Amazeballs

Ron Howard’s Rush is one of those rare biopics that doesn’t just aim to commemorate a sporting rivalry but detonates it—the screen ignites with the combustive, contrary energies of two men locked in the dance of mortal ambition. It’s almost a shock to realize how few films about sports—especially Formula 1, that most hermetic and mathematical of sports—are ever this fevered, this alive. To watch Rush after the slick digital simulation of F1 (2025, all charisma and CGI with Brad Pitt doing his Chuck Yeager-for-the-Instagram-era routine) is to remember what the movies can do when they’re brave enough to embrace mess and contradiction, and to dignify sport’s delirium rather than just illustrate it.

The Residence, a captivating new series on Netflix created by Paul William Davies and produced by Shondaland, emerges as an outstanding addition to the murder mystery genre, effectively blending political satire, character-driven drama, and intricate plotting. Inspired by The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Andersen Brower, the show reimagines the inner workings and secrets of the White House staff with inventive flair. This review will explore the series' compelling elements—its adroit narrative structure, remarkable performances, meticulous set design, and its ability to weave humor seamlessly into dark intrigue—across clearly delineated sections to promote analytical clarity.

It would be generous to call Red Sparrow a thriller in the classic sense—what Francis Lawrence has delivered is more of a stylish fever dream of espionage, its patchwork of betrayals pinned together with body blows and performances that shiver with self-awareness. Emerging from the current Hollywood fixation on shadow governments and the bruised souls who serve them, Red Sparrow strives for the sophistication of le Carré but gives us the lurid pulps of a post-Snowden universe instead: sex as weapon, trust as currency, trauma as curriculum vitae.

As an avid follower of The Roundup series, I approached this latest chapter with hope that it would carry forward the same storytelling marvel that earmarked its preceding siblings. Unfortunately, the film wasn’t quite the high-stakes rollercoaster ride I had hoped for.

After unexpectedly diving into the Korean cinematic universe over the weekend, I resurfaced with The Roundup: No Way Out, an action-packed crime film from 2023. This film, directed by Lee Sang-yong and starring searing talents like Ma Dong-seok, Lee Joon-hyuk, and Munetaka Aoki, offers a thrilling blend of action, humor, and a head-spinning storyline, marking the third installment in the popular Roundup series.

With the promise of Ma Dong-seok reprising his role as Detective Ma Seok-do, an element of familiarity added to my excitement for this film, despite my apprehension about the grist for the sequel mill.