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Buffy, Season of Love

An even better second season (spoilers)

We’ve reached season two of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It starts several traditions, like having the season premiere begin in a cemetery or having a Halloween episode during even-numbered seasons. Before we get started, I would like to acknowledge the fact that this has been a very bad two years for Buffy fans, in the wake of the death of multiple main cast members and the reboot’s cancellation. The former has certainly made the show harder to rewatch.

I Knew It, I Knew You

Latest installment earns my seal of approval (spoliers)

This latest installment of the Toy Story franchise is about how technology impacts today’s children. As the new sheriff in town, Jessie (Joan Cusack) has become the leader of Bonnie Anderson (Scarlett Spears)’s toys. Her latest challenge comes when Bonnie’s parents buy their daughter a tablet named LilyPad (Greta Lee), or Lily for short.

Dead Mall

My time in Monroeville

When building my birthday list back in March, I was trying to think of activities to do when I remembered Living Dead Weekend, a convention celebrating the works of George A. Romero that’s set within Monroeville Mall. That’s the same mall where they shot Dawn of the Dead (1978), a horror film and strong critique of consumerism. The mall was purchased by Walmart back in 2025, who plan on demolishing it. That might be the very definition of irony.

No More Room In Hell

A still relevant zombie classic (Spoilers)

Dawn of the Dead (1978) begins a few weeks into the zombie uprising and charts the gradual collapse of society through the eyes of four people who choose to hold up in a shopping mall. Francine aka Fran (Gaylen Ross), a TV technician at a news station. Stephen, aka Flyboy (David Emgee), a traffic reporter. And two SWAT members, Roger (Scott H. Reiniger) and Peter (Ken Foree), who don’t have nicknames.

Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride

A funny and dramatic Disney classic (minor spoilers)

Experiment 626 (Chris Sanders, who also co-wrote and co-directed the movie) is an abomination that was created to “destroy everything he touches.” After escaping from the United Galactic Federation, 626 crashlands on Kauaʻi, Hawaii. There, he impersonates a dog and is adopted by Lilo Pelekai (Daveigh Chase), who names him Stitch. Lilo is a young girl whose parents have recently died and who doesn’t fit in with her peers.

Sweet Caroline

A well-made, but familiar thriller (Spoilers)

Caroline Daniels (Samara Weaving) is a small-town girl who dreams of traveling. While working at a petrol station, she meets a con man named Oliver Anderson (Kyle Gallner), who is pulling a short-change scam. Intrigued by the handsome stranger, Caroline enters into a relationship with Oliver. She then goes on a cross-country crime spree with him, graduating from pulling low-level cons to robbing banks.

Surf’s Not Up

A Nic Cage slow burn (Massive Spoilers)

The Surfer (Nicolas Cage) is a man with a dream. He wants to buy a house in the prestigious Cliff Top Drive, which overlooks Luna Bay beach. He plans on showing the house off to his son, the Kid (Finn Little), during a surfing trip. However, shortly after their arrival, the Surfer learns that the Bay Boys have taken over the beach.

Silent Hill 2, But Awful

A disappointing adaptation of a great game (spoilers)

Return to Silent Hill is an adaptation of Silent Hill 2. The broad strokes of the plot are the same. James (Jeremy Irvine) is deeply in love with Mary (Hannah Emily Anderson). After receiving a mysterious letter from Mary, James travels to the town of Silent Hill to find her. While there, James bumps into a bunch of weird monsters, the most famous of which is Pyramid Head (Robert Strange). He also meets several strange characters.

“Love” Gets Freaky

Navarrette shines as someone simultaneously terrifying and sympathetic (Massive Spoilers)

Baron “Bear” Bailey (Michael Johnston) is a young man with a crush on his friend, Nikki Freeman (Inde Navarrette). He’s not sure if she feels the same way, and instead of talking to her about it like an adult, he uses a “One Wish Willow” toy to make her fall in love with him “more than anyone else in the entire world.” It works. However, it isn’t long before Nikki’s behavior becomes clingy, erratic, and eventually violent.

Sheriff Nobody

Odenkirk and McLeod shine in an enjoyable action movie (spoilers)

Ulysses Richardson (Bob Odenkirk) is a lawman with a rather laissez-faire attitude towards policing. He’s been appointed the interim sheriff of Normal, Minnesota. It’s a small town full of quirky characters. The kind of place that looks all cozy, but isn’t nearly as idyllic in reality. Something that Ulysses discovers when a bank robbery exposes the town’s big secret.