Movie Reviews
Movie Review: THE WEDDING BANQUET
Fire Island director, Andrew Ahn, turns his sights on the classic Ang Lee-directed queer Asian dramedy The Wedding Banquet with his latest film. Updated for the 21st century, the remake focuses on an ensemble of queer characters, led by comedian Bowen Yang and Star Wars actor Kelly Marie Tran. This time around, however, the antics and hijinks are put on the back burner for an intense and confusing ride.
About The Wedding Banquet
In The Wedding Banquet (2025), we follow two couples. There’s Angela (Kelly Marie Tran), a scientist with mother issues, and her partner, Lee (Lily Gladstone), who is desperately trying for a baby. But IVF is expensive, and Lee’s body can only take so many attempts at it. They need to act fast, but how?
We also have Chris (Bowen Yang), a birder and guide, and his partner, Korean art student Min (Han Gi-Chan). They live in Lee’s guesthouse. Their relationship hurdle is that Chris is … insecure? Honestly, I couldn’t tell you. Min is 1,000 percent committed to their relationship. He even plans to give up his family and his family fortune just to be with Chris. But Chris keeps turning him down, supposedly because he doesn’t want Min to lose his money, but it’s all a bit vague.
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Seeing the predicament the four of them are in, Min hatches a plan—he and Angela will get married so that Min can get a green card and avoid working in his family business back in Korea, and Angela can get the money to pay for the IVF. It’s preposterous, but it could work. Everything is going swimmingly, until Min’s grandmother Ja-Young (Youn Yuh-jung) arrives from Korea expecting a big wedding bash.
So, Uh, Where Exactly Is the Comedy?
I feel lied to; I saw the trailer for this film and laughed uproariously throughout. I knew I had to watch The Wedding Banquet because I needed a laugh riot. But what did I get? Decidedly not a laugh riot. Even if you haven’t seen the original 1993 classic, the one thing you’d know about it is that it is funny, hilarious, even. That’s what I expected going in. And did I mention the trailer? How did the film marketed in that trailer turn into the drag I watched?
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The biggest issue with the film is it can’t find the balance between the comedy (which is non-existent) and the drama—and this is because the pacing is completely off. It’s not even a rollercoaster; it’s a busted rollercoaster, screeching slowly up and down the tracks.
Andrew Ahn co-wrote this remake with one of the original’s writers and frequent Ang Lee collaborator, James Schamus. I’m certain that that’s where the great disconnect happens. This remake feels beholden to the original—it wants to meet and subvert the story beats of the OG, while also plotting a narrative of its own. The issue is, it does justice to neither path.
The Stakes Aren’t High Enough
Worse, the script tramples its ability to be funny. Everything is so dramatic and intense. Most of the film takes place without any music to underscore its potential for comedy. There are some funny moments, but, for the most part, The Wedding Banquet fights itself to be a remake and an original.
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The new film is set during a time when marriage is an option for all couples and sexuality is not taboo in the US (for now anyway), but the same can’t be said about several other countries, including South Korea. With that in mind, The Wedding Banquet would have worked if it were a clash between East and West. Yet that clash is significantly minimized since the spotlight is on the interpersonal issues of the characters. Min’s grandmother doesn’t arrive till late in the second act, and then, too, she’s not as big a threat as she was made out to be. The stakes are never high enough.
This Cast Deserved Better
I am struggling to rate the performances in The Wedding Banquet, because, again, I went in thinking this was going to be hilarious. This is why I don’t watch trailers, people. They lie.
Most of the cast does an incredible job, especially with the dramatic side of the story. Kelly Marie Tran handles what the script gives her really well—what would it have been like had she needed to lean into the comedic side? Who knows, but I would have loved to see it.
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I was so excited to see Lily Gladstone in this film. They have a substantial role at the start, and of course, kill it as a mature, put-together woman looking to start a family, but then they get sidelined for the majority of the film. Gladstone also gets some of the funnier dialogue and reactions, and they’re just so good at everything.
Joan Chen as Angela’s mother, May Chen, is criminally underutilized. She’s got such a captivating presence and star power that the limited screen time and character development she was given made no sense.
Youn Yuh-jung is wonderful in her role. She’s an effortless scene-stealer. There’s one scene—honestly, a genius one that was the rare bright spark in this confusion of a film—where we follow Ja-Young as the chaotic foursome argue and run around and leave, and it’s fascinating watching her process this chaos. We needed more of her.
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Left on the Cutting Room Floor
Someone explain what happened with Bowen Yang’s character, because he is underwritten to the point where he doesn’t make sense. Chris is there because he needs to be there as an obstacle. It feels like a lot of Chris’ scenes were left on the cutting room floor. His backstory is alluded to, and yet, nothing is revealed. This isn’t Yang’s best performance. He underplays Chris’s confusion and hurt—he’s like a cardboard cutout at times.
Han Gi-Chan is the only person in this film who acts like he’s in the movie The Wedding Banquet trailer claimed to be. He’s so funny, and over-the-top, and expressive. He’s the star of this show, and a delight every time he comes on screen. The loudest laughs were because of him. I hope he gets to be in more Hollywood fare now.
A Disappointing, Chaotic Mess
At the start of the screening I attended, they played a video of director Andrew Ahn talking about how he watched the Ang Lee film when he was eight and how it shaped his filmmaking. He was hesitant to remake the classic, but thought to approach it with a question about gay marriage—in a time when gay marriage is possible, should it be? Once you watch the remake, you realize that Ahn’s script is an attempt to answer that question. Except, I don’t understand who else is asking that question, and why they would. One doesn’t have to get married if they’re gay—all anyone wants is the same options and choices as everyone else. The premise of the film is moot, and that’s where it loses its way.
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We love ourselves some disappointing, chaotic and messy characters, but The Wedding Banquet doesn’t know how to develop the characters as people. You don’t dislike the characters; you simply don’t understand them. The stakes feel sanded down; the comedy is virtually absent. The romance, when present, is cute, but the film is far more interested in answering a question no one is asking. Also, where’s the banquet?
The Wedding Banquet opened in theaters on April 18, 2025.
Movie Review: A NICE INDIAN BOY
Monita has been championing diversity, inclusivity, and representation in entertainment media through her work for over a decade. She is a contributor at Bam Smack Pow, and her bylines have appeared on 3-time Eisner Award-winning publication Women Write About Comics, Geek Girl Authority, HuffPost, Reactormag.com (formerly tor.com), Soundsphere/Screensphere, FanSided’s Show Snob, and Vocal. She was also a TV/Movies features writer at Collider.com. Alongside her twin, Monita co-hosts the pop culture podcast Stereo Geeks.
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The world of cinema and TV series offers hundreds of premieres every year, but not all of them are worth the time spent. Viewers are increasingly looking not just for entertainment, but for meaning — stories that leave an aftertaste, make them think, or help them experience strong emotions. That is why reviews are becoming an important guide: they help separate truly high-quality content from loud but empty hype. UNN has reviewed the most anticipated premieres and selected films worth watching.
“Kakhovka Object” (war drama)
The film shows war not only as combat operations but also as a test of human dignity, character, and choice. Through the fate of the main character, the viewer sees how difficult it is to make decisions in extreme circumstances when every step can affect the lives of others. The director masterfully combines psychological tension with realistic details, creating an atmosphere of complete immersion. The film is not only about war but also about human responsibility, strength of spirit, and the ability to remain human in the chaos of events.
“Mavka. The True Myth” (romantic fantasy)
The premiere will take place on March 1, 2026. This is a continuation of the Ukrainian fantasy tradition, where national myths and legends come to life on screen. The film reveals Mavka’s inner world, her desire for love and freedom, as well as the conflict between the human and the magical. The animation promises to be bright and detailed, and the story is universal: it touches on the themes of choice, self-discovery, and responsibility for one’s feelings. This film will be a good example of modern Ukrainian animation, capable of captivating both children and adults.
“When Will You Divorce?” (corporate comedy)
A comedy about personal life and work relationships that raises questions about the balance between career and personal feelings. The film humorously shows how easy it is to get confused in one’s own emotions, trying to satisfy the expectations of others. The authors successfully combined light life situations and ironic dialogues, which makes the viewing entertaining but not superficial. This film is for those who appreciate modern humor and recognize themselves or colleagues in the characters.
“Odyssey” (epic adventure drama)
A large-scale adaptation of Odysseus’s travels after the Trojan War. The film shows not only the hero’s physical trials but also his inner transformation: courage, ingenuity, patience, and moral choice in critical moments. The artistic design and the use of modern technologies to create epic landscapes and battle scenes are impressive. The director managed to combine a classic story with a modern cinematic rhythm, which makes “Odyssey” not only spectacular but also emotionally deep.
“Lord of the Universe” (sci-fi, action)
The film transports the viewer into a vibrant magical world where heroes fight for justice, and the line between good and evil constantly shifts. This is a story about courage, self-sacrifice, and responsibility for one’s own destiny and the destiny of others. The combination of special effects, a fantasy world, and an adventure plot makes the film attractive to a wide audience. But the main thing is not the effects, but the internal struggle of the characters, which gives the film depth and meaning.
“Scream 7” (2026)
The return to the famous slasher franchise proved unsuccessful. Despite the direction of series veteran Kevin Williamson and the comeback of Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, the film received mostly negative reviews from critics.
Thus, 2026 promises to be a landmark year for Ukrainian and world cinema. Even with fewer premieres, there is a tendency towards a deep elaboration of characters, psychological conflicts, and moral issues, which makes modern films and series not only entertainment but also a way of understanding human life and the modern world.
“You Are Space” breaks records: Ukrainian sci-fi attracts over 326,000 viewers10.02.26, 21:04 • 6852 views
Movie Reviews
Movie reviews reveal A Poet and All That’s Left of You dominate March with perfect 100% scores – Art Threat
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Two masterpieces just shattered critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes. Both A Poet and All That’s Left of You have garnered rare perfect 100% scores from critics, dominating March 2026’s excellence rankings. These dual releases represent a historic moment for international cinema.
🔥 Quick Facts
- A Poet: 100% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics celebrating Simón Mesa Soto‘s Colombian drama
- All That’s Left of You: 100% Certified Fresh multi-generational Palestinian epic by Cherien Dabis
- Release Timeline: Both films expanding dramatically in theaters March 2026 after festival triumphs
- Critical Moment: Rare simultaneous perfect scores elevate international storytelling into mainstream spotlight
A Poet Achieves Unanimous Critical Acclaim
Simón Mesa Soto‘s A Poet stands as one of 2026’s finest achievements. Starring Ubeimar Rios as Oscar Restrepo, a once-promising writer turned tragic failure, the film examines fatherhood’s weight with devastating wit and elegance. The Colombian-Swedish-German co-production premiered at Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard section last year and has conquered every distribution market since.
The ensemble cast includes Rebeca Andrade, Guillermo Cardona, and Humberto Restrepo, delivering layered performances that anchor the film’s four-chapter structure. Critics hailed the film as a triumph of tone, mixing tragicomic observation with genuine emotional devastation. The New York Times called it “The Romance of Misery”, recognizing its ability to find beauty in human failure. The film’s philosophical depth and formal precision explain its unprecedented critical consensus.
| Title | A Poet (Un Poeta) |
| Director | Simón Mesa Soto |
| Lead Actor | Ubeimar Rios as Oscar Restrepo |
| Rotten Tomatoes | 100% Certified Fresh |
| Theatrical Status | Expanding in March 2026 |
All That’s Left of You Shatters Records as Palestinian Saga
Cherien Dabis wrote, directed, and starred in All That’s Left of You, a sweeping three-generational epic set in the Occupied West Bank spanning decades of family trauma and resilience. Featuring Saleh Bakri, Mohammad Bakri, Adam Bakri, and Maria Zreik, the film follows a teenage boy swept into a pivotal protest with consequences that ripple through his family’s future.
Produced by Watermelon Pictures, the film premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2025, where it immediately earned Certified Fresh status and near-universal praise. Filming relocated to Cyprus, Greece, and Jordan after production complications, yet the result feels seamlessly authentic. Critics point to Dabis’s multi-media mastery (she directs, performs, and produces) as essential to the film’s emotional authority. The film’s scope rivals the greatest epics while maintaining intimate character work that defines recent international cinema.
All That’s Left of You arrived in selected theaters on January 9, 2026 and steadily expanded throughout early March. The film’s 100% Rotten Tomatoes score reflects not just critical respect but genuine reverence for Dabis’s artistic vision. This achievement represents Palestinian cinema reaching its greatest artistic and commercial moment.
Why These Two Films Dominate March 2026’s Conversation
Rarity defines these simultaneous perfect scores. A Poet and All That’s Left of You occupy the rare 100% Tomatometer tier reserved for films of historic excellence. The 2026 FilmFare recognized both as front-runners for major awards, acknowledging how they’ve elevated the expectations for drama itself. Industry observers note that achieving perfect critical consensus in today’s fractious landscape represents not consensus but unanimous recognition of artistic achievement.
Both films reflect cinema’s global moment. Simón Mesa Soto‘s Colombian vision and Cherien Dabis‘ Palestinian perspective prove that international storytelling now commands the cultural conversation. Rotten Tomatoes‘ Official Rankings place both films in its exclusive Certified Fresh top tier. March 2026 becomes the month cinema decided: universal critical acclaim belongs to filmmakers willing to transcend borders.
“All That’s Left of You is a sweeping multigenerational epic that captures the thematic breadth of great cinema while exploring what it means to endure generational trauma.”
— Rotten Tomatoes Critics Consensus, Officials
The Future of International Cinema Starts Now
Both films expand to more theaters through March 2026 and beyond. A Poet hits streaming services and digital platforms simultaneously, making it accessible to audiences beyond Select Release cities. All That’s Left of You continues rolling out across regional markets, having already secured international distribution. Industry observers expect both to capture major festival awards at upcoming spring cinema celebrations.
These perfect scores matter beyond accolades. They signal to studios, streamers, and investors that audiences hunger for international voices and authentic storytelling. March 2026 becomes a watershed moment where Colombian drama and Palestinian cinema proved they belong in the conversation with any major market release. The critical paths of A Poet and All That’s Left of You forecast how cinema itself will evolve toward greater global representation.
Where Can Film Lovers Watch These Perfect-Score Masterpieces?
Both films remain available in theatrical releases across the United States and expanding internationally. A Poet plays select theaters with plans to widen release through spring 2026, while All That’s Left of You continues broader theatrical circulation. Check major ticketing platforms for showtimes and streaming availability. International audiences should consult local cinema schedules for release dates and language availability. These 100% Rotten Tomatoes achievements deserve the big screen experience both directors envisioned.
Sources
- Rotten Tomatoes – Official Tomatometer scores and Critics Consensus for both films
- The New York Times – Critical analysis and reviews of A Poet’s artistic achievement
- Watermelon Pictures – Official distribution and production information for All That’s Left of You
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