Movie Reviews
Movie Review: All of Us Strangers
You can’t hide from childhood trauma. This is true of all traumas—from something truly catastrophic like the death of a parent, to something relatively minor (like a particularly penetrating schoolyard insult) that you can’t quite shake off.
For gay men, in particular, the trauma can be deep-seated: getting bullied in school, getting kicked out of the family home, and, if you’re of a certain age, living through the fear and tragedy of AIDS.
Adam (Andrew Scott), the protagonist of Andrew Haigh’s heart-crushing All of us Strangers, had a fairly normal, middle class childhood, for a while at least. He knew he was gay at a young age, and got relentlessly teased at school—at one point, his classmates shoved his head down a toilet. But didn’t tell his parents. They were kind, but hardly enlightened. And Adam always had a hunch—a correct one it turns out—that his father (Jamie Bell) secretly suspected his son was gay but was in denial about it. (He told his son to stop crossing his legs, because he looked like a girl—a pointed indignity Adam carries with him to this day.) Instead, his father adopted something of a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy around the house.
These “minor” traumas turned to a major one, when Adam’s parents died in a car crash when he was 12. He was sent to live at his grandmother’s house. At a new school, he hid himself, acted straight. And when he finally came out, it was in the middle of the AIDS crisis.
So when we meet Adam now, he’s a lonely, isolated, closed off man. He lives in a brand new apartment complex in London that has few tenants. One of them, a handsome stranger named Harry (Paul Mescal), shows up one night, drunk. He has noticed Adam noticing him through the window. Can he come in? (The window, by the way, is a recurring theme in this film—the glass panes representing the otherness of people, the inaccessibility of their interior lives.)
Adam, used to being alone and a bit taken aback by this stranger’s boldness, demurs. Harry leaves, but they meet up a day or so later, in the elevator, and strike up a conversation. Adam invites Harry over and they become lovers.
Harry, who is younger than Adam, had his own version of trauma to deal with—a family that rejected him because he’s gay. But when he finds out about Adam’s parents, he understands that Adam is dealing with something extremely heavy. He is uncommonly kind and gentle with him. Harry’s kindness and sexual ministrations open Adam up. He becomes some version of happy.
While all this is happening, Adam is living a double life, of sorts. He’s visiting his childhood home—the house he lived in before his parents died—and visiting with his parents. Yes, his parents are there—frozen in the 1980s (Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Thompson Twins are often playing in the background)—actually a little younger than Adam is now.
They seem to know that this is some sort of liminal state—they marvel over how big Adam has grown and want to hear all about his life since they died. His mother (Claire Foy) is a bit dismayed to discover her son is gay. “It’s a lonely life,” she says. Adam explains that things have changed for gay people. He can have children now—even get married. If he’s lonely, it has nothing to do with him being gay, he says, unconvincingly.
His father, with his mustache, ugly sweaters, and bad haircut, seems older than his son. He is unsophisticated, thoroughly middle class—Adam has more of an urbane vibe. But Adam’s father is self-aware enough to have regrets. He’s sorry that he didn’t console his son, who was crying in his room, bearing the pain of his bullying alone. He even fears that, when he was young, he might’ve been the kind of boy who would join in on the bullying. The two men hug. The camera pulls back. Dad is now hugging Adam as a 12-year-old child.
So what exactly is happening here? Is Adam cracking up? Is the film supernatural? Haigh never fully answers that question—nor should he. The film, which is exquisitely acted by its four leads, especially Scott, is about loneliness and the need for connection. It’s about the particular trauma of the gay male—yes, even in these enlightened times. But its themes of longing to be accepted—by one’s parents, by society, by a romantic partner—are universal.
It is about Adam. It is about Haigh. It is about all of us.
Pizza Movie (2026) Director: Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney, Star: Gaten Matarazzo and Sean Giambrone
Somehow, I got through an hour of this movie. I was seconds away from turning off in the first fifteen minutes because of the juvenile humor. Pizza Movie is too silly, repetitive, and the characters are annoying. Stranger Things Gaten Matarazzo and Sean Giambrone star as college friends, Jack and Montgomery. College angles are rarely seen in films right now, and that’s the one saving grace of the film. Similar to high school, people are also trying to fit in. The story and visuals were too corny. You can only watch someone’s head exploding for so long without letting yours.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) Director: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, Stars: Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy
I never saw the first Super Mario Brothers Movie when it was out, but I heard it got positive reviews. My brother always loved playing Super Mario video games as a kid, and I’d watch him. I tagged along with my friends to see Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and it’s a cute and fun film. I like it when movies explore the video game world. The animation creates unique worlds and characters. The characters are split into their own storylines, and for me, I felt like it worked. It adds more action, especially for kids who are seeing the films.
Emily in Paris Season 5 (2025) Creator: Darren Star, Stars: Lily Collins and Ashley Park
After a bright spot in season 4, I thought season 5 of Emily in Paris would continue its growth in the story and its protagonist, but no, it’s all drained out in the usual Emily (Lily Collins) mishaps. Ashley Park (Mindy) has become too good for this show. Emily and Mindy waste several opportunities because of their love lives. The whole relationship angle is ruining it. I don’t understand why Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) is still in the show. I thought writers learned their lesson, but by the last episode, they’re continuing to bring the past into an apparent season 6.
Sarah’s Oil (2025) Director: Cyrus Nowrasteh, Stars: Naya Desir-Johnson and Zachary Levi
There’s always history lurking right beneath our noses. Sarah’s Oil (2025) tells the true story of Sarah Rector, an Oklahoma-born African American girl who became the first black female millionaire in the U.S. Naya Desir-Johnson is fierce and driven as Sarah. Zachary Levi is also along for the ride as Bert, a man who helps Sarah. Kate (Bridget Regan) was another favorite character as an intelligent woman. Cyrus Nowrasteh was drawn to the subject for its story and its themes. Nowrasteh’s direction is compelling as he unearths a hidden story from history. The film is streaming on Amazon Prime.
Jack Goes Boating (2014) Director and Star: Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Ryan
Jack Goes Boating (2014) didn’t quite work for me, largely because of its slow pace and uneven storytelling. The film stars the late Seymour Hoffman as Jack, who also directed the film. This was Hoffman’s first and only time in the directing chair. Amy Ryan also stars in the film, giving a solid performance. This was also based on a play that Hoffman starred in. Jack wants to participate in a swim championship. That’s hardly what the film is about, tracking other characters’ stories. While the film aims for quiet intimacy, it ultimately drags, making it an underwhelming viewing experience.
You Kill Me (2016), Director: John Dahl, Stars: Ben Kingsley, Tea Leoni, Luke Wilson
Meet You Kill Me (2016), yet another film that I found in the museum of underrated gems. The concept revolves around Frank (Ben Kingsley), a hitman, who is sent to an A.A. meeting to get his mind focused again. A different story happens, where Frank falls in love with Laurel (Tea Leoni). Leoni is one of my favorite actresses. It also stars the funny Luke Wilson. I liked the trio’s dynamics. You Kill Me is a mental health movie. It’s okay to make changes if you’re not happy. I recommended that you keep an eye out for this movie.
Desert Warrior, 2026.
Directed by Rupert Wyatt.
Starring Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley, Ghassan Massoud, Sharlto Copley, Sami Bouajila, Lamis Ammar, Géza Röhrig, Numan Acar, Nabil Elouahabi, Hakeem Jomah, Ramsey Faragallah, Saïd Boumazoughe, and Soheil Bostani.
SYNOPSIS:
An honorable and mysterious rogue, known as Hanzala, makes himself an enemy of the Emperor Kisra after he helps a fugitive king and princess in the desert.
With aspirations of being a historical epic harkening back to the sword and sandal blockbusters of yesteryear, Rupert Wyatt’s seventeenth-century Arabia tale is about as generic and epically dull as one would expect from a film plainly titled Desert Warrior. Yes, there appear to be real locations here, and there are some admittedly sweeping shots of various tribes storming into battle on horseback and camels, but it’s all in service of a mess that is both miscast and questionable as the work of a filmmaking team of mostly white creatives.
The story of Emperor Kisraa (Ben Kingsley, a distracting presence even with only one or two scenes) rounding up women from other tribes to be his concubines, which inevitably became the catalyst for a revolution led by Princess Hind (Aiysha Hart), uniting all the divided clans and strategizing battle plans for flanking and poisoning, is undeniably ripe for cinematic treatment. The problem is that what’s here from Rupert Wyatt (and screenwriters Erica Beeney, Gary Ross, and David Self) is less than nothing in the primary creative process; no one seems to have a connection to Arabic heritage or culture, but they have made a flat-out boring film that is often narratively incoherent.
Following the death of her father and escaping the clutches of oppression, the honorable Princess Hind joins forces with a troubled, nameless bandit played by Anthony Mackie (he totally belongs here…), who seems to be here solely to give the movie some star power boost without running the risk of white savior accusations. Whatever the case may be, it’s jarring, but not quite as disorienting as how little screen time he has despite being billed as the lead and how little characterization he has. It is, however, equally disorienting as some of the other names that show up along the way.
As for the other factions, Princess Hind talks to them one by one, giving the film an adventure feel that fails to capitalize on using beautiful scenery in striking or visually poignant ways at almost every turn; the leaders of these tribes also often have no character. There also isn’t much of an understanding of why these tribes are at odds with one another. This movie is filled with dialogue that consistently and shockingly amounts to vague nothingness. Nevertheless, each tribe doesn’t take much convincing to begin with, meaning that not only is the film repetitive, but it’s also lifeless when characters are in conversation.
That Desert Warrior does occasionally spring to life, and a bloated 2+ running time is a small miracle. This is typically accomplished through the occasional fight scene between factions that also serves to demonstrate Princess Hind coming into her own as a warrior. When the tribes are united in a massive-scale battle, and that plan is unfolding step by step, one certainly sees why someone would want to tell this story and pull it off with such spectacle. However, this film is as dry as the desert itself.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★
Robert Kojder
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