‘The Secret Agent’ Is Like No Other Film This Year

Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “The Secret Agent” is a wonderful film that stretches the possibilities of cinema narrative and approaches to storytelling.

This is a love letter to cinema and, among my favorite kind of movie, you won’t get ahead of it or guess where it’s going, ever.

Set during the Brazilian military dictatorship that lasted from 1964-1985, we meet our protagonist, Armando (Wagner Moura) as he’s passes through town and makes a stop at a gas station where a corpse is visibly rotting nearby. The way the body is treated is both ghoulish (the owner of the station explains how it got there) and hilarious (a vehicle drives by with audible screams).

A tense encounter with officers who harass Armando only adds to the odd, exhilarating feel the movie provides; I couldn’t predict what was coming and just surrendered to Filho’s storytelling, with anything-goes touches (the appearance of a certain cat will become a talking point), vivid period details and a main character whom I was always rooting for.

The opening sets the tone – get comfortable and be ready for anything, as there’s always something unexpected ahead.

Some of this plays like a thriller. At other times, it’s a hangout movie, then it dips into surrealism. There’s a suspenseful chase sequence and a quiet but emotionally rich epilogue that provides perspective on the passage of time.

I suggest that audiences just go with it and embrace the surprises ahead.

Moura has one of those faces that can convey movie star confidence but also be vulnerable and open. Moura is excellent as Marcelo, who is revealed to be a widow, a former teacher and dissident. Moura plays the role in varying stages – we’re watching the making of a movie star, as well as an excellent showcase performance.

Considering the character’s trajectory and the surprising way that Moura contributes to the final portion, this is among the most vivid performances I’ve seen all year.

In “American Cinematographer” online, DP Evgenia Alexandrova told me about her subversive visual approach to the Brazilian thriller, “The Secret Agent,” using bright, saturated colors as a counterpoint to the dark slow burn.https://t.co/6Sbb5yaSlk

— Bill Desowitz (@BillDesowitz) December 23, 2025

My only complaint is that the story is complex and layered but purposely not told clearly. Only after seeing the film from start to finish and, perhaps, a second time, will everything click. The third act belatedly reveals how everything connects and allows every subplot and character to finally connect.

Although not a spy film in the traditional sense, the story is comparable to a John le Carre thriller, with emphasis on setting and character first; the specifics of the story and how it all connects arrive much later.

This is a wild period piece that captures Brazil of 1977 under dictatorship and flush with corrupt figures in power. However, describing it that way might bring to mind a dry historical reenactment or a more conventional political thriller, which this absolutely isn’t.

A tiger shark and a missing limb (as well as that corpse in the first scene) become major plot points that evolve in surprising and funny sequences. I won’t give it away, but the bit with the severed limb may wind up the sequence from “The Secret Agent” that everyone will be talking about.

Udo Kier has a memorable scene that is among his last performances. Tania Maria steals scenes as Marcelo’s family matriarch and Luciano Chirolli is vivid as a loathsome villain.

There’s a surprise of some kind in nearly every scene. “The Secret Agent” is like a sprawling mini-series that has been skillfully shortened down to two and a half hours. It goes by fast and overflows with scenes I can’t wait to revisit.

This is one of the best films of 2025.

Four Stars

The post ‘The Secret Agent’ Is Like No Other Film This Year appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

from Movies - Hollywood in Toto https://ift.tt/JFhoHnQ

‘Shell’ Makes Most of Body Horror Run Amok

The 2024 shocker “The Substance” earned raves, but the film’s extreme gore kept some far away.

Even Art the Clown might recoil at its blend of body horror and extreme FX. Demi Moore deserved an Oscar for enduring such a goopy film set.

“Shell” stakes out similar territory, but you’ll only cringe a few times as its protagonist’s vanity quest goes south. The films share a similar message, but “Shell” knows the concept goes down easier if the story embraces its campy DNA.

Good instincts. And, while “The Substance” is the superior film, “Shell” doesn’t implode in the third act like that 2024 film did.

Elisabeth Moss stars as Samantha, a former sitcom actress trying to resurrect her career. She isn’t as thin or beautiful as she used to be, so when she hears about a mysterious beauty regimen she’s intrigued.

The company behind the process known as “Shell” promises the closest thing to eternal youth. Just look at CEO Zoe Shannon (a divine Kate Hudson). She’s in her late 60s, for crying out loud, but looks like … Kate Hudson.

Samantha decides to try Shell on for size, and she quickly lands a film role and feels immeasurably better about herself.

It’s strange how that works, especially since the film does little to dramatically upgrade Samantha’s appearance. Her psoriasis does clear up in a jiffy, to be fair.

Another side effect? Zoe befriends her, which instantly upgrades Sam’s social status and career potential. 

So why does Sam’s Spidey Senses go off long before an inky skin rash blossoms on her neck? It turns out the Shell medical process hasn’t worked all the kinks out.

That’s being kind.

Is Zoe and co. to blame, or has Sam’s poor self-image manifested itself in dramatic fashion?

Screenwriter Jack Stanley makes sure we grasp the gender inequities built into Hollywood, but the script doesn’t wag its finger at us. Yes, Samantha should trust her talent and not fall for a dubious Shell game.

We all know that, but serial rejection can leave one famished for shortcuts. It’s one reason we’re solidly on Sam’s side. The other, of course, is that Moss excels at playing wounded characters whose inner strength rallies in the nick of time.

Remember her shockingly good “Invisible Man” remake?

“Shell’s” heady blend of horror/comedy has its warts, including a lack of sophistication that would sell the social satire better. The film’s quasi-futuristic trappings also reflect a modest budget. They mostly include a cyber watch that doubles as an iPhone.

Whoa!

Director Max Minghella (“Teen Spirit”) keeps the story humming, with new challenges cropping up at the right time. The few action sequences show Sam as resourceful, not Jane Bourne-esque.

Refreshing.

The third act approaches bonkers territory, but given everything we’ve learned up until then, it’s not entirely unexpected.

Moss may anchor “Shell,” but Hudson delivers an outsized performance that sells the material like a crazed carnival barker. She’s sinister but sweet, a manipulative beauty who will do what it takes to preserve her brand.

We’ve seen her kind before, but the performance doesn’t feel routine or predictable.

“Shell’s” main selling point is how it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Sure, there’s a “message” in play, and it’s one more than a few Hollywood suits should hear. The bigger priority is campy fun, and when an oversized crustacean shows up, you know that’s exactly what we’re getting.

HiT or Miss: “Shell” isn’t as message-obsessed as some socially conscious horror films, and it’s all the better for that streamlined approach.

The post ‘Shell’ Makes Most of Body Horror Run Amok appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

from Movies - Hollywood in Toto https://ift.tt/snlpaoO

HiT’s Best Movies of 2025 (Behold the Ping Pong Prodigy!)

The most important movie of 2025 didn’t get enough attention.

Maybe they should have hired Timothée Chalamet, the star of the year’s best movie, to uncork his marketing madness on its behalf. 

Either way, the actor and that film in question head this year’s list of genuine “must-see” movies. And it’s not even close.

Chalamet’s bravura turn in “A Complete Unknown” seemed primed for a Best Acting Oscar. Biopic? Check. Real-life legend? Check. Performance that required years of extensive training?

Check.

Yet the honors went to Cillian Murphy for “Oppenheimer.”

It’ll be even harder to deny Chalamet following his stunning work in “Marty Supreme.” The tale of a ping pong pro’s quest for greatness in the obscure sport doesn’t sound like cinematic catnip.

Just wait.

Director Josh Safdie (“Uncut Gems”) uses a true story as the framework for this delirious tale of a young man missing a moral compass. Chalamet is mesmerizing in scene after scene, and there’s so much imagination stuffed into Marty Mauser’s story it could fuel a dozen Hollywood films.

Take that, A.I.!

It’s hard to like Chalamet’s Marty, but it’s impossible to deny he powered the most entertaining film of the year…

The current, horrific rise in antisemitism will be studied for years. Future generations can watch “October 8” to see how a calamitous terror attack actually made matters worse.

Director Wendy Sachs crafts a sobering look at Jew hatred across Western culture, with special attention paid to the halls of higher learning. “October 8” isn’t political, and that restraint is remarkable given the proclivities of the modern Democratic party.

It’s all the better for keeping partisanship off camera. This is a story everyone must watch and learn from, or we’ll get a second, harrowing round of “never again” regrets.

We may be there already…

The HBO series “Crashing” captured what it takes to become a stand-up comedian. It’s not for the faint of heart.

The male protagonist in “Is This Thing On?” doesn’t set out to become a comedian. He just needs someplace, anyplace, to vent about his impending divorce.

So when Will Arnett’s character finds himself at the Comedy Cellar’s open mic night, some unexpected magic happens.

The “comedy as therapy” approach works wonders for director Bradley Cooper’s latest, even if his supporting character in the story is its weakest element. This honest look at relationships, featuring yet another killer turn by Laura Dern, proves fresh and insightful…

Rom-coms generate plenty of derisive reviews, and deservedly so. Even “hit” rom-coms have their flaws, like the daffy 2023 breakthrough “Anyone But You.”

So director Celine Song decided to ease up on the comedy for “Materialists,” a smart look at a love triangle that’s all too relevant to our times. A better than expected Dakota Johnson plays a high-end matchmaker torn between her old beau (Chris Evans) and a wealthy rival (Pedro Pascal).

What happens next is smart and satisfying, and while the rom-com tropes are familiar, the intellectual way Song approaches them is anything but…

Zach Cregger’s “Barbarian” offered a benign title along with something of a tease. The film was far from perfect, but this guy “gets” horror. Where has he been hiding? Turns out the comic actor-turned-auteur is merely a late bloomer, and his 2025 masterpiece “Weapons” proves it.

The tale of a town where all the children in a particular class go missing – save one – sets a delirious movie in motion. The stars are all aligned on Cregger’s behalf, including Julia Garner and Josh Brolin, but it’s the startling turn by Amy Madigan that sets this sucker ablaze.

We’ll say no more about her Aunt Gladys character for those who haven’t seen “Weapons” yet.

Cregger uses a non-traditional approach that not only clicks but makes the madness to follow even more explosive…

Ryan Coogler took a break from the MCU to reinvent the vampire movie.

“Sinners” casts Michael B. Jordan and Michael B. Jordan as brothers hellbent on starting a juke joint in 1930s-era South. That setup allows Coogler and co. to riff on racism, cultural stereotypes and the healing power of music.

Then, mid-way through, a vampire movie breaks out. And a great one, at that.

Coogler knows enough horror movie tropes to implode them while keeping the scares intact. Yes, the film’s ending is far from perfect, but everything up until that disappointing coda is so very good it doesn’t matter…

Hollywood refused to copy, clone or otherwise riff on 2022’s “Top Gun: Maverick.” So it took that film’s director to handle the chore himself.

Yes, Joseph Kosinski’s “F1” isn’t about a brash fighter pilot seeking middle-age redemption against all odds. The film follows a brash driver seeking middle-age redemption against all odds.

If the formula ain’t broke, don’t even try fixing it.

Kosinski does nothing of the kind, leaning on Brad Pitt’s star power as the story’s NOS. Pitt’s character has a young rival (Damson Idris) a la “Maverick,” along with a love interest (Kerry Condon) who sparks his life off the track.

What follows is pure exhilaration, from the camera work that deposits us in the driver’s seat to the old-school populism touching every scene. Pitt’s character even prays at one point in the story.

It’s not as good as “Top Gun: Maverick,” but “F1” comes close enough to matter.

The post HiT’s Best Movies of 2025 (Behold the Ping Pong Prodigy!) appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

from Movies - Hollywood in Toto https://ift.tt/UakwRQZ

Powerful ‘Anemone’ Highlights This Legend’s Startling Return

Ronan Day-Lewis’ “Anemone” is a directorial debut that touts a return to film acting by star Daniel Day-Lewis.

It could have potentially been an unwise, self-indulgent father/son collaboration.

After all, when your dad is considered one of the greatest living film actors of all time and famously stated his last filmed performance was in 2017 (in no less than a Paul Thomas Anderson film), the danger is that this film won’t measure up to impossible expectations.

Despite a few bumps, “Anemone” emerges as a poetic, intense and visually astonishing film. Both father and son Day-Lewis have something to take pride in this Christmas.

We meet Jem Stoker (Sean Bean), who is struggling with the actions of Brian, his troubled teenage son (Samuel Bottomley) and tries to calm his shell-shocked wife (Samantha Morton). We initially don’t know what Brian did, only that it’s serious enough that Jem takes off on a journey into the woods to find the one person whom Brian could talk to: Jem’s estranged father, Ray (Daniel Day-Lewis).

Ray is living off the grid and can barely contain how caustic and ferocious he is.

For the first 20 minutes, there’s no dialogue. When the conversation finally arrives, there’s initially a lot of talk about fecal matter, an easy way to generate shock. As the story progresses, generally as a two-hander, it emerges as a profane take on “Waiting for Godot.”

Day-Lewis’ performance is controlled, devoid of his habit for grandstanding but riveting as ever. What Day-Lewis does here is closer in tone to the work in his best vehicle, “In the Name of the Father” (1993) and not the grandstanding tendencies of his Oscar vehicles, “There Will Be Blood” (2007) and “Gangs of New York” (2002).

Bean matches him scene for scene and more than holds his own. The two make every word and gesture count.

“Anemone” explores how catharsis can manifest and if it’s even possible after so many years of lost time and steady animosity. Heavy topics arise, like the Irish Republican Army and military actions against them, but the focus overall is on the impact of choice.

While the story pauses for some tough monologues and arresting visions, it never feels like easy melodrama or anything remotely formulaic.

Many have noted the wild occurrence that takes place in the third act – the sequence will divide some, but I found it a bold touch the film earns. I won’t spoil it, but will say this – because the film is exploring family tensions and struggles in a relatable and probing fashion, the decision to include a mythic disruption feels in line with everything else here.

This is Ronan Day-Lewis’ stunning directorial debut. I hope his film career is long and steady, as this is one of the best films of 2025. It’s also one of my favorite films that Day-Lewis has starred in.

Perhaps that means his announced retirement from acting is belated or maybe this is now his final film. If the latter is the case, then this is one hell of a great performance to leave us with.

Four Stars

The post Powerful ‘Anemone’ Highlights This Legend’s Startling Return appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

from Movies - Hollywood in Toto https://ift.tt/7StYKTx

‘Train Dreams’ Is One-Way Ticket to Snoozeville

Clint Bentley’s “Train Dreams” is about the life of Robert Granier, played by Joel Edgerton, who works the railroad during the early 20th century and lives to be 80 years old.

His final words at the end of the film are, “Beautiful ain’t it? Just beautiful.” That sums up how I feel about the film overall. “Train Dreams” sure is purty to look at, and it’s duller than a pile of dirt.

This period drama reflects on the optimism and struggles of those living during the early 1900s, and how the industry and obstacles changed for the entire world. Granier is ably played by Edgerton, whose character is a sort of stand-in for long-suffering, working-class types who believe hard work can lead to a good life.

Edgerton reminded me of my grandfather and some of the values he carried with him until the end of his life. Yet, the actor can only do so much with his character, more a symbol of American possibilities than anything else.

Despite how good Edgerton is here (and when is that not the case?), the film is stolen by William H. Macy, playing an explosives expert on Granier’s team of workers. Macy has all the best lines and walks away with the film in a role that is little more than an extended cameo.

If you’ve seen “Days of Heaven” (1978), then you’ve already watched a vastly superior version of this movie. There are also visuals suggesting aspects of “Badlands” (1973), “The New World” (2005) and “The Tree of Life” (2011), all films by Terrence Malick.

“Train Dreams” is obviously a Malick movie clone, minus the poetry and mystery. The narration spills everything out, providing literal observations that are unnecessary. The contrast to the stale narration here is that the narration in Malick’s film’s provide the inner thoughts and private realizations of the characters, not fodder to push the story along and cater to the audience’s attention span.

A late subplot in which Granier reconnects with a missing family member is impactful, but it’s a fleeting bit that arrives too late.

What I was left with are lots of beautiful shots that could be framed and lovingly hung over a fireplace. The costumes, sets and music are all on the same level as the cinematography, which is the highest praise I could give.

The final scenes are too on the nose, too obvious. Everything about this is familiar, not only in the way it demonstrates that, yes, Bentley is a fan of Malick’s but also in the limitations of the story.

Say what you will about Ron Howard’s commercial, uneven Irish epic “Far and Away” (1992) but it created more suspense, immediacy and rising stakes than anything here.

I get it, Malick is a genius, one of the few poet filmmakers still among us. On the other hand, his approach comes across as pretty wallpaper if there’s no psychological texture and applicable symbolism going on.

Malick’s films look like memories, whereas filmmakers who copy Malick’s style tend to nail the rich visuals but lack the art behind it. Kind of like all the filmmakers who envy Stanley Kubrick but cannot come close to matching his work.

Two Stars (out of four)

The post ‘Train Dreams’ Is One-Way Ticket to Snoozeville appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

from Movies - Hollywood in Toto https://ift.tt/Zq97n4Y

‘We Bury the Dead’ Offers Somber Spin on Zombie Craze

We’re due for an old-fashioned, no-nonsense zombie movie in the grand George A. Romero tradition.

The last decade has brought Zom-coms, undead musicals, micro-indie shockers and other spins on the zombie menace. Anything but a straightforward tale of brain-chomping ghouls.

“We Bury the Dead” isn’t interested in old-school zombie thrills. Instead, the somber story delivers a treatise on healing as much as a horror.

Yes, the undead litter the landscape, but writer/director Zak Hilditch has other plans for his bedraggled characters. What emerges won’t quicken your pulse, but it might make you look at loss in a whole new way. It’s a shame that Hilditch isn’t always sure which style of zombie movie he’s making.

Daisy Ridley, no stranger to genre films in her post-“Star Wars” life, stars as Ava. Her character volunteers to identify bodies following a U.S. Military accident that unleashed a new type of weapon off Australia’s coast.

The EMP-like device brought death and destruction on a major scale. Now, it’s up to the military to pick up the pieces, with an assist from brave volunteers.

Ava signs up for personal reasons. Her husband (Matt Whelan) is presumed dead following the accidental attack, and she needs to see the body for closure.

Or is it more complicated than that?

She’s joined by a seemingly dense volunteer named Clay (Brenton Thwaites), who treats the work as casually as a McDonald’s fry cook. They couldn’t be more different, but he’s open to helping her get to where her husband was last seen.

Will military officials let them happen? And what about the dead bodies that, according to early reports, refuse to stay dead?

Hilditch (“1922”) knows how to uncork a grisly zombie sequence. He also leverages the undead for maximum creeps. “Dead” is akin to a “Paranormal Activity” film where it pays to watch every part of the screen at all times.

It’s often worth our while.

More of Queen Daisy Ridley at The Kelly Clarkson show as she talks about horror films & a clip from We Bury The Dead‍#DaisyRidley #WeBuryTheDead pic.twitter.com/LPF1gKJhRI

— Daisy Ridley is queen! (@Scavenger_Jakku) December 16, 2025

The poor undead here click and grind their teeth, a sound that’s unnerving at first and never loses its shock value. Neither do the spare FX, including zombie close-ups that offer a stark departure from the usual undead aesthetic.

Except this isn’t a typical survivalist yarn or blood-drenched affair. Ridley’s Ava is inconsolable, and she must see her husband one last time. She’s even holding out hope that he’s one of the victims who may spring back to life, even if said life is little more than a grunting spectre of his old self.

“We Bury the Dead” offers a grounded, tonally dark character study that demands plenty of its lead actress. Ridley is up to the task, even if the screenplay can’t always say the same.

It can be … dull, without enough backstory or character development to sustain our interest. The most intriguing element is something the movie unveils in methodical fashion. Ava’s marriage may not be as picture-perfect as those flashbacks suggest.

The film proves superior to “Handling the Undead,” knowing that even a stoic genre film needs the occasional jolt to keep the stakes elevated. One such scene, teased in the trailer, shows Hilditch can uncork a dizzying set piece on par with the best zombie auteurs.

It’s so good, in fact, that we’re left teetering between B-movie thrills and a haunting portrait of grief. At its best, “We Bury the Dead” finds common ground between the disparate styles, offering a zombie tale well worth your time.

HiT or Miss: “We Bury the Dead” offers a textured look at grief and healing, all through the lens of a zombie-like outbreak.

The post ‘We Bury the Dead’ Offers Somber Spin on Zombie Craze appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

from Movies - Hollywood in Toto https://ift.tt/863Rkv4

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Won’t Save Mother Earth

James Cameron is a genius.

If we didn’t know it after “Aliens” (1986), “Terminator: Judgment Day” (1991) and “Titanic” (1997), it’s clear after a trio of “Avatar” films.

Geniuses, alas, aren’t perfect.

Cameron’s eco-saga offers so many flaws that it’s hard to process them in one sitting. Visually magnificent and narratively sloppy, the saga shows no signs of improvement via “Avatar: Fire and Ash.”

It’s a mess. Yet you can’t look away, and Cameron’s refusal to give up on 3D may be its key selling point.

We pick up the saga shortly after the events of “Avatar: The Way of Water.” The Sully clan is still mourning the loss of Neteyam (Jamie Flatters), the family’s oldest son. The clan appears at peace all the same, but the evil/wicked/monstrous Colonel Quaritch (the great Stephen Lang) hasn’t given up the fight.

He’s still hell bent on taking over Pandora and setting up shop to make millions. That Military Industrial Complex doesn’t happen by itself, ya know.

This time, the Colonel teams with the leader of a fractured tribe known as the Ash people, led by Varang (Oona Chaplin). She’s a force of nature, cunning and deceptive.

Man, those ones and zeroes can make movie magic.

Together, they pose an even more dangerous threat to the Na’vi, and it will take the planet’s peace-loving members to find a way to thwart their latest attack.

If this all sounds familiar, it should.

RELATED: KARMA COMES FOR JAMES CAMERON’S ‘AVATAR’ SAGA

The elements trotted out here replicate some of the last film’s story. And, to a lesser extent, “Avatar.” It’s not uncommon for a franchise to repeat key elements, but at three hours and 15-odd minutes that repetition is, well, unconscionable.

Why would an artist like Cameron essentially copy himself, spending endless dollars in the process? His mission with the “Avatar” saga is to make audiences rethink their connection to Mother Earth.

That’s simplistic and noble, but his films are increasingly detached from that messaging. “Fire and Ash” isn’t as heavy-handed as before, but mostly because the lectures feel familiar at this point.

They didn’t move the pop culture needle the first time. There’s little chance that will change with Chapter 3.

What’s maddening this time around is the Quaritch/Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) tension. These mortal enemies squabble and fight, but it seems perfunctory at this point. At one key moment, they lay down their theoretical arms, as if Cameron himself isn’t sure why they’re still at each other’s throats.

This saga is exhausted, and even Cameron senses it.

The new film is once again overstuffed with characters, subplots and visual marvels, to the point where it deadens our senses. The first 10 minutes have us staring at the screen, our mouths agape at what Cameron and co. cooked up for our pleasure.

Digital trickery feels routine at this point. Not when you’re witnessing an “Avatar” spectacle.

That sense of wonder doesn’t last. At some point, we need compelling characters and a story that demands our attention. What we get are two marvelous villains, a crush of character beats that alternately impress and underwhelm and little sense of storytelling momentum.

Where is this all going? To the big battle, of course, just like in the first two films. If that’s a spoiler … then you don’t recognize franchise storytelling on autopilot.

And then there’s the dialogue. Some characters offer glib takes on life and native culture, a sop to spirituality and eco-worship. Take it or leave it, but “Fire and Ash” has a point of view and boasts a consistent approach here.

But Cameron, who co-wrote the script with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, can’t help ladling out 21st century colloquialisms which take us out of the story. Again and again.

Think Christopher Reeve seeing that shiny brown penny in “Somewhere in Time.”

Isn’t there anyone on the crew who can tap them on the shoulder and say, “Maybe this kind of corny banter is beneath your vision?” And then, of course, duck, because that might not end well for the person who says it.

Cameron’s genius infects every frame of “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” His inability to see his own flaws does, too.

Hit or Miss: “Avatar: Fire and Ash” introduces us to new villains, old friends we barely cared about in the first place and a story that’s both exhausting and familiar.

The post ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Won’t Save Mother Earth appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

from Movies - Hollywood in Toto https://ift.tt/LMbJdx3