Aarcflick

When it was announced that director Edward Berger, fresh off the success of one of the best films of 2024, Conclave, would be teaming up with Colin Farrell for an adaptation of a novel about a gambler and con artist, it instantly became one of my most anticipated films of the year. Sadly, the result is a case of style over substance. For me, it ends up being one of the biggest disappointments of the year, a film that tries to say a lot, but never manages to say anything meaningful by the time it reaches its conclusion. The film follows Lord Doyle (Colin Farrell), an apparent high-roller struggling to survive in Macau, the gambling capital of the world. With a refined London accent reminiscent of the Royal Family, Doyle carries himself with a style and confidence that could convince even the most skeptical observer. However, it soon becomes clear that not everything is as it seems. Doyle owes money to almost everyone, particularly the hotel where he's staying, which threatens to rep...

Baahubali: The Epic transforms S.S. Rajamouli's two-part epic saga into a single, nearly four-hour-long film. The film makes its identity as a mythological action drama clear from the outset, embracing a scale rarely seen in contemporary releases. Rajamouli's pop-action style remains its main draw, a spectacle-driven approach that set trends in Indian cinema and reached global audiences with subsequent projects. The story chronicles the lives of two generations of a royal lineage, father Amarendra and son Mahendra Baahubali, both played by Prabhas, embroiled in a destined struggle for the throne of Mahishmati against the tyrannical king Bhallaladeva, played by Rana Daggubati. Director: S.S. Rajamouli Writers: Vijayendra Prasad, S.S. Rajamouli Stars: Ramya Krishnan, Tamannaah Bhatia, Rana Daggubati The combined edit relies on a clear structural strategy. It begins with Mahendra's origins and rise, culminating in Kattappa's revelation of the hero's true identity. The ...

 The series chronicles the rise of a young man in the world of illegal gambling in Rio de Janeiro and the high price he pays as power, betrayal, and ambition collide. I approached Rulers of Fortune with more curiosity than expectations, and ended up feeling genuinely invested in its characters and setting, even when it occasionally faltered due to its own ambition. From the first episode, the series presents itself as a crime epic: you're immersed in the world of jogo do bicho and other illegal gambling operations in Rio, where the conventional lines between family loyalty, business warfare, and street violence are blurred. That setting alone offers something fresh and compelling; instead of the typical American mafia or European cartel cliché, this is a Brazilian story, localized and enriched by the city's culture, its inequalities, and its rhythms. Creator: Heitor Dhalia Stars: Antonio González Guerrero, Larissa Bocchino, Stepan Nercessian The central character, Profeta (play...

 “Nothing new or original comes out of Hollywood these days.” This comment is everywhere, and frankly, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to disagree. Amidst the endless stream of sequels, prequels, and remakes, Disney and Hulu have decided that the world desperately needed a new, direct-to-streaming version of the 1992 thriller, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. Because, of course, that’s the movie everyone was clamoring for, right? This new version of Amanda Silver’s original script is directed by Michelle Garza Cervera (Huesera: The Bone Woman) and written by Micah Bloomberg (Sanctuary). While it follows the basic structure of the 1992 film, Bloomberg deserves some credit for introducing a significantly different, albeit far less compelling, main plot. The film’s bland reinterpretation and questionable changes set it apart from its predecessor, but mostly for the wrong reasons. Director: Michelle Garza Cervera Writers: Micah Bloomberg, Amanda Silver Stars: Maika Monroe, Mary Eli...

 “Self-Help” (2025) is a provocative and unsettling thriller that skillfully blends cult horror, psychological tension, and dark satire into a disturbing reflection on trauma, autonomy, and the seductive power of “self-improvement” rhetoric. At its core, the film explores how the promise of transformation and autonomy can become manipulation, and how those who have suffered long-standing emotional wounds are particularly vulnerable to charismatic figures offering salvation. At 85 minutes, it doesn't always hit the mark, but its best moments are impactful, and its ambition endures. The film begins deceptively, with a playful tone, introducing Olivia (Landry Bender) as she searches for her missing mother. What starts with hints of a domestic mystery quickly gives way to something far darker when we discover that Olivia's mother has become involved with a self-help community led by a charismatic and enigmatic leader named Curtis Clarke (Jake Weber).  Director: Erik Bloomquist Wri...

 In Champions of the Golden Valley, director Ben Sturgulewski intertwines the fragile beauty of a sport with the brutal realities of geopolitics to portray a deeply moving narrative of perseverance, community, and displacement. The film opens with a lyrical evocation: sweeping black-and-white shots of snow and isolation, of a landscape that seems almost eternal, as the voice of Alishah, coach, motivator, and dreamer, reflects on how a dream can both bind a person to a land and tear them away from it. The opening scenes transport us to remote mountain villages in Bamiyan province, Afghanistan, where skiing has taken root in an almost improbable way. Driven by minimal resources, rival communities come together around an annual homegrown race organized by Alishah, pitting young athletes from formerly warring villages against each other in competitions of endurance, determination, and ingenuity. Director: Ben Sturgulewski Stars: Alishah Farhang, Mujtaba Hussaini, Hussain Ali Nazari The...

 With the end of another season of the Apple TV spy thriller series Slow Horses, fans are already eager to see the team of MI5 misfits back in action, and as always, the show delivers. At the end of the fifth season, we are given a brief glimpse of what the sixth season of Slow Horses will be about, in the form of a teaser. In this article, I will briefly review the end of season four and everything you can expect from the upcoming season of the thriller starring Gary Oldman, adapted from the novels by Mick Herron. In the season five finale of Slow Horses, River Cartwright regains his self-confidence after his heroic actions in the public park, where the head of MI5, Claude Whelan, was being threatened at gunpoint by one of the Libyan terrorists, who had a personal vendetta against him. If it weren't for River's intervention, Whelan would surely have died, and the MI5 director's extreme relief and gratitude were evident in his actions immediately after River killed the terr...

In episode 1 of Down Cemetery Road, we met Sarah, an art restorer at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. She was having dinner with Mark, her husband; Gerard, a potential investor in Mark's business; Paula, Gerard's wife; and two of their neighbors, Wigwam and Rufus. That's when Maddie's house, which was right behind Sarah's, exploded. Maddie died, but her daughter, Dinah, survived. She was admitted to South Oxford Hospital, and when Sarah tried to visit her to see how she was, she was prevented from doing so. Why? Through a meeting between Hamza, an intelligence officer from the Ministry of Defence, and a mysterious gentleman named C, it became clear that the explosion was actually part of a larger conspiracy to kidnap Dinah.  And Sarah's curiosity was becoming a big problem for them. Unable to solve this mystery alone, Sarah contacted a veteran detective, Joe, who decided to get fully involved in the case because he had nothing better to do and needed the money. J...

Michelle Wolf returns to Edinburgh for the first time since 2016 with a show that intertwines the deeply personal and the political, infused with her characteristic transgressive humor. The Pennsylvania-born comedian moves swiftly between fury and absurdity, often within the space of a single joke. Michelle Wolf returns to Edinburgh for the first time since 2016 with a show that intertwines the deeply personal and the political, infused with her characteristic transgressive humor. The Pennsylvania-born comedian moves swiftly between fury and absurdity, often within the space of a single joke. Director: Eric Abrams Writer: Michelle Wolf Stars: Michelle Wolf Anger is the engine of many comedians, but in Wolf's particular style—precise and hilarious—she uncovers reasons to be angry (and laugh) about things you've never thought about before. These days, the target is often men, and rightly so. The stakes feel higher. Eight months pregnant and with a young child at home, Wolf is now...

Witness the rise and fall of Montreal's only MLB team between 1969 and 2004. For those familiar with the Montreal Expos, this documentary may answer some of your questions about the former baseball team. However, for those unfamiliar with them, this documentary will help you become acquainted with the team, though not in great depth. The Montreal Expos were a very successful baseball team that played from 1969 to 2004 in the National League. They were Montreal's only MLB team. They won most of their games and had a large fan base. However, after the conclusion of the 2004 season, the owners decided to move the franchise to Washington, where it became the Washington Nationals. Director: Jean-François Poisson Stars: Jeremy Filosa, Ménick, Rodger Brulotte At the beginning of the documentary, we are shown clips of the players during their victories. We see fans cheering, jerseys for sale, and so on. We can literally see the impact the Montreal Expos had on their fans. The 1994 seas...

The city of Philadelphia was a hotbed for the mob in the 1990s. There were murders everywhere, and people were afraid to go out on the streets. However, this was a much smaller and shorter-lived crime wave in the United States compared to what the world has seen before. After the fall of mob boss Nick Scarfo, aka "Little Nicky," a major power vacuum is left.  This is when we see the rise of construction contractor John Stanfa, who has deep ties to the mafia. Just as he's gaining power, his rival emerges: none other than Joey Merlino. Joey is a relatively young gangster from South Philadelphia. He supports more flamboyant mobsters and is a harsh critic of John. Slowly, Joey's crew grows, as do the shootings and murders. These two gangs are diametrically opposed, and their rivalry becomes increasingly dangerous over time. Stars: John Alite, Angelo Lutz, Stephen Lapenta Throughout the series, we are shown the growing differences between the two mob leaders and the impact...

It's hard not to have preconceived notions about a film called Bone Lake. Even the characters are fully aware of that suggestive title. However, director Mercedes Bryce Morgan (A Spoonful of Sugar) and screenwriter Joshua Friedlander don't shy away from the sordid potential of their collaboration; there's sexy and dangerous fun to be had here as two couples meet for the first time in this four-handed erotic thriller. Bone Lake is described as a "Lifetime sensationalist film," which is accurate. Of course, and in all honesty, this is a more worthwhile and better-made modern exploitation film. For starters: there's no doubt that the situation is anything but innocent.  Director: Mercedes Bryce Morgan Writer: Joshua Friedlander Stars: Alex Roe, Maddie Hasson, Marco Pigossi Two young and attractive couples book the same rental property at the same time? Understandably, the situation seems suspicious to anyone with even a minimal amount of experience with these kin...

The series follows a middle-aged corporate manager who loses everything and begins a messy, honest exploration of what life might mean outside of his suit. Watching the first episode of this series was like attending a board meeting that slowly transforms into something far more profound, and strangely liberating. The series follows Kim Nak-su (played with unwavering commitment by Ryu Seung-ryong), who has spent his adult life climbing the corporate ladder at a large company in Seoul, living in a comfortable home, and fulfilling the expectations of his family and his job. At the beginning of the first episode, we are introduced to his world: the morning routine, the familiar rhythms of status and routine, the version of "success" he has come to accept. Then something changes, and the ground beneath his feet begins to shake. Stars: Ryu Seung-ryong, Choi Myung-bin, Cha Kang-Yoon From the outset, the script presents Nak-su as a man who has everything a mid-level manager could wa...

The first episode of It: Welcome to Derry is a surprisingly bloody testament to the vast creative freedom HBO granted the Muschietti brothers. No, the series, set in the creepy town of Derry long before the events of the first film in the franchise, is nothing like anything the franchise has done before. The pilot episode shows Derry steeped in a brutal and relentless nightmare that is only just beginning to get worse. We arrive just in time for the sadistic, Macroverse-born alien to exploit the town's sordid, moldy basement of traumas. Bad things have happened, are happening, and will continue to happen after the strange abduction of a sweet, lonely boy, Matty. And a warning: keep your children away from this. I'm not even sure Matty is enjoying Robert Preston's ominous "Ya Got Trouble" warnings at the Capitol Theatre. But the fact that teenagers are making out to "The Magic Man" says more about the scarcity of places to hang out in Derry than anything ...