I think Minions & Monsters may have secretly become one of the most interesting AI movies of the year. Yes... ...I'm talking about the Minions movie. 😄 I put together a short, spoiler-free video discussion explaining why I think there's more going on beneath the surface. 🎬 youtu.be/q5DU2zNp5qg

Sometimes the most extraordinary things are rooted in the simple, everyday wonders of life. My visit to Hobbiton became more than a tour of a movie set. It was a reflection on storytelling, place, and why Tolkien's Middle-earth feels so real in the films and books. Video Essay youtu.be/3ysQ4S09X2s

I think Minions & Monsters just yellow-pilled Hollywood. 🤣 It made curiosity a story centerpiece by layering ideas about storytelling, technology, and creative reinvention beneath all that Minion mayhem. (I'll explain my new term "Yellow Pill" later.) My Spoiler-free review: youtu.be/q5DU2zNp5qg

In #Supergirl, Krem isn’t a grand villain, but he’s a thorn that targets Kara’s most vulnerable side. Do we always need a towering villain, or can a smaller, unexpected antagonist create a more impactful test? How do you see Krem’s role in Kara’s arc? My spoiler-free review: youtu.be/ad7pa7WlpY4

There's been so much noise surrounding #Supergirl that I wanted to step back & ask a simpler question. Who is Kara Zor-El, and did she earn becoming the hero we know from the comics? If you're still trying to decide whether it's for you, I hope this spoiler-free review helps. youtu.be/ad7pa7WlpY4

Is Spielberg bringing classic science fiction back? I think he might be. I also published a written version of my Disclosure Day review if you prefer reading over video. Here's the link:

Is Steven Spielberg bringing classic science fiction back with Disclosure Day? I think he is, but maybe not in the way audiences expect. It's science fiction that asks big questions, and what happens when humanity encounters something larger than itself. Here's my review: youtu.be/S1c2Ei8pma

Whether or not you're into anime, Frieren just might be for you! Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End spoke to me because it begins after the heroes have saved the world, and it asks us to think about those things that we only understand after time has changed us. Watch my review: youtu.be/M1qpXyjd4xA

You know, one of the best things about doing reviews on YouTube is that it gets me to Bluesky to post links to my reviews ... and I get to see so many amazing people and conversations while I am here making my posts. I really do love this platform that more I spend time here.

Frieren builds emotion in parallel with character, using memory, regret, humor, and joy to tap into our own experiences. It’s a fantasy anime, but really it’s about learning what matters while we still have time. Read my review and let me know what you think.

What if the success of D-Day came down to a weather forecast? PRESSURE turns one of World War II’s most important decisions into a tense procedural thriller about uncertainty, leadership, and impossible choices. Brendan Fraser and Andrew Scott are excellent in this one. Check out my review.

Does The Mandalorian and Grogu matter? Is this film good, bad, or meh? Will is save or kill Star Wars? These are the questions that fandom is discussing, but there's something larger to consider. Check out my @starwars discussion and let me know what you think. youtu.be/2ZnkShYhcFg?...

Guy Ritchie’s In the Grey is slick, fast-moving, and packed with polished action. Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal are incredibly watchable, but does the film give us enough reason to care about the characters underneath all that precision? Check out my review. 🎬

What happens when fear of rejection becomes so overwhelming that someone tries to force love into existence? My review of OBSESSION explores how this supernatural horror turns… https://emunderwood.com/2026/05/16/obsession-review-modern-dating-horror/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Dust Bunny reminded me what it felt like to believe monsters were real when I was a kid. Bryan Fuller turns that childhood fear into something funny, heartfelt, imaginative, and… https://emunderwood.com/2026/05/13/dust-bunny-review-bryan-fuller/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Hi Anime Fans! The Culling Game changes Jujutsu Kaisen in ways I wasn’t expecting, not just structurally, but emotionally. After revisiting Seasons 1 and 2, I finally… https://emunderwood.com/2026/05/12/jujutsu-kaisen-season-3-review-culling-game/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft is an immersive 3D concert film that is something much stranger and more emotionally complicated because of the closeness,… https://emunderwood.com/2026/05/10/billie-eilish-hit-me-hard-and-soft-concert-film-review/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=jetpack_social

I posted my Mortal Kombat II review, and I have to say… this movie entertained me. In a world full of forgettable adaptations, this ended up being one of the most satisfying theater experiences I’ve had in a while. Check out my review to see why this one worked! youtu.be/bGM9F9frhfQ

Mortal Kombat II was surprisingly good! This adaptation works better than most of what Hollywood is putting out right now. Check out my review to see why!

I just watched The Sheep Detectives and… I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much. It’s funny, thoughtful, and surprisingly heartfelt. It comes out May 8 if you’re… https://emunderwood.com/2026/05/06/sheep-detectives-review-surprisingly-delightful/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Hokum Movie Review – An Exploration of Guilt, Folklore, and Reality A remote Irish hotel, a story about a witch, and a man who cannot escape his past. Hokum builds a quiet tension between folklore and memory that lingers long after the story ends.

The Devil Wears Prada 2, starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, was a surprise. Maybe this isn’t Andy’s story at all. This sequel may not have been needed, but it raises… https://emunderwood.com/2026/05/03/devil-wears-prada-2-review-mirandas-story/?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Some films don’t announce themselves. Instead, they just stay with you. The Christophers is one of those deeply human stories about art, legacy, and regret, anchored by Ian McKellen. Here’s my full review. https://emunderwood.com/2026/04/26/the-christophers-movie-review-art-legacy/

You know, I have been doing a lot of scrolling lately because work has been BUSY. Bluesky never feels like doom scrolling. It's the one social media site that feels like people are posting content that they love rather than content that is mean to rile people up. 💜

Here's the YouTube link incase you'd rather watch/listen to my review of Michael. What if a biopic wasn’t about the full life, but about how audiences experienced the rise in real time? Michael (2025) takes that approach—and it really changes how the film lands. 🎥👇 youtu.be/G2VuvTzlIZs

Michael (2025) takes a very different approach to the biopic. It’s not about his whole life ... it’s about what it felt like to experience his rise to fame from his perspective and from ours. I didn’t expect this angle, but it really… https://emunderwood.com/2026/04/25/michael-2025-movie-review/

Exit 8 is a deceptively simple film that turns a looping subway into something much more personal. It’s a story about isolation, responsibility, and the choices we avoid. Check out my review and let me know what you think.

I needed a fun getaway this weekend, so I went to the movies. You, Me, & Tuscany charmed me because it’s a romcom that actually remembers what love is supposed to feel like. If you’re in the mood for something light, romantic, and a little dreamy, this might be your pick. 🎬💕

They Will Kill You is a new movie, starring Zazie Beetz. It explores sacrifice, survival, and even has some hidden themes tied to The Divine Comedy ... but is it worth watching? Check out my review to see if it's for you! https://emunderwood.com/2026/04/07/they-will-kill-you-dark-comedy/

Everyone’s talking about this dark love story. So, what really happens when you learn something about someone who you love that you can’t unlearn? Drama isn’t what it looks like ... and it may not be what you expect, but is… https://emunderwood.com/2026/04/05/the-drama-movie-review-what-broke-him/

Everyone’s reacting to the Vanity Fair interview with Milly Alcock… but I don’t think most people "reacting" read the actual interview. Something about it just felt "off." So, I went and read the Vanity Fair article. I think we're being played by the media.🙄 What do you think? youtu.be/H28bW-Yhs-s

This is my favorite SF/F magazine!

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has everything going for it… so why doesn’t it work? Here's my quick breakdown of where the story falls apart and why even the amazing visuals can’t save it. https://emunderwood.com/2026/04/04/super-mario-galaxy-movie-review/

What happens when your value is tied to something you can’t keep? The Substance isn’t just horror. It’s about identity, aging, and self-worth built on youth. Check out my review because this one stuck with me.

Not all sci-fi needs to be big to be meaningful. Jules (2023) tells a quiet, character-driven story about friendship, aging, and connection that really stayed with me. Check out my review!

Music by John Williams Documentary Review: When the Legend is as Big as the Man Music by John Williams is a Disney+ documentary that celebrates the life and career of this legendary composer.

Hey Anime Fans! Solo Leveling looks like a simple power fantasy, but it works for a very different reason. It’s not about power. It’s about why the weakest hunter is the only one who can… https://emunderwood.com/2026/03/22/solo-leveling-review-anime-seasons-1-2-why-the-weakest-hunter-wins/

The first trailer for Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu, the upcoming Star Wars movie continuing the story of Din Djarin and Grogu, arrived in early 2026. As anticipated, it immediately sparked debate among fans about what the film might mean for the future of the franchise.

Could the new he new Mandalorian & Grogu movie be the first Star Wars film in a while that’s really aimed at younger audiences? ... specifically, kids and their dads? Could Grogu be the key to refreshing the franchise? Here's my reaction and a few thoughts 👇 youtu.be/_6OrEg53Vpk

One week until Project Hail Mary reaches theaters. I saw an early screening and was honestly surprised by how well Andy Weir’s novel translated to film. My spoiler-free review is here if you're curious. 🎬👇 Link: youtu.be/OmG1xBdQpLw

Disney and Pixar’s Hoppers surprised me. What looked like just another talking-animals movie turns into a smart science fiction story about communication, trust, and the balance between nature and technology. Here’s my written review.

I’ll admit it… I didn’t think Project Hail Mary would work as a film. Andy Weir’s novel felt almost impossible to adapt because of its structure and the depth of the characters and science. But the movie surprised… https://emunderwood.com/2026/03/10/project-hail-mary-did-the-adaptation-work/

Hoppers honestly caught me off guard. It opened with $46M in the U.S. and $88M worldwide, and I didn’t expect it to work as well as it did. Curious how people feel about Disney and Pixar right now. Have you seen it yet? youtu.be/UbcE3DbzSyA

Most people think this is another goofy AI movie. It’s not. Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is one of the most important generational films about AI right now, and almost no one is watching it.… https://emunderwood.com/2026/03/03/good-luck-have-fun-dont-die-why-is-everyone-ignoring-this-ai-movie/

I am excited for the upcoming LinkedIn Live on "What Comes After the LLMs?" that @technologyreview.com is hosting next week! This is also a great chance to get some of your own questions answered! It's free to attend. So, register and share! Register to attend: www.linkedin.com/events/74301...

Iron Lung Film Review: Iron Lung is the unicorn of indie movies. On paper, something like it isn’t supposed to work, and we are told that movies like this just aren’t possible. Then some YouTuber called Markiplier tells the Hollywood studio system to hold his beer.

Wuthering Heights Movie Review: Wuthering Heights is one of the most artistically beautiful films I’ve ever seen, and yet it's still deeply flawed.

The Choral – Ralph Fiennes and the Quiet Human Cost of World War I The new film The Choral, starring Ralph Fiennes, is a historical drama set in 1916, in a small mill town in England, during World War I.

Starfleet Academy, Episode 4: What Nobody’s Talking About! I wasn’t planning on doing another review about Starfleet Academy, but then I decided to watch episode 4 and suddenly I knew exactly what was wrong with the entire series. It’s not just “bad writing” which is a generic critic that doesn’t…

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – Is George RR Martin’s New HBO Series His BEST Work Yet? Does Westeros have a new set of heroes in a hedge knight named Dunk and his young squire affectionately named Egg. HBO’s new series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is based on George R. R. Martin’s short…