Rick receives none of the credit. As Danny repeatedly brushes him aside, what follows becomes a wildly entertaining battle for recognition, justice and redemption that takes audiences on a thoroughly unpredictable ride.

Without venturing into spoiler territory, Power Ballad is very much a film best experienced fresh. Carney consistently finds new ways to surprise audiences, and the journey is every bit as rewarding as the destination.

Paul Rudd Finds the Perfect Role

The beating heart of Power Ballad is Paul Rudd’s endlessly charming performance as Rick Power.

Rudd effortlessly captures Rick’s everyman appeal, presenting him as a dreamer who never quite gave up on the possibility that something extraordinary could happen. When that dream finally arrives only to be ripped away, audiences can’t help but rally behind him.

What makes Rick such a compelling protagonist is his authenticity. He’s flawed, occasionally impulsive and prone to making mistakes, but his sincerity shines through every moment. Rudd imbues the character with warmth, humour and surprising emotional depth, delivering one of the strongest performances of his career.

Whether he’s making audiences laugh or breaking their hearts, Rudd remains utterly captivating throughout.

Nick Jonas Plays Against Type

Matching Rudd beat for beat is Nick Jonas, who delivers a fascinating performance as Danny Wilson.

On paper, Danny is easy to dislike. His actions set the entire conflict in motion, and his treatment of Rick is undeniably selfish. Yet Jonas brings a complexity to the character that prevents him from becoming a simple villain.

Danny is ultimately another dreamer desperately trying to hold onto relevance in an unforgiving industry. Surrounded by bad influences and poor advice, he continually makes the wrong choices, creating a character who is both frustrating and strangely sympathetic.

It’s a genuine departure from type for Jonas, and he rises to the challenge with confidence, nuance and charisma.

Laughs, Heart and Rock ‘n’ Roll Spirit

Beyond its central performances, Power Ballad thrives thanks to Carney’s deft balancing of comedy and emotion.

The Irish setting gives the film a distinct charm and wit, while the humour arrives in wonderfully unexpected bursts. Some of the biggest laughs come from the film’s quieter moments, where character and circumstance collide in increasingly absurd fashion.

Yet beneath the comedy lies a surprisingly heartfelt story about family, creativity, regret and second chances. The emotional beats land because Carney never loses sight of the humanity of his characters, ensuring that every laugh is matched by genuine feeling.

Final Verdict – A Genuine Crowd Pleaser

Filled with memorable characters, infectious music and a wonderfully uplifting spirit, Power Ballad is the kind of film that reminds audiences why they love going to the movies.

Funny, heartfelt and endlessly entertaining, John Carney’s latest is a joyous celebration of dreams, perseverance and the power of a great song. Loud, wild and packed with heart, Power Ballad is one cinematic ride you’ll want to jump on as soon as possible.

Image: MadMan Films

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Doug (Jack Black) and Griff (Paul Rudd) have been best friends since they were kids, and have always dreamed of remaking their all-time favorite movie: the cinematic “classic” Anaconda. When a midlife crisis pushes them to finally go for it, they head deep into the Amazon to start filming. But things get real when an actual giant anaconda appears, turning their comically chaotic movie set into a deadly situation. The movie they’re dying to make? It might just get them killed……

Reimagining the infamously “so-bad-it’s-good” 1997 cult creature feature, Anaconda leans hard into meta comedy. Rudd stars as Ronald “Griff” Griffen Jr., a hapless wannabe actor still chasing relevance, while Black plays Doug McCallister, a washed-up filmmaker reduced to shooting daytime wedding videos and clinging desperately to his glory days. Together, the two best friends hatch a truly terrible idea: head into the jungle to make an indie, found-footage horror remake of Anaconda itself.

What could possibly go wrong?

Joining their doomed expedition are corporate lawyer and former actress (and Griff’s long-lost crush) Claire Simons (Thandiwe Newton), and substance-abusing, lovable disaster Kenny Trent (Steve Zahn). From there, the film gleefully spirals into madness—murderous smugglers, brutal jungle terrain, collapsing egos, the harsh realities of “production,” and, of course, one freakishly massive, extremely hungry snake. The result is a perfectly calibrated holiday comedy blockbuster that keeps the laughs coming while gleefully torching any remaining sense of dignity.

Director Tom Gormican finds a confident rhythm here, delivering a film that doubles as both a love letter to the original Anaconda and a celebration of the inner fanboy obsession with nostalgic trash cinema. The comedy is broad, shameless, and aggressively stupid; in the best possible way. This is big, dumb fun with its foot jammed firmly on the accelerator, and it never once pretends to be anything else.

The chemistry between Black, Rudd, Newton, and Zahn is spot-on. You can feel how much fun they’re having, and that infectious energy carries the entire film. Black goes full unhinged goblin mode, Rudd plays the straight-man-in-denial to perfection, Zahn steals scenes with chaotic abandon, and Newton grounds the madness just enough to keep it all from collapsing.

Best of all, Anaconda is a film best experienced going in cold. The shocks, surprises, and escalating absurdity hit harder when you let its heavy-metal insanity wash over you. The final showdown: featuring one BIG ASS SNAKE and a whole lot of chomp-chomp carnage will have audiences hooting, hollering, and shifting excitedly in their seats.

Anaconda knows exactly what it is: goofy, shocking, expansive, and unapologetically ridiculous. It won’t cure your fear of snakes, but it will absolutely deliver one hell of a laugh. A cracking good time, plain and simple.

Image: Sony Pictures

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When a man (Paul Rudd) and his daughter (Jenna Ortega) accidentally hit and kill a unicorn with their car, his boss tries to exploit the creature’s miraculous curative properties – with horrific results.

When we see the A24 logo hit the screen, we know we’re about to enter the wild side, and Death of a Unicorn doesn’t just dip its toe into madness, it cannonballs in headfirst with glitter, gore, and a healthy dose of anti-capitalist rage. Directed by Alex Scharfman in a truly audacious debut, Death of a Unicorn is a demented cocktail of fairy tale nightmare, corporate satire, and monster movie mayhem. It’s a what-the-fuck thrill ride from start to finish—and we’re 100% here for it.

Paul Rudd dials up the nervous energy as Elliot Kintner, a grieving lawyer trying to keep his fractured family together, while Jenna Ortega proves once again she’s Gen Z’s scream queen supreme as Ridley, his eco-conscious, no-nonsense daughter. When a early morning drive ends in the accidental killing of a unicorn, yes, a real-deal horned beast of legend, the Kintners find themselves drawn into a surreal corporate retreat from hell at the lavish private estate of Elliot’s boss: pharmaceutical tycoon Odell Leopold (a scene-chewing, velvet-voiced Richard E. Grant). It’s here the film shifts gears and accelerates into full-blown madness. Odell, alongside his power-hungry wife Belinda (Téa Leoni in gloriously cold-blooded mode) and their coked-up, crypto-bro son Shepard (Will Poulter, going full douchebag), decide the unicorn’s body could be the key to the next billion-dollar biotech breakthrough. What follows is a savage unraveling of greed, privilege, and man’s arrogance against nature, because mama nature isn’t just angry, she’s freaking furious, and she’s bringing back-up in the form of a herd of horned hellspawn!

Think JAWS meets The Witch meets Succession on ayahuasca. Scharfman doesn’t just lean into the absurd—he charges it with the intensity of a stampede. The unicorns are equal parts beautiful and terrifying, brought to life with a dazzling blend of practical effects and dreamy digital enhancement. The violence is brutal, the kills are creative (let’s just say you’ll never look at a horn the same way again), and the humor is pitch-black perfection.

But Death of a Unicorn isn’t just about body count. There’s something thoughtful simmering under the surface here. Rudd’s Elliot is a man on the edge, torn between doing what’s right and preserving the fragile remnants of his cushy life. Ortega’s Ridley is the soul of the film, a Gen Z heroine caught between disillusionment and hope, and she plays it with quiet strength and haunting vulnerability as she takes on the role of an almost fairy tale princess. Meanwhile, Will Poulter absolutely devours the screen as Shepard, serving up every line like a shot of Red Bull mixed with ketamine. His performance is manic gold, and he walks away with every scene he’s in.

This is a film that swings big and lands it; bold, bloody, and bonkers in the best way. It’s also visually stunning, with dreamlike cinematography that contrasts serene woodland landscapes with bursts of shocking violence and surreal magic. And yes, it’s funny, viciously, irreverently funny, in that delicious A24 way that tickles your brain while turning your stomach.

Death of a Unicorn is a midnight movie in the making. It’s got cult classic energy dripping from every glitter-soaked frame, and it’s proof that Alex Scharfman is a wild new voice to watch in genre filmmaking. If you’re looking for something safe, predictable, and polite, turn back now. But if you want cinema that grabs you by the face and screams “WE KILLED A FREAKIN’ UNICORN,” then this one’s got your name written in blood and sparkles.

Image: A24

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Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lily), along with Hope’s parents Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Lang’s daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton), go on a new adventure exploring the Quantum Realm that pushes their limits and pits them against Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors).

Having shepherded one of Marvel Studio’s most interesting and unique superheroes to the big screen with both 2015’s Ant-Man and 2018’s Ant-Man & The Wap, celebrated filmmaker Peyton Reed steps back into the MCU and charts a brand new course for Phase Five and Ant-Man. And this is his most daring adventure yet. Having faced the threat of Thanos and helped to bring the world back from The Blip, Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) finds the world flipped on its head as he’s sucked into the Quantum Realm and a brand new cosmic, sub-atomic adventure awaits. Reed and screenwriter Jeff Loveness take audiences into a new realm of possibility and escape with the Quantum Realm. And an incredible level of creativity and visual wonder will make audiences sit up and notice.

Once again donning the red and black suit and preparing to dive into the Quantum Realm is Paul Rudd as misunderstood thief turned superhero Scott Lang/Ant-Man. As the Avengers all around everyman, he’s a character whose come a long way since the events of 2015’s Ant-Man and this time he faces his biggest and most personal challenge yet. Sucked into the Quantum Realm, Lang finds his duel duties of superhero and family man clashing together and he’s in for a wild test at the hands of a calculating and intimating new enemy. Rudd brings a lot more drama to his performance this time around as Lang and he’s really tested by the narrative of this new adventure.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania also happens to be a family adventure as the Lang-Pym family find themselves thrown into the Quantum Realm and fighting a dangerous new adversary. Returning to the picture are Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne/Wasp, Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet van Dyne and Michael Douglas as Hank Pym, along with the introduction of Kathryn Newton as Cassie Lang, who has now grown up and is finding out how much fun Pym particles can be. Family has always been at the core of the Ant-Man films and it’s awesome to see how Reed tests the capabilities and powers of the Lang-Pym family, and each of them gets their moment to shine on screen.

Bringing tremendous gravitas to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in the form of the new ‘Big Bad’ Kang the Conqueror is Jonathan Majors. And this formidable actor makes his presence known. With a quiet, omnipotent demeanour and an incredibly menacing presence, Majors is an incredible force on screen as Kang. And audiences will sit up and take notice of him in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Balancing both intelligence and rage, Majors makes it known that Kang is an incredibly dangerous new threat and he has a tremendous presence and power on screen as the MCU’s new big bad. Kang is a complex and intimidating character and he’s a worthy new villain for a bold new phase of the MCU.

There’s an incredible level of creativity and world-building on presentation in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and audiences will marvel at the complexity of the Quantum Realm. New battles are fought and a whole new world of creatures awaits, and alongside the wonder, Reed also injects plenty of humour into the narrative. There are also a fair few surprises and one of them is the arrival of a long-time Marvel Comics fan favourite villain M.O.D.O.K. and this deranged cybernetic killing machine brings all kinds of loco fun to the big screen.

Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania sets the stage for a brand new era of the MCU Multiverse Saga and we’re introduced to a villain who is a very credible threat to the future of the MCU. With its action, creativity and humour, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania delivers plenty of fun for the audience and I’m excited to see what awaits the Avengers everyman hero next.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Following the events of Civil War, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) find themselves framed and on the run. With no one to trust but themselves, Pym designs a brand new suit for his daughter Hope and she teams up with Scott as The Wasp, and two set off to clear their names and stop a dangerous new threat to the world.

Director Peyton Reed takes us back to basics with Ant-Man and the Wasp as we catch up with Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang following the events of Captain America: Civil War. Bound on house arrest for two years he’s just days away from his freedom and this has caused some serious issues in his life. But Scott’s not the type of guy to moan or whinge about his situation and is instead making the most of his current life, and that’s exactly why I love Ant-Man so much!

As a director Reed understands that his hero is Marvel’s every man character and again he focuses the narrative, characterization and action of Ant-Man and The Wasp on a less is more philosophy. Sometimes you don’t have to go big to save the world, sometimes it’s far more interesting to keep the narrative contained and have it play out as a more interior story. Reed of course delivers big on his story, but this more contained and personal narrative, which has a real romantic-comedy spin to it, really does something unexpected and different and this once again really shakes up the Marvel Cinematic Universe in terms of content.

Paul Rudd again proves why he’s one of the most in demand actors around with his performance as Scott Lang/Ant-Man. Rudd’s performance as Lang is an homage to the every man out there. While Lang might be a hero, he’s also a bit of a screw-up and again couldn’t help but get caught following the events of Civil War. Having paid the price for it with being under house arrest he’s now desperately again trying to prove to his daughter Cassie that he can be a good Dad and a superhero at the same. Something which Cassie thinks is just the best thing ever.

While Rudd is again back in full action man form, and has the abs to prove it, he’s also really cranking out the comedy! Whether it’s his quick one-liners or his idiotic reactions, Rudd delivers plenty of zingers and this time he gets to inject some great physical comedy into the role thanks to his super shrinking powers. While I can’t go into specifics without running the risks of spoilers I will say that what results are some hilarious scenes that will get you pretty damn giddy.

But if Ant-Man and The Wasp has a scene stealer then it’s undoubtedly the presence of Evangeline Lilly who returns in the role of Hope Van Dyne and who now assumes the mantle of the super powered Wasp. Like Scott’s Ant-Man, Hope also has the ability to change her size, but she gets the added benefits of wings and blasters which deliver a serious sting. While Rudd’s Lang might have been the have-a-go amatuer, Lilly’s Hope is a true professional when it comes to kicking butt and she gets to show off some seriously cool combat moves as she mows through the bad guys.

Things are also a lot more personal this time round for Hope as she and her father, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), try to unlock the mysteries of the Quantum Realm in an effort to retrieve Hope’s long lost mother and Hank’s lifetime love Janet Van Dyne, who disappeared years earlier in a very dangerous mission gone wrong. This commitment to rescue her mother and make things right really gives Hope a dynamic drive and you can’t look away as she’s ready to do everything in her power to set things right. As an audience member I was very excited to see what Lilly could do as The Wasp and I look forward to seeing her in a greater capacity within the MCU going forward.

Ant-Man and The Wasp also gets some interesting villains this time around in the form of Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost and Walton Goggins exotic and colourful black marketer Sonny Burch. As a villain John-Kamen really does something different with her approach to the villainous Ghost and her particular powers and the predicament that they leave her in cast her as a very interesting character who brings a multitude of feeling to the role. Matched beside John-Kamen is the always dependable Walton Goggins who brings a good helping of charm and quirkiness as Burch. Together they provide plenty of trouble for our heroes.

But how do you deal with bad guys, well teamwork obviously helps. And that’s what this film is all about. While Scott learnt that he could save the day in the first Ant-Man film, here he gets the benefit of a partner in both heroics and love and this is where Ant-Man and The Wasp takes a twist into something that I just loved: a full-on romantic comedy. Yes it’s a change to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I absolutely loved that Marvel were willing to take that risk and obviously it keeps things fresh as well.

I also have to jump in and say that the action and special effects of Ant-Man and The Wasp are just crazy cool and Reed and his team of creatives really get up to a lot of fun with the film’s unique use of the power of shrinking. Everything shrinks this time from heroes to cars to whole buildings and Reed knows when to use it for both comedy and action. In my own opinion Ant-Man and The Wasp has one of the coolest car chases ever filmed and all I’ll say is that Michael Pena goes on the ride of his life. Seriously you have to watch this on the biggest screen possible because the spectacle just jumps off of the screen. I also liked how Ant-Man and The Wasp really makes this film a ‘science hero’ type of genre piece with so much of the action and narrative interweaving science and the quest for the unknown into the film.

If there’s a central theme to Ant-Man and The Wasp then it’s that above all else family does indeed matter. Whether it’s Scott and Cassie, Hope and Hank or the mission to once again unify the Pym/Van Dyne family, it’s narrative filmmaking that really pulls at your heart strings and I really enjoyed watching it.

Oh and by the way….make sure you stay till the end credits.

If you’re looking for some straight up fun at the cinema then I highly recommend you check out Ant-Man and The Wasp. With a good dose of action and comedy and a double serving of romance it’s a film that really entertains and keeps the MCU fresh while also showing that sometimes the smallest heroes can have a very big impact.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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The brand new trailer has just been released and it looks like a lot of fun. Check it out below:

Here’s the synopsis:

Following the events of Civil War, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) find themselves framed and on the run. With no one to trust but themselves, Pym designs a brand new suit for his daughter Hope and she teams up with Scott as The Wasp, and two set off to clear their names and stop a dangerous new threat to the world.

Building on from the first trailer, this new trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp continues to shine a light on the growing partnership and romance of Scott Lang (Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) who has now assumed the powers of The Wasp, whom she has inherited from her mother Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer). Rudd and Lilly again continue to build on their terrific chemistry together from the first Ant-Man and their double-team heroics produce some great action set pieces.

Lang and Dyne are definitely up against it this time and they’ll have to contend with the ruthless Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen). This criminal mastermind has stolen former Ant-Man Dr Hank Pym’s research on the quantum zone and used it to create unique phasing technology which allow her to literally walk through walls and who is now intent on global domination.

While the stakes have definitely been raised this time for Lang and Dyne there’s still plenty of fun to be had in Ant-Man and the Wasp and once again director Peyton Reed’s comedic timing is perfect. Not only do we get to see Lang goofing around with his new size-altering abilities but the scene stealing Michael Pena returns as Lang’s wise-cracking best friend Luis. And if the laughs weren’t enough the trailer is also set to Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock classic 80s rap song ‘It Takes Two’.

The new poster for Ant-Man and the Wasp has also been released and it shines a unique image on the film, including giving us a first look at Hank Pym’s wife and Hope’s mother Janet van Dyne who will be portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer and who will have a key role to play in the Quantum Zone.

Ant-Man and the Wasp is sure to be all kinds of fun for Marvel fans and will be released in cinemas on July 5.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Check out the first trailer below:

Here’s the synopsis:

Following the events of Civil War, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) find themselves framed and on the run. With no one to trust but themselves, Pym designs a brand new suit for his daughter Hope and she teams up with Scott as The Wasp, and two set off to clear their names and stop a dangerous new threat to the world.

The first trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp looks amazing and gives fans a terrific look into the upcoming blockbuster. Not only has director Peyton Reed returned with his spot on comedic timing, but there’s plenty of amazing new action sequences which utilize the film’s unique shrinking abilities.

Both Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly return with their terrific chemistry and Lilly jumps head first into the action as Hope Van Dyne with her all-new Wasp-inspired power suit. I’m also sensing that they’ll be a few sparks in the air this time for Scott and Hope and there’s sure to be lots of flirty banter.

Ant-Man and the Wasp will be released in cinemas on July 5.

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