Aarcflick

 Thirty-eight amateur MMA fighters compete in physical tests, training sessions, and cage matches under the guidance of French stars of the sport, all hoping to win €100,000 and a professional contract. I love MMA and I love reality shows. That’s why I approached *The Arena* with the kind of optimism usually reserved for those who haven't yet read the fine print. It’s almost impossible not to like the premise: gathering 38 amateur fighters, putting them through challenges and bouts, having Ciryl Gane, Cédric Doumbè, and Benoît Saint-Denis oversee the competition, and offering the winner €100,000 plus a professional contract. On paper, it should be hugely entertaining. Yet, *The Arena* somehow manages to make fighting professionally for €100,000 feel like a corporate team-building exercise. The biggest problem is that the show is far more interested in being a reality series than an MMA spectacle. There is an enormous amount of training, conversation, arguing, worrying, strategizing...

The story presented by director Chris Smith is good, tragic, inspiring, and heart-wrenching—all in equal measure. However, it only manages to capture its full impact on a theoretical level. Thomas Randolph, alias "The Black Widower," was convicted of murdering his wife, Sharon Causse, and the couple's handyman, Michael Miller. But if the case were that simple, Netflix likely wouldn't have greenlit the documentary *The Widower: 'Til Death Do Us Part*. As it turns out, the case is actually far more shocking and complex. Sharon was Thomas's sixth wife; he had six wives in total, and four of them were murdered.  Director: Chris Smith Stars: Thomas Randolph, Dan Slepian, Dean O'Kelley Thomas was accused of killing all four following the same pattern: he would seek out targets on dating sites, win them over with his charisma, marry them, ensure they drafted wills leaving their assets to him, and then murder them. After their deaths, he would collect insurance pa...

The Al-Thahabi family only *looks* rich. Set in Riyadh, *Crazy, Rich, Incredibly Broke* follows the Al-Thahabi family, a clan that appears wealthy and whose social status relies heavily on appearances. The problem is that their fortune is nowhere near as secure or stable as they led everyone to believe. The family decides to keep up the charade, and this forms the core of *Crazy, Rich, Incredibly Broke*. What makes the premise worthwhile is that the creators didn't focus solely on wealth. The Al-Thahabis have built an identity around being perceived as successful, influential, and well-off. This means their fortune puts far more at stake than just their bank accounts. Every social gathering becomes an opportunity to maintain the illusion, and every attempt to project wealth creates a new problem they must solve. Naturally, a plot like this guarantees plenty of farcical comedy.  Director: Ahmed al-Gendy Writers: Bader Al-Assaf, Ayman Wattar Stars: Rashid Al Shamrani, Zyad Alamri, Fa...

 When I first saw the trailer for DreamWorks Animation’s *Forgotten Island*, I couldn't quite grasp what the movie was about. Watching it several more times didn't help. The film is packed with so many elements that summarizing it in a two-and-a-half-minute preview—or even in a review, for that matter—is a challenge. Watching the full movie reveals an endearing, albeit somewhat cluttered, story about friendship and, above all, the power of the memories we create with our friends. The story unfolds in the Philippines during the 1990s. Best friends Jo (musician H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano) share a high-energy, mischievous bond. They have long been fascinated by Nakali, a mystical island steeped in legend. After discovering a magical sand dollar that acts as a portal to Nakali, they decide to visit. Their guide on the journey is Raww (Dave Franco), a creature capable of shifting between human and canine forms. Directors: Joel Crawford, Januel P. Mercado Writers: Joel Crawfor...

 Koyuki’s cold demeanor makes her one of the most feared students at her school. *The Ramparts of Ice* revolves around Koyuki, a reserved girl who has learned to survive bullying. Having endured severe harassment throughout much of her childhood and youth, Koyuki has become someone who barely interacts with others—except for her best friend, Miki. However, there is one person who isn't afraid of Koyuki: Minato Amamiya.  Creator: Agasawa Tea Stars: Anna Nagase, Fuka Izumi, Shoya Chiba Minato is her polar opposite; he is outgoing and kind. For her part, Koyuki often wonders why the people around her are so afraid of her. Minato Amamiya’s personality will likely bring about a change in her. Another character we meet is Youta, Minato’s friend, a polite and kind-hearted boy. Youta is very tall, which sometimes reminds Koyuki of an experience she had with a giraffe as a child; this occasionally makes her feel afraid of him. The first episode focuses primarily on character developmen...

 Lately, it has become a cliché for indie horror films to revolve around social media influencers. *Deadstream*, *#AMFAD: All My Friends Are Dead*, *A Breed Apart*, and the aptly titled *Influencer* are just a few examples. More often than not, these films fall flat because they lack a message beyond pointing out the obvious: that some people will do crazy things just to get clicks. *The Influencer Project* is different. Real-life influencer Chiara King plays a fictionalized version of herself. She possesses the ego typical of someone with millions of followers interested in her every daily move. Chiara is paid to travel to Copenhagen and create ten posts promoting tourism in the country; a documentary crew accompanies her. Shortly after arriving, she begins receiving unsettling direct messages from a stranger calling himself "King Slayer." His messages threaten to kill her if she doesn't "stop talking." At first, she and her team dismiss it as nonsense, but Kin...