Sonya Alexander

The Oscars are right around the corner and this year has been a horn of plenty full of various types of stellar films. Films that are nominated for Best Picture frequently herald society's sociopolitical, cultural, and economic pulse.

In Shih-Ching Tsou’s first solo directed feature film Left-Handed Girl she deals with generational trauma, cultural superstitions, and urban stress. The characters of Shu-Fen (Janel Tsai), I-Ann (Shih-Yuan Ma), and I-Jing (Nina Ye) are the central focus of the story, but the Taiwanese night market where the mother owns a noodle shop is also a vibrant character in the story, helping to shape the narrative and affect the characters.

2025 you were somethin’ and you happened.
Safe to say, this year a lot of our “watercooler” chats circled varied topics, including: unpredictable weather, stormy politics, memorable memes, the latest binge-worthy TV shows and must-see movies. As we’re not in the weather and politics game, we can confidently present great insight on TV and films (and maybe some memes, too).

2025 had films for everyone. From horror to franchise favorites to scintillating originals. The year also had a strong international presence, with The Secret Agent, It Was Just An Accident, Sirāt, Sentimental Value, and No Other Choice getting nominations and buzz during Awards Season. Across the board, there were some outstanding performances.

Auteur Park Chan-wook (The Handmaiden, Decision to Leave, Oldboy) is no stranger to blending dark comedy, the psychological thriller, and stylized violence. With his latest release No Other Choice, he morbidly ventures into the world of corporate competition and one man’s desire to survive in a world slowly changing and transforming because of AI.

James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash comes on the heels of Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and once again proves Cameron to be a master filmmaker who understands the magic of movies. Avatar: Fire and Ash not only visually and narratively immerses us in the world of Pandora again, it fully services the fans expectations.

Emma Tammi returns at the helm of Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, but Scott Cawthon, the creator of the game, is the sole writer this time, and it seems like he still might be more comfortable with video game writing.

Writer/director Kleber Mendonça Filho (Pictures of Ghosts, Bacurau) doesn’t believe in rushing the creative process and his latest film The Secret Agent is a good example of the time and care he puts into his projects.

Writer/director Edgar Wright’s (Baby Driver, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) The Running Man is an adaptation he’s always dreamed of doing. He and collaborator Michael Bacall (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, 21 Jump Street) first read the Richard Bachman (Stephen King’s pseudonym) book when they were teenagers and now have a different perspective on it as adults.

Award winning writer/director Joachim Trier’s (The Worst Person in the World, Thelma) latest film Sentimental Value examines how homelife is the genesis of personality, how being an artist can serve as emotional liberation, and the benefits of the deep bonds of sisterhood.

Dan Trachtenberg’s (Prey, Predator: Killer of Killers) Predator: Badlands reminds us why certain films, if not all, have to be seen on the big screen. It’s visually compelling and action-packed.

Understand the origins and nuancesof this Gothic subgenre to write atmospheric tales.

‘Black Phone 2’ is the perfect addition to the Halloween season. The contiguity of Gwen’s terrifying dreams and the reality of Finn’s experience reinforce why The Grabber has returned.

Filmmaker Kiah Roache-Turner discusses being inspired by true events, building a life-like shark, making monster movies, and more.

Male characters, whether protagonists or antagonists, often get to be messy and problematic and are still embraced by audiences to some degree. Does the same hold true for female characters?