“O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?” That last line from the American national anthem should be a line that mean hope for everyone living in America but that no longer exists as that line is nothing but a dream. We are less than a year away from our 250th birthday here in America and it is now likely that no one will even make it to that day thanks to our human septic tank of a dictator who has created a bill that has fucked everyone in favor of the rich. Not millionaires but billionaires and beyond who will gladly do whatever they can to keep their riches while us peasants continue to starve and do what we can one day at a time. All of this and other stunts involving tax dollars and censorship as Stephen Colbert’s talk show is to end next year as CBS and its parent company Paramount has bowed down to him in their upcoming merger with Skydance. All of this to shield from what is really going on in relation to his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein as everyone knows he and Epstein love to rape underage girls.
This has not been a good month here at home as the recent laws that Human Septic Tank and his MAGA minions have also created a law in which thousands of undocumented people from Honduras and Nicaragua are to be deported within months. Among them are relatives of my mother as one of my aunts who had been living in Minnesota for more than a decade is being forced to leave as she had been at my mother’s house for a few days as I am surprised that she has not been given a residency. It is shit like this that has made me very angry over what is happening right now though I am glad that my mother is now a U.S. citizen though we are now unsure what will happen. There is too much uncertainty about what is happening as our dictator wants to deport those who defy him as there is too many. What a fucking sham this has all become as I am working on a list on Letterboxd that I hope to complete by July 4, 2026, in a list of films that is all about the American Nightmare. There is no such thing as the American Dream as I am trying to find 250 films that dispels the myth of the American Dream. So far, I have 31 films on the list.
For those that have followed this blog for years know that I am a fan of pro wrestling as the big news this month and for the rest of the year is the passing of Terry Bollea aka Hulk Hogan. Honestly, my feeling about his passing is complicated due to the legacy he left behind. If it were not for him, I would not be watching, nor will I ever talk about pro wrestling as I used to have a Hulk Hogan lunchbox as a kid. Yet, he was not the person that got me into pro wrestling. That is Bret “the Hitman” Hart along with many others that would follow. There is no question about Hogan’s place in history in terms of what he has done for pro wrestling and in popular culture. Unfortunately, he has also done a lot of horrible things both as a wrestler and as a person that has made his recent passing hard to digest. From ratting out Jesse Ventura to Meekmahan before WrestleMania II, trying to sabotage the Undertaker’s career by faking a neck injury at Survivor Series 1991, backstage politicking, and his refusal to put anyone over in both his time in WWE and WCW has been a blemish on his legacy. Yet, that is nothing compared to the jailhouse recordings in his conversation with his son Nick after the car accident that left Nick’s friend John Graziano paralyzed and brain damaged as well as the racist remarks he said on a sex tape with Bubba the Love Sponge’s wife.
The fact that he never formally apologized for the things he said while also having no interest in taking Mark Henry’s offer to visit Black colleges shows someone who never really made the effort to redeem himself. He continues to play this persona in political events supporting our dictator as well as say some racist things about Kamala Harris last year. There are also the constant lies he told over the years, claiming he wrestled 400 days a year, auditioning to play bass for Metallica in 1986, and all those other things added to the stench of his tarnished legacy. The last image of him at a WWE event was the first episode of Monday Night Raw on Netflix where he was booed out of the building is a damning moment that showed how far he had fallen. Even as he tried to sell his Real American Beer to the public along with other things, it is clear people got tired of the bullshit he is selling. In the end, he went out with a whimper, and I am not sad about it. I am just disappointed that he never became the hero that everyone wanted him to be only to be an example of never meeting their heroes in public.
In the month of July 2025, I saw a total of 19 films in 13 first-timers and 6 re-watches with two of the first-timers being films directed or co-directed by women as part of the 52 films by women pledge. One of the highlights of the month is my Blind Spot film for the month in The Public Enemy. Here are the top 10 first-timers that I saw for July 2025:
9. In the Beginning Was the End: The Complete Truth About De-Evolution
10. Pierre and Sonny Jim
Monthly Mini-Reviews/What Else I Am Watching
At Land
One of two short films by Maya Deren that I found on YouTube that features original music by Feona Lee Jones is this avant-garde short film about a woman who has been washed ashore as she finds herself on an island where she encounters strange things around her. Even as there is a shot of two women playing chess as it is a short with no plot and nothing makes sense but that is the point of it. It is all about the visuals as it proves how ahead of her time Deren is as a filmmaker with Jones’ score adding dramatic tension as it is something film buffs need to see.
In the Mood for Love Day One
With the 25th anniversary release of Wong Kar Wai’s In the Mood for Love happening with some screenings to include a 9-minute short featuring Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Maggie Cheung that was shot in 2001. There is also a 1-minute and 33-second clip that is used as NFT that can be seen here. Honestly, I am not a fan of NFTs as I think they are a waste of time although this clip is fascinating to watch though it is really an outtake from the film.
In the Beginning Was the End: The Truth About De-Evolution
The band Devo is about to go on tour with the B-52s as they have been restoring some of their older music videos as well as this short film they released in 1976 with Chuck Statler. The short film features performances of two songs the band would do that would appear in their 1978 debut album as the short said a lot about the idea of de-evolution in relation to what was happening in the 1970s. Yet, it feels relevant to what is happening right now which proves that Devo were ahead of their time.
A Study of Choreography for Camera
The second short by Maya Deren that I watched is a two-minute and 13-second experimental short featuring Talley Beatty dancing as it plays into how dancing could be captured in film. Especially in the diligence of how dancing could be presented step-by-step as it is something anyone interested in dance and film should see.
Pierre and Sonny Jim
A 3-minute short from David Lynch in collaboration with Eli Roth is another of his experimental short films that he did in the early 2000s. This involved inflatable hand-balloons just argue over some dumb shit though the dialogue is unintelligible. Maybe they were arguing about what happened in Mulholland Dr.
Sing
A film that I have on DVD that I watched with my nephew on Netflix proved to be a fun surprise though I think Mateo’s reaction towards the film was a bit mixed. It is a heartwarming animated musical about a koala trying to keep a theater going as he bought it out of love for it as he holds a contest that he hopes would bring prestige back to the theater. The ensemble cast is great with Matthew McConaughey, Taron Egerton, Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, John C. Reilly, Nick Kroll, Tori Kelly, and Seth MacFarlane as they all bring it. I could’ve done without some of the songs that are played as I am so tired of hearing bad covers of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah as that has been done to death. Still, I thought it was a charming and fun film.
World of Glory
This short film by Roy Andersson that I saw on MUBI before is to leave the service is the first thing of his that I have seen and it will not be the last. This short revolves around the ordinary life of a man in a simple static shot as he is someone that is unremarkable. Yet, it is presented in the most absurd manner as there are a lot of quirky things that are happening including the first shot involving naked people being put into a moving truck with all these suits watching as this man narrates to the camera in what he does. Yet, he starts to unravel how uninteresting his life is as this is a great short to watch.
Stellar
The first of 2 short films by Stan Brakhage I saw on YouTube as this is another discovery that I hope to go into more. Notably as Brakhage is this avant-garde visual artist that does not use music or sound to highlight his work as he and collaborator Sam Bush would create collages based on Brakhage’s own imagination. Notably as this short is his idea of what he sees in outer space as it is a kaleidoscopic short that is truly out of this world.
Black Ice
The second short by Brakhage that I saw on YouTube is based on Brakhage’s own thoughts of what he saw after he slipped on ice and nearly damaged his eye. What he would imagine with Bush’s help is colorful images of what he saw through ice as it is just astonishing in its imagery.
Beth’s Farm
From Yorgos Lanthimos is a music video for composer Jerskin Fendrix who composed the score music for Lanthimos’ 2023 film Poor Things. The video is pure Lanthimos in terms of its visuals as it also stars Emma Stone as a mysterious woman who appears to help Fendrix whose animals in his farm have disappeared. It is an odd short but the sight of Fendrix and Stone dancing around a bonfire feels very wholesome as it is music video fans of the trio should see.
Top 6 Re-Watches
1. Queen Live at Live Aid
2. Hawaiian Vacation
3. Megamind
4. Madagascar
5. Cousin Ben Troop Screening
6. Towards a Dream in the USA
Well, that is all for July 2025. Next month, I hope to watch The Fantastic Four: The First Steps as it will mark my return to the MCU while I might watch The Naked Gun as it just looks hilarious. My Blind Spot for next month is likely to be Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Other than that, I have pre-written stuff that I want to catch up on while I have already done a bit of work on the Auteurs piece on Robert Eggers while I re-watch a couple of films by James Gunn in anticipation of my upcoming Auteurs piece on him.
Before I bid adieu, this month did see the passing of someone far more revered in Ozzy Osbourne who passed away on July 21, 2025, just seventeen days after he gave his farewell performance at the Back to the Beginning benefit show that would also feature a final performance with his band Black Sabbath. Osbourne’s legacy in what he has done for heavy metal music and popular culture is set in stone while the fact that he chose to have his final concert in his hometown of Birmingham in front 45,000 showed that he man never strayed from his roots. The fact that he got a great sendoff with a funeral procession that saw an entire city pay their respects to him shows a man that is beloved beyond description. Whether it is with his work with Black Sabbath, his illustrious solo career, and his work on reality TV with his family. Osbourne has always been a figure that always brought joy in the darkest of times while singing songs that played into the world of darkness but always with a glimmer of hope. Thank you, Ozzy. We will miss you.
Also who passed away this month and will be missed include Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Adriana Asti, original Iron Maiden vocalist Paul Mario Day, Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs, Tom Leher, film editor Don Zimmerman, British actor Tony Peers, George Kooymans of Golden Earring, actor Tom Troupe, songwriter Alan Bergman, Connie Francis, Eileen Fulton, Dave Cousins of the Strawbs, David Kaff from Spinal Tap, Rene Kirby, music composer Mark Snow, Julian McMahon, and Michael Madsen. We will miss you all. Oh, and Jimmy Swaggart died as well but in all honesty. Fuck him and fuck you too Cunt Hogan. This is thevoid99 signing off…
Based on an unpublished script entitled Beer and Blood by John Bright and Kubec Glasmon, The Public Enemy is the story of two young hoodlums who rise from poverty to become top-tier gangsters as they later be involved in a gang war with rival mobsters. Directed by William A. Wellman and screenplay by Harvey F. Thew, the film is a gangster movie set during the era of Prohibition as two men rise to the top while dealing with many foes from the police to rival gangs on their ascent to the top. Starring James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward Woods, Donald Cook, and Joan Blondell. The Public Enemy is a riveting and exhilarating film by William A. Wellman.
The film is about the rise and fall of two young hoodlums in Chicago who become top-tier gangsters during the early days of Prohibition only to find themselves in a gang war with rival mobsters. It is a film with a simple premise that plays into two men who work as hoodlums since they were boys for a local boss only to grow up as men who would work for another boss as they would rise and make money through bootlegging alcohol. The film’s screenplay by Harvey F. Thew is based on an unpublished screenplay by John Bright and Kubec Glasmon is straightforward as it spans 15 years from 1905 to 1920 when Prohibition begins. The protagonists in Tom Powers (James Cagney) and Matt Doyle (Edward Woods) are two Irish-American men who would do small jobs and rise the ranks working for a local hood in Putty Nose (Murray Kinnell). After an incident that made Nose flee, the two would work for the more prominent Paddy Ryan a few years after World War I had ended.
Once Prohibition begins, Powers and Doyle get rich while remaining loyal to Ryan as they also get women and all the good things in life. The script also plays into conflict between Powers and his older brother Mike (Donald Cook) who is a strait-laced man that does everything expected in society including joining the marines in World War I as he would struggle to make ends meet for himself and the family despite Powers giving their mother (Beryl Mercer) money. It would play into tension where Powers knows he is not an honorable man but does not tell his mother what he really does yet he shoots back at his brother for what he has done while at war. Powers would eventually cope with the chaos of conflict following the death of a colleague as it plays into the intensity of violence that occurs during Prohibition.
William A. Wellman’s direction is engaging in the way he captures a period that are the early days of Prohibition just a few years before it ends. Shot on location at the Warner Brothers studio backlot at Burbank, California along with additional locations in Los Angeles, Wellman does create an atmosphere of a world that is finding itself in a new century though some struggle to get by with Powers and Doyle doing things for this local hood as they live in the poor side of Chicago with their families. Wellman’s direction does have some wide and medium shots to get a scope of the locations in in its 1:37:1 aspect ratio. Even as he would do unique camera movements in a medium shot during a conversation while also using close-ups in a few scenes to play into the drama and suspense. Wellman also play into the way bootleggers steal from breweries before they close and how they transport alcohol in secrecy as well as the lifestyle the gangsters have. There are also moments that are violent though Wellman chooses to shoot scenes involving the intense violence by having it be shown offscreen.
The usage of sound is a key element in the offscreen violence while the death of a friend of Powers and Doyle would also be shown offscreen as it would mark the fall for both men. The film’s third act is one filled with suspense and drama as it plays into Paddy Ryan becoming concerned for everyone around him as he also knows he is a target from rival gangs. Its climax would involve Powers with an aftermath in which his brother realizes the severity of what his brother had been trying to do as well as the danger. The final image is shocking as it plays into the world of gang violence as well as it is followed by a postscript that explains the futility of the gangster life and the failures of Prohibition. Overall, Wellman crafts a gripping and intoxicating film about two young men who rise into the gangster world during the early days of Prohibition.
Cinematographer Devereaux Jennings does brilliant work with the film’s black-and-white photography in the way the exterior scenes at night are lit as well as the usage of shadows for some of the nighttime interior scenes. Editor Edward Michael McDermott does excellent work with the editing with its rhythmic cuts to play into the drama and suspense along with some lively cutting for some of the energetic scenes. Art director Max Parker does amazing work with the look of the nightclub Powers and Doyle go to as well as the family home of the former and the hotel suite the two men live in with their partners.
Costume designer Edward Stevenson does fantastic work with the costumes in the suits the men wear as well as additional wardrobe designed by Earl Luick in the dresses that the women wear. The sound work of Oliver S. Garretson is superb for the sound effects in how gunfire sounds as well as the way natural sound is presented on set. Title music by David Mendoza is wonderful in its orchestral piece to play into the air of suspense and drama while its music soundtrack features music from that period that is performed by the Vitaphone Orchestra.
The casting by Rufus Le Maire is remarkable as it feature some notable small roles from Mia Marvin as Paddy Ryan’s girlfriend Jane who would seduce Powers late in the film, Dorothy Gee as Nathan Nails’ girlfriend, Frank Coughlan Jr. as the young Powers, Frankie Darro as the young Doyle, Beryl Mercer as Powers’ mother, Mae Clarke as Powers’ first girlfriend Kitty, and Murray Kinnel as Powers and Doyle’s first boss in the hood Putty Nose. Robert O’Connor is superb as Paddy Ryan as a boss for Powers and Doyle who treats them like his children as well as be someone that is rational as he is aware of the intensity of the gang wars that is happening. Leslie Fenton is fantastic as Nathan Nails as a fellow gangster whom Powers and Doyle would befriend as he would get them some connections as well as some influence for them as well as for Paddy Ryan. Joan Blondell is excellent as Doyle’s girlfriend/future wife Mamie who would help and support Doyle at home while also being the one person to give Doyle stability despite his criminal activities.
Jean Harlow is brilliant in a small role as Powers’ second girlfriend Gwen Allen whom he would meet while driving with Doyle and later become someone that loves the lifestyle as well as giving him an idea of a future. Donald Cook is amazing as Powers’ older brother Mike who is a straitlaced man who is not fond of his brother’s criminal activities as well as lying to their mother where he is later forced to realize his own faults and the danger that his brother is in. Edward Woods is great as Powers’ friend Matt Doyle as a man who knows what he wants while is more low-key in his pursuits where he wants to make money to have a good life for himself and Mamie. Finally, there’s James Cagney in a tremendous performance as Tom Powers as this young gangster who likes to live the life of a criminal with all its rewards where Cagney displays charisma in every moment as he brings an energy that is insatiable to watch. Even as he knows he is a flawed man and does not apologize for it while is also someone that any crime boss or friend can count on as it is one of Cagney’s finest performances.
The Public Enemy is a phenomenal film by William A. Wellman that features an iconic performance from James Cagney. Along with its supporting cast, story of ambition and danger, its gripping presentation, and a fun music soundtrack. It is a pre-Code gangster film that is quite daring for its time in its presentation of violence as well as its approach in not glamorizing a world that is dark for its time. In the end, The Public Enemy is a spectacular film by William A. Wellman.
Based on the DC Comics series by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Superman is the story of an alien superhero who is trying to save the world while coming to terms with who he really is and the family that has adopted him on Earth. Written and directed for the screen by James Gunn, the film is a re-telling of the Kryptonian hero as he tries to find his place on Earth while dealing with those who are afraid of him and those who oppose him as David Corenswet stars as the titular role/Clark Kent/Kal-El. Also starring Rachel Brosnahan, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Superman is an exhilarating and wondrous film by James Gunn.
The film is the story of an alien superhero who has chosen to use his powers to do good while he copes with constant criticism and attacks from different forces, including Lex Luthor who has created a smear campaign on Superman. It is a film that explores a man who believe he was sent by his biological parents from Krypton to be a beacon of hope on Earth during tough times where he would stop an invasion from one country towards a neighboring country without government approval or sanction. That action would lead to criticism from social media and others including the American government with Luthor amping up the criticism because of his hatred for Superman. James Gunn’s screenplay is straightforward in its narrative where it is more about Kal-El playing not just the role as a superhero who is trying to make the world a better place but also understand his own place in the world as Clark Kent who was raised by kind-hearted humans in Smallville, Kansas.
The script opens with Superman crashing onto a snowy landscape after he had lost a fight with a mysterious being known as the Hammer of Boravia following Superman’s own involvement in stopping Boravia from invading the neighboring country Jarhanpur. Kent also works for Metropolis’ newspaper Daily Planet with Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan), whom he has been in a relationship with as she also knows his identity as Superman where she questions him about what happened at Jarhanpur since Kent always created his own interviews with Superman where Kent is forced to realize that things are not as simple as he wants them to be. Especially with the U.S. government having their own relationship with Boravia unaware that their leader President Vasil Ghurkos (Zlato Buric) is conspiring with Luthor in a scheme that Luthor wants to do with Jarhanpur. Luthor is an antagonist that is smart but is also hoping to be this godlike figure that is feared and revered yet he is unhappy with the presence of Superman to the point that he has one of his henchman in Ultraman and a nanotech metahuman in Angela Spica/the Engineer (Maria Gabriela de Faria) help find ways to get access to Superman’s secret lair in the Fortress of Solitude where they steal the message from Superman’s parents as well as Superman’s pet dog Krypto.
The script’s second act plays into Superman dealing with Luthor’s smear campaign and Superman turning himself to the U.S. government where Superman is sent to a mysterious pocket universe that Luthor has created. There, Superman is forced to endure torture by a metahuman named Rex Mason/Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan) who can change his body into any form as he turns his hand into Kryptonite with Luthor also doing whatever he can to hurt Superman every way he can much to Mason’s own disgust as he is forced to torture Superman. The second act also has Lane making some discoveries about what is happening to Superman and Luthor’s connection to Boravia as she turns to a team of metahumans in the Justice Gang led by Guy Gardner/Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion) along with Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and Michael Holt/Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) for help but only Mr. Terrific decides to help Lane who also learns about Luthor’s pocket universe due to sources from fellow journalist Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) who has his own mysterious connections.
Gunn’s direction is sprawling in terms of its overall presentation and different settings to play into a world that is chaotic yet there is this element of hope in this superhero from another planet. Shot on various locations at Trilith Studios in Duluth, Georgia as well as locations in Atlanta, Ohio, and Svalbard, Norway as the last of which is used for the scenes where the Fortress of Solitude is placed. The film opens with images in Antarctica where Superman crashes down the snow only to be picked up by Krypto to the Fortress of Solitude. What Gunn does is create something different rather than play into what has been told already about Superman as it plays into something more immediate as he has known to the world for about three years and this is the first time he lost a fight. Gunn’s usage of wide and medium shots not only establishes the locations that the characters are in but also a world that is falling apart due to war, misinformation, and the ambitions of those who want to destroy it for their own gain.
Gunn also maintains a sense of intimacy with the medium shots and close-ups as it relates to Kent’s relationship with Lane where he would let the camera linger for a bit during Lane’s interview with Superman where Kent would have trouble answering questions. There is also this air of dread and extreme that Luthor would bring when he confronts Superman as he has no problem killing ordinary people or those who are close to Superman to get a win over him. Even as Ultraman is controlled by Luthor’s people who would predict every move Superman makes in a fight as it highlights Luthor’s own desire for power above his own wealth. Gunn also knows when to slow things down and ground them into reality as it plays into Kent’s own identity as he wonders what his biological parents really want from him, yet it would be his adoptive parents in Jonathan and Martha Kent (Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell, respectively) that would give him the guidance that he needs to just be himself. Flaws and all as superheroes are imperfect as Gardiner is a bit of a dick while Mr. Terrific takes himself a bit seriously at times. Its climax has Gunn going all-out where Superman does what he can to be the savior that Metropolis and the world needs while also knowing he could not do this alone where Lane would also play a role in stopping Luthor. Overall, Gunn crafts an enthralling yet rapturous film about an alien superhero who fights evil to make the world a better place for everyone.
Cinematographer Henry Braham does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its emphasis on vibrant colors in some of the daytime exterior scenes while using some harsh lighting for the interiors of Luthor’s pocket universe to bring that air of darkness while the nighttime interior/exterior scenes help play into the tense atmosphere of what Luthor’s goons will do for their master. Editors William Hoy and Craig Alpert do excellent work with the editing as it does utilize fast cuts for some of the action scenes and big set pieces while also knowing when to slow things down to let shots linger and knowing when to cut. Production designer Beth Mickle, with set decorator Rosemary Brandenberg plus supervising art directors Drew Monahan and David Scott, does amazing work with the look of the sets from the interiors of the Fortress of Solitude, the Luthorcorp building, and other places in and around Metropolis. Costume designer Judianna Makovsky does fantastic work with the costumes in the look of Superman’s suit with its vibrant colors to some of the clothing that Lane wears that is casual but more business-like with pants.
Makeup designer Alexei Dmitriew and hair designer Peter Swords King do terrific work with the look of some of the characters including Mr. Terrific, Metamorpho, and that awful haircut that Gardner has. Visual effects supervisor Stephane Ceretti does brilliant work with the visual effects in some of the visual backdrops for some of Superman’s flying scenes as well as the look of the pocket universe and some of the creatures that Superman and other metahumans deal with. Sound editors David Acord and Katy Wood do superb work with the sound in the way Superman lifts off from the ground as well the layer of sounds in the action scenes as well as some eerie scenes at the pocket universe. The film’s music by John Murphy and David Fleming is wonderful for its bombastic orchestral score that features elements of heavy string arrangements and brass arrangements as well as create variations of John Williams’ theme from the 1978 Richard Donner film while its music soundtrack also include pieces by Noah and the Whale, Teddybears with Iggy Pop, and a fictional band known as the Mighty Crabjoys that Kent is a fan of.
The casting by John Papsidera is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances such as Michael Ian Black as the talk show host Cleavis Thornwaite, Will Reeves as a news reporter on the ground, Terence Rosemore and Stephen Blackehart as a couple of associates of Luthor respectively in Otis and Sydney, Frank Grillo as U.S. military official General Rick Flag Sr., and in the voices of the Superman robots at the Fortress of Solitude are Jennifer Holland, Michael Rooker, Pom Klementieff, Alan Tudyk, and Grace Chan. Other notable small roles as staff members at the Daily Planet in Beck Bennett as the sports columnist Steve Lombard, Christopher McDonald as reporter Ron Troupe, and Mikaela Hoover as the columnist Cat Grant. Wendell Pierce is terrific as Daily Planet editor-in-chief Perry White who is trying to run the paper while he has his own issues with Luthor. Sara Sampaio is fantastic as Luthor’s girlfriend Eve Teschmacher as this bimbo who often does selfies only to be smarter than people think she is. Maria Gabriela de Faria is superb as Angela Spica/the Engineer, as one of Luthor’s henchpersons whose body is filled with nanotech as she can access things while doing what she can to cause trouble for Superman.
Zlato Buric is excellent as Boravian president Vasil Ghurkos who is secretly aligned with Luthor as he hopes to profit from Luthor’s plans as well as get one over Superman. Skyler Gisondo is brilliant as Jimmy Olsen as a photojournalist for the Daily Planet who has his own secret sources about the pocket universe while is also a flirt of sorts as he attracts all sorts of beautiful women. Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell are amazing in their respective roles as Jonathan and Martha Kent as Clark’s adoptive parents who help him find himself after his own trials and tribulations including his own views on his biological parents. The dog Jolene is great as a stand-in model for the dog Krypto who has superpowers where he would help Clark anyway, he can while also being aggressive in his need for attention. Anthony Carrigan is incredible as Rex Mason/Metamorpho as an alien figure who can change his body into anything as he is forced to torture Superman by turning his hand into Kryptonite only for Luthor’s inhumanity to finally push him to the edge where he helps Superman.
In the roles as the members of the Justice Gang, Isabela Merced, Nathan Fillion, and Edi Gathegi are great in their respective roles as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, and Michael Holt/Mr. Terrific. Merced’s performance as the reserved Saunders is low-key in someone who is the youngest person in the group as she often deals with Gardner’s arrogance as well as being someone who will do the kind of things Superman would not do. Fillion’s performance as Gardner is full of wit as someone with a horrible bowl haircut that can create things with a ring while also believing that he is a leader despite his many flaws. Gathegi’s performance as Mr. Terrific is the major standout of the three as he has the funniest lines as an inventor who makes unique tech while is the smartest guy in the room as Gathegi brings a lot of humor to his performance. Rachel Brosnahan is remarkable as Lois Lane as a journalist for the Daily Planet who is also in a relationship with Kent/Superman knowing his true identity as she is not sure if this is a relationship that would work until she makes discoveries about what Luthor is doing with Boravia where Brosnahan brings a no-nonsense approach to Lane while also bringing nuances to a character that who is often cynical yet finds hope in what Superman does.
Nicholas Hoult is phenomenal as Lex Luthor as a wealthy businessman who is seeking to be revered and feared by many as he is also ruthlessly doing whatever he can to defeat Superman through social media and other things to discredit him. Hoult also has this menacing quality that makes Luthor a villain that everyone loves to hate as he is also extreme in what he does while he does not care who gets killed as it is a career-defining performance from Hoult. Finally, there’s David Corenswet in a tremendous breakout performance as the titular character/Clark Kent/Kal-El. Corenswet brings in that sense of humility of an alien trying to do good for the world as he deals with getting his ass kicked in a fight as well as constant criticism about his actions. Corenswet also has this charm to his character as well as knowing that he is flawed where he brings a lot of nuances as both Superman and Clark Kent as there is also an element of Superman being a bit of an asshole though not intentionally. Corenswet’s performance is a major revelation as he understands what makes Superman unique as well as bringing elements that feels fresh while retaining the nuances that makes Superman so beloved.
Superman is an outstanding film by James Gunn that features a great break-out leading performance from David Corenswet as the titular character. Along with its ensemble cast, colorful visuals, an exhilarating music score, sprawling action set pieces, and a riveting story of identity and the need for hope in dark times. It is a film that exudes all the elements expected in a superhero film, but it is also a film that knows when to not take itself too seriously as well as bring something that is hopeful in a hero who represents truth, justice, and a better tomorrow in tumultuous times. In the end, Superman is a magnificent film by James Gunn.
Directed by Brady Corbet and written by Corbet and Mona Fastvold, The Brutalist is the story of Hungarian-Jewish architect who immigrates to America where he hopes to live the American Dream as he struggles with trying to find work until a wealthy man asks him to build something only for things to get worse. The film is study of a man who is given a chance to create something in his vision as he would struggle to get things his way while dealing with his own issues as well as the demands of this wealthy figure. Starring Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Joe Alwyn, Stacy Martin, Raffey Cassidy, Emma Laird, Isaach de Bankole, Alessandro Nivola, Ariane Labed, and Guy Pearce. The Brutalist is a majestic and harrowing film by Brady Corbet.
Set from 1947 to 1963 with an epilogue set in 1980, the film is about a Hungarian-Jewish architect who arrives in America where a wealthy man later asks him to create something in tribute to his mother only for things to get complicated and troublesome. It is a film that is an exploration of ambition and art with this man being at the center of wanting to create something big, but he is forced to answer to the wills of this industrialist who would undermine everything. The film’s screenplay by Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold is set into two different parts given the scale of the story of this man who is known for creating architecture that is unique in its brutalist style. The first scenes does not show its main character but rather his niece Zsofia (Raffey Cassidy) as she is being interrogated by Soviet officials in the aftermath of World War II where her uncle Laszlo Toth (Adrien Brody) is on a ship to America where he arrives in New York City.
The film then goes into its first part, entitled The Enigma of Arrival in which Laszlo arrives in Philadelphia where his cousin Attila (Alessandro Nivola) meets and tells him the news that Laszlo’s wife Erzsebet (Felicity Jones) and Zsofia are alive through a letter as Laszlo would correspond with her as they continue to be stuck in Europe. In Philadelphia, Laszlo would work for Attila and his wife Audrey (Emma Laird) as the latter takes a disliking towards Laszlo as they sell furniture while also do renovation work where Attila is approached by a man in Harry Lee Van Buren (Joe Alwyn) about renovating a library for his father in the industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce) as a surprise. Aiding Laszlo is the African single father Gordon (Isaach de Bankole) whom Laszlo befriended during a food line where they share a love for heroin which Laszlo uses for pain in his body only to become addicts. The first half of the film is set in the span of five years from 1947 to 1952 where Laszlo would later meet Harrison, who is impressed with what Laszlo has done as he wants him to create an ambitious project in tribute to his late mother.
The second half of the film entitled The Hardcore of Beauty is set from 1953 to 1960 when Erzsebet and Zsofia finally arrive in Doylestown, Pennsylvania where Laszlo lives and works, yet Laszlo is shocked that Erzsebet suffers from osteoporosis while Zsofia has become temporarily mute because of war. The second half would have Laszlo deal with Van Buren’s consultants who try to undermine what Laszlo wants with Erzsebet observing everything around her, including Van Buren, whom she sees as charming but does not find him to be trusting. Even as an accident would force Van Buren to scrap the project temporarily until a few years later where he asks Toth to travel to Italy to meet with a colleague of Toth in Orazio (Salvatore Sansone) who introduces him to a special kind of marble but things between Toth and Van Buren becomes troublesome. The script plays into the plight that immigrants go through in America with Erzsebet realizing that her husband is unraveling as she learns things about what happened to him while is also dealing with her own physical pain.
Corbet’s direction is immense in its overall presentation as it is shot in the VistaVision widescreen presentation for 35mm film and on various locations such as Venice, Italy for its epilogue with much of the film shot on location in Budapest along with other locations in Hungary and Italy with additional shots in New York City. The film plays into this air of post-war uncertainty as Corbet uses long tracking shots to play into Toth’s encounter with his surroundings as one of the first big shots of the film is Toth seeing the Statue of Liberty upside down. The shot symbolizes what Toth would expect throughout the film as he arrives in New York City as part of its prologue where the body of the film’s first half is set in Doylestown where he meets his cousin Attila. Corbet’s usage of wide and medium shots do help bring in the sense of space that plays into the world that Toth encounters whether it is at the Van Buren mansion or the building that Toth is creating for Van Buren. The wide shots also play into the landscape of Pennsylvania as it includes these exhilarating shots of cars, buses, and trains speeding in a long take. The last of which would be a key moment in the film’s second half where Toth’s relationship with Van Buren begins to falter.
Corbet would also play with aspect ratios as it plays into the creation of this building that Van Buren wants as well as scenes set in Italy where they meet Orazio for some marble as well as meeting people who were part of an anarchist group during World War II. It is a sequence that plays into many revelations about Van Buren who would also discover Toth’s own issues as it relates to his heroin addiction that would lead to a traumatic event for Toth. The second half when Erzsebet arrives as she is a woman that is defiant where Corbet uses some close-ups to play into a woman that has been through a lot of her own trauma while is also dealing with pain that Zsofia can sooth with some medication. The scenes where Erzsebet meeting with Van Buren are filled with ambiguity, including a shot of Harry walking behind Zsofia as it raises some questions that Erzsebet has about Van Buren. The film’s epilogue set in 1980 at Venice with Zsofia as an adult (Ariane Labed) as she talks about the journey that her uncle has taken into his work as it plays into the myths and misconceptions of the American dream with Toth being confronted with these truths. Even as he deals with things that are traumatic and what this building that he created really means to him. Overall, Corbet crafts as grand and evocative film about a Hungarian-Jewish immigrant’s desire for the American dream only to realize that is a myth.
Cinematographer Lol Crawley does incredible work with the film’s cinematography as its usage of the VistaVision format allows him to emphasize unique shots in the natural lighting for some of the daytime exterior shots as well as some unique low-key and colorful lighting for the interior scenes at night as it is a highlight of the film. Editor David Janco does brilliant work with the editing with its stylish usage of montages that includes stock footage as well as some jump-cuts for some scenes as well as knowing when to cut for some of the long shots. Production designer Judy Becker, along with supervising art director Csaba Lodi plus set decorators Patricia Cuccia and Mercedesz Nagyvaradi, does tremendous work with the look of the Van Buren estate as well as the shop that Attila and Audrey run as well as the design of the building that Toth is building for Van Buren as it is another highlight of the film. Costume designer Kate Forbes does excellent work with the costumes from the expensive clothing that Van Buren and his family wear to the ragged clothes that Toth would wear during his time after being kicked out by Attila.
Hair/makeup designer Gemma Hoff does terrific work with the look of Toth in the bearded look he would have briefly to the hairstyles of the women including Maggie Van Buren with her hairstyle. Special effects supervisor Endre Korda and visual effects supervisor Artem Isaakyan do fantastic work with the visual effects for scenes that are set dressing such as a scene involving a train as well as the look of the building as it is getting built from afar. Sound designer Andy Neil and sound editor Steve Single do superb work with the sound in the way small things sound up close or from afar as well as the way construction machines sound from afar as it is among one of the highlights of the film.
The film’s music by Daniel Blumberg is phenomenal for its grand and sweeping music score with bombastic horn arrangements, discordant string arrangements, somber woodwinds, and themes that play into the sense of yearning and horror that includes an electronic piece for its epilogue with additional contributions by Vince Clarke. Music supervisor James A. Taylor does wonderful work cultivating a music soundtrack that features music from the 1950s and 1960s ranging from jazz music to pop music from the likes of Paul Anka and an electro-pop piece from the 80s by La Bionda.
The casting by Kristina Ederly and Cassandra Kulukundis is great as it feature some notable small roles from the duo of Charlie Esoko and Zephan Hanson Amissah as the younger and teenage version of Gordon’s son William, Benett Vilmanyi as Zsofia’s lover Binyamin in the film’s third act, Salvatore Sansone as Toth’s Italian friend Orazio who would show him the marble that he creates in Italy, Peter Polycarpou as Van Buren’s Jewish lawyer Michael Hoffman who would help get Erzsebet and Zsofia out of Europe, Maria Sand as Hoffman’s wife who is one of the few that is kind to Toth and his family, Michael Epp as an architectural consultant that Toth spars with, Jonathan Hyde as Van Buren’s contractor Leslie Woodrow who is baffled by what Toth wants in the construction of Van Buren’s building, and Ariane Labed as the older Zsofia in the 1980 epilogue where she makes a speech about her uncle’s work. Emma Laird is terrific as Attila’s wife Audrey who takes a disliking towards Toth believing that he is a nuisance as she makes a false accusation about him to Attila. Alessandro Nivola is superb as Toth’s cousin Attila who has assimilated into Catholicism as he helps Toth get a job only to kick him out due to the lie that Audrey made.
Isaach de Bankole is brilliant as Gordon as an African immigrant that Toth befriends as he would work closely with Toth where he also grounds him despite their heroin addiction which Gordon would later wean away from as he later becomes troubled by Toth’s erratic behavior late in the film. Stacy Martin is fantastic as Maggie Van Buren as Van Buren’s adult daughter who is the kindest of the Van Buren family as she is someone who manages the home while also doing whatever she can to help the Toths including a scene in the film involving Erzsebet. Joe Alwyn is excellent as Maggie’s twin brother Harry Lee, who is a slimy and entitled person that is hoping to win his father’s approval while also does a lot to make Toth uncomfortable as he also tries to seduce Zsofia into one scene that is filled with ambiguity. Raffey Cassidy is amazing in a dual role as Toth’s niece Zsofia who spends part of the film mute because of the war as a young woman that observes everything around her while she later regains her voice as she wants to move to Israel. Cassidy’s other role in the film is Zsofia’s daughter in the 1980 epilogue.
Guy Pearce is great as Harrison Lee Van Buren as a wealthy industrialist who is a powerful figure that hires Toth to create a community center in tribute to his mother where he deals with all sorts of things while wanting to own Toth in some way. Pearce has a sense of charm in his performance that is a cover for something sinister as a man that wants it all including Toth himself in the worst ways. Felicity Jones is tremendous as Erzsebet Toth as a Dachau Holocaust survivor who suffers from osteoporosis where Jones brings a subtle quality to a woman ravaged by a disease while she is also an observer into who Van Buren is and what he is doing to her husband. Jones also plays into this sense of restrained physicality as a woman that is suffering from a terrible disease yet her resilience to smell bullshit a mile away as her last scene in the film is one of terror and ferocity. Finally, there’s Adrien Brody in a spectacular performance as Laszlo Toth as a Holocaust survivor who goes to America hoping to reach the American Dream where Brody brings this gravitas of a man that has been through a lot yet is also hopeful until he endures a lot of obstacles and tribulations that would put him in dark places. Brody also maintains this sense of weariness in the many tribulations he endures as there is an anguish in what he brings as it is a career-defining performance from Brody.
The Brutalist is an outstanding film by Brady Corbet that features a sensational leading performance from Adrien Brody as well as top-notch supporting performances from Felicity Jones and Guy Pearce. Along with its ensemble cast, grand visual presentation, its study of ambition and the mythos of the American dream, and Daniel Blumberg’s evocative music score. It is a film that harkens back to legendary American epics as well as being this study of a man’s desire to reach the American Dream only to realize that it is a myth. In the end, The Brutalist is a magnificent film by Brady Corbet.
Brady Corbet Films: (The Childhood of a Leader) – Vox Lux
Well, I did not think I would see or experience World War III happening though it was close during the Cold War when I was a kid. Yet, I do not remember much about that period other than a bunch of no-nuke protests and bad movies about getting rid of nukes. Alas, it might happen now thanks to our dumbass dictator who decided to get involved in a conflict between Israel and Iran by choosing to bomb the latter. What happened is not just an abuse of power but also a decision made without the constitutional approval of Congress. That is right folks. America is fucked. It is already bad enough that there is a war between ICE and citizens while Los Angeles is being under siege by ICE and the National Guard. There was a nationwide protest towards are his birthday that drew millions while his dumb military parade bombed as he fell asleep during the fireworks. That is our dictator.
This is not good at all as news has become compromised with ABC firing one of its journalists for telling the truth and calling out a fucking asshole for his bullshit. Journalism is being compromised as I do not watch the news anymore. CNN sucks. MSNBC sucks. All news channels suck. The New York Times and whatever I can find on Reddit and other social media places along with whatever I can read are the only places where I can find something with some truth. It is a shame that news has now been bought with CBS also suffering the fate of being bought by rich assholes who do not care for the truth.
In the month of June 2025, I saw a total of 20 films in 15 first-timers and 5 re-watches with 1 film being directed/co-directed by a woman as part of the 52 Films by Women pledge. Same as last month although more first-timers this time around with the best film this month is my Blind Spot film in The Misfits. Here are the top 10 first-timers that I saw for June 2025:
Gints Zilbalodis’ 2014 short film does feel like a prototype of what Flow would become as it is a film about survival where a man and his dog are lost at sea as their plane crash on a rock as the dog tries to get the man’s attention. The short showcases a raw look into the drawing and animation like what Flow would look like. Yet, Zilbalodis does create a story that is entrancing to watch as he really does is present a film that is not afraid to look or feel imperfect. It is a short film that fans of Zilbalodis should see as he is someone with a unique vision as he is a filmmaker to watch out for.
Call Me Ted
As someone who lives near Atlanta for all his life, everyone knew who Ted Turner is as the man took his father’s billboard business and turned it into an empire that would including TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, CNN, the Cartoon Network, and World Championship Wrestling. Keith R. Clarke’s six-part documentary is a fascinating look into the man’s accomplishments and failures as he would struggle to deal with his father’s suicide while he was a young man as well as near-death experiences, three failed marriages including to one to Jane Fonda who is interviewed in the film. The film also plays into Turner’s life after the debacle that was the AOL-Time Warner merger of 2000 as well as what he has been doing in recent years as he is suffering from Lew-body dementia. He is still alive and doing what he can to make the world a better place as the one thing I want from him is to watch him kick Meekmahan in the balls as a final fuck you from WCW & Jim Crockett Promotions to the WWE.
Where are the Bananas?
The first of seven short films by David Lynch that I saw that was part of a series of experimental short films he made in the early 2000s highlighted a man that is just trying to do a lot of different things. The first of which stars Etsuko Shikata in her apartment in Tokyo as she asks a simple question in this 2-minute short.
Sign Up for Lunch with Lynch
Another short film from Lynch is a fictional contest that made me wished it were real. I am still upset about it as I would love to eat at this diner that was used for Mulholland Dr. as Lynch held a contest about eating lunch at this diner. I would totally love that to happen as I would have chosen the double-decker combo with a chocolate shake.
SLY LIVES! (aka the Burden of Black Genius)
This month has been rough with the passing of many geniuses in music as one of them is in Sly Stone. Questlove’s documentary film is about not just Sylvester “Sly Stone” Stewart but also the burden of those who have created something original and be put into a pedestal for those to follow. The film features archival interviews from Stone dating back to the early 1980s as well as interviews surviving members of the Family Stone including an archival interview with the late Cynthia Robinson before her passing in 2015. Questlove creates a film that does a lot in not just explaining why Sly Stone was a genius and so ahead of his time but also was unable to manage the need to live up to outdo what he did before as it led to a descent into drugs and such. Andre 3000 and D’Angelo are among those who are interviewed as they too have been burdened with the idea of being a Black genius though both men have managed to survive and do well. The film also has interviews with a few of Stone’s children where it is comforting to know that Stone’s last years have been happy where he spent his time with his adult children and being with his grandchildren.
You’re Not Supposed to Be Here
This 12-second short also stars Etsuko Shikata that is about a woman asking a question in her apartment in Tokyo. The only thing about the short film that I do not like is that it is too short.
Do You Like to Read?
From Wes Anderson is a promotional short film he made to coincide with the release of his 2012 film Moonrise Kingdom. The four minute short that stars Bob Balaban as the narrator and featuring the voice of Kara Hayward is about the books that Hayward’s character Suzy would read to other characters throughout the film as it highlights some unique hand-drawn animation from various animators. Directed with Christian de Vita, the film is a gem that fans of Anderson should seek out.
Pussy
This 9-minute short by Renata Gasiorowska is an animated short that I saw on MUBI as I am glad to know that not all animated films are for children and this one is not for children at all. This short is about a woman seeking some form of sexual pleasure when something unimaginable happens. Notably as it relates to her genitals after smoking some damn good weed as there is a lot of humor that goes on. I really enjoyed this short.
Kitchen Window
The 2 ½ minute short by Lynch displays what happens in the span of an entire day from the view of his kitchen window. It seems like something that is typical of Lynch, but it is fascinating to see what happens during an entire day while some weird shit does happen.
Coyote
The first of two shorts involving a coyote from David Lynch as it involves an empty home where nothing is happening until a coyote walks. It is a three-minute, 46-second short that is shot in one entire static shot as it plays into strange things that happen.
Dining Room Window
Another experimental Lynch short that highlights what happens in the span of a day on a timelapse. This time, from the point of view of Lynch’s dining room window as it just extraordinary how a day goes by from that room.
Coyote #2
The second film involving a coyote is the same thing as its predecessor but a little longer with an added surprise for the coyote. It is a fun experimental short from Lynch as he often finds a way to present something ordinary and strange all at the same time.
4. Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile
5. Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Well, that is all for June. In July, I will begin work on the Auteurs piece on Robert Eggers while also be doing a review of James Gunn’s Superman as I have bought a ticket for the upcoming film. Aside from reviews of films I have pre-written though I will not have much time to watch many films since my sister is going to have surgery in the month as I will be watching over the kids for a few days. My Blind Spot for July is going to be The Public Enemy. Usually on July 5th, which is a holiday of sorts as it was the first time, I write a review for Epinions.com and begin my writing career of sorts. I would often have planned as an anniversary but not this year due to timing and other things that I want to do.
Before I bid adieu, this month saw the passing of several great people such as Sly Stone while another great musical genius that will be missed is Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys who like Stone was brilliant but also troubled though Wilson was able to beat his demons and give the world some great music including SmiLe which finally came out in 2003. This is a hole that will never be fulfilled as these were two men who really brought out great American music for the world to listen to as they should be regarded as among the standard bearers of what America should be.
Also, those who passed away this month include the composer Lalo Schifrin, theatre director Michael Brokaw, Oliver Gibson of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tim Pollard, Kylie Page, Shefali Jariwala, actor Rick Hurst of The Dukes of Hazzard, journalist Bill Moyers, Walter Scott of the Whispers, Bobby Sherman, Rebekah del Rio of Mulholland Dr., Lea Massari, Mick Ralphs of Mott the Hoople & Bad Company, Aki Aleong, Matt Murray of the Atlanta Braves, author David Boyle, Lynn Hamilton of Sanford & Son, Gail Sartain, Ron Woodridge of the Searchers, Lou Christie, screenwriter Mark Peploe, Anne Burrell, David Hekili Kenui Bell, Ananda Lewis of MTV News, Ayumu Saito, actor Paul Thomas, Harris Yulin, actor Chris Robinson, Bob Andrews of Brinsley Schwarz, Wayne Lewis of Atlantic Starr, Enzo Staiola of Bicycle Thieves, actress/singer Birgit Carlsten, and Jonathan Joss of King of the Hill. We will miss you all. This is thevoid99 signing off…
