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The Rule of Jenny Pen (2025) – Movie Review

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The Rule of Jenny Pen (2025) – Movie Review

The Rule of Jenny Pen, 2025.

Directed by James Ashcroft.
Starring Geoffrey Rush, John Lithgow, George Henare, Nathaniel Lees, Thomas Sainsbury, Maaka Pohatu, Irene Wood, Ian Mune, Bruce Phillips, Holly Shanahan, Paolo Rotondo, Yvette Parsons, Rashmi Pilapitiya, Ginette McDonald, Semu Filipo, Hannah Lynch, Anapela Polataivao, Hilary Norris, Richard Chapman, Nick Blake, Jane Waddell, Lutz Halbhubner, Ariadne Baltazar, Fiona Collins, and Sam Carter.

SYNOPSIS:

Confined to a secluded rest home and trapped within his stroke-ridden body, a former Judge must stop an elderly psychopath who employs a child’s puppet to abuse the home’s residents with deadly consequences.

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While the idea of a crazed, sociopathic John Lithgow running around and using a baby puppet to torture fellow nursing home residents is appealing on a demented scale, director James Ashcroft’s (also co-writing the screenplay alongside Eli Kent, based on the short story from Owen Marshall) The Rule of Jenny Pen, no exaggeration, never involves beyond that and rarely even tries to. What starts as amusingly twisted quickly has nowhere to go, stretched out long beyond the breaking point at roughly 104 minutes in what amounts to nothing more than older warfare between Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow. As nutty as it sounds, even that needs something else behind it to keep the material from becoming repetitive and flat-out irritating.

The former is a judge named Stefan Mortensen who suffers a stroke while reading off a verdict. The case appears to involve a sexual predator of minors (not Drake this time) receiving due punishment, except Stefan is a no-nonsense curmudgeon refusing thanks from the mother of the victims, asserting that she put her children in danger. He then goes on to spout a philosophical statement that hyenas rule the land where there are no lions. Unsurprisingly, it’s a metaphor that’s about to become painstakingly visualized on-screen once that stroke immobilizes him, relegates him to a wheelchair, and keeps him inside the previously mentioned nursing home.

Initially, Stefan isn’t too bothered by the behavior he sees from Dave Crealy (John Lithgow, sporting a creepy smile and veering between catatonic and sinister), which generally comes down to finding unorthodox ways to hurt other residents or emotionally battering them physically. At that point, he flips the puppet around and tells his target to “lick its ass”, which is his hand. Other examples of his mischief include encouraging a dementia-stricken woman to head outside after hours, lying that her family has returned for her. For something more physical, Dave twists around a catheter until a man acknowledges the rule of Jenny Pen.

As uncomfortably and entertainingly dark as some of this begins, the film repeats itself without ever following through on any teased character development or reveals. Far more maddening is that this is the most unbelievably incompetent nursing home staff put to screen in ages. The only reason Dave continuously gets away with any of this has less to do with any damning statement on this line of work and more to do with eye-rolling contrivances that keep this movie going on seemingly endlessly in the face of strained credibility.

Some of this is frustrating, considering that John Lithgow is committed to this lunacy. In contrast, the stone-hearted Stefan becomes empathetic through Geoffrey Rush’s performance, especially as the character gradually realizes that his greatest horror might not be Dave but the reality that his mobility might never come back, meaning he will be stuck here forever. One also has to commend Geoffrey Rush for his electronic wheelchair maneuverability game, backing out of doors like he is reversing a car. Unfortunately for them, The Rule of Jenny Pen has stranded them inside nearly insufferable material that threatens never to end.

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Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ / Movie: ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews and follow my BlueSky or Letterboxd 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embed/playlist

 

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Movie Reviews

8News Reel Talk: ‘Toy Story 5’ movie review

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8News Reel Talk: ‘Toy Story 5’ movie review

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — In this episode of 8News Reel Talk, Julia Broberg sits down with Hekla Petursson and Catori Ryan to talk about “Toy Story 5.”

The hosts gave their reviews and provided the following star ratings:

Catori: ★★★★

Hekla: ★★★★★

Julia: ★★★★.2

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To watch more livestreams and digital video content, head to the WRIC+ Originals page. You can also watch full on-demand videos on your smart TV using the WRIC+ app.

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Mark Jenkin’s ‘ROSE OF NEVADA’ – Movie Review – PopHorror

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Mark Jenkin’s ‘ROSE OF NEVADA’ – Movie Review – PopHorror

Rose of Nevada is a genuinely poetic movie that pushes the boundaries of the Groundhog Day-style time-travel narrative while carving out an identity completely its own. Rather than relying on the familiar mechanics that audiences have come to expect from the genre, the film approaches the concept through a more reflective and emotional lens. The result is a movie that feels thoughtful, ambitious, and surprisingly moving.

It makes a huge on-screen presence felt through its cast, particularly George MacKay and Callum Turner, who both deliver performances that elevate the material beyond a simple science-fiction premise. Combined with breathtaking visuals and a strong directorial vision, Rose of Nevada becomes something far more memorable than many of its genre contemporaries.

George MacKay continues to prove why he is one of the most compelling actors working today. Following his acclaimed work in 1917, he once again demonstrates an ability to carry a film through sheer presence and emotional authenticity.

Every scene feels grounded because of his performance, even when the story ventures into more abstract territory. Alongside him, Callum Turner delivers what could easily be viewed as a breakout performance. The chemistry between the two leads helps anchor the film, allowing audiences to connect with the characters even as the narrative challenges conventional storytelling expectations.

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One of the film’s greatest strengths is its visual presentation. The cinematography is nothing short of earth-shattering. Nearly every frame looks like a carefully crafted painting, capturing both the beauty and mystery of the world these characters inhabit. There is a dreamlike quality to the imagery that perfectly complements the film’s themes of time, memory, and destiny.

The camera lingers on landscapes just long enough to allow viewers to soak in their beauty without ever slowing the pace. It’s the kind of cinematography that demands to be appreciated on the largest screen possible.
Director Mark Jenkin continues to establish himself as one of the most distinctive voices in modern British cinema. Following the atmospheric and haunting Enys Men, Jenkin once again crafts a story that feels deeply connected to folklore and place.

The British backdrop becomes a character in itself, with rugged coastlines, open landscapes, and isolated locations contributing to the film’s unique atmosphere. His direction never feels showy or excessive; instead, he trusts the audience to absorb the experience and interpret its deeper meanings.

What makes Rose of Nevada especially fascinating is how it recalls classic time-travel films without simply copying them. There are moments that evoke the spirit of The Final Countdown, particularly in the sense of wonder and uncertainty surrounding the temporal elements.

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Yet the film remains firmly rooted in its own identity, focusing more on emotion and introspection than spectacle. It invites viewers to engage with its ideas rather than simply consume them.

This is also one of those rare films that benefits from reflection after the credits roll. It is not a movie designed to provide easy answers. Instead, it lingers in the mind, encouraging discussion and interpretation. The more time you spend thinking about it, the more rewarding it becomes. Much like a fine wine, Rose of Nevada continues to improve with age, revealing new layers and details upon reflection.

Overall, Rose of Nevada is a beautiful, ambitious, and visually stunning piece of filmmaking that deserves to be experienced on the big screen. Powered by exceptional performances, remarkable cinematography, and confident direction, it stands as one of the more unique takes on time travel in recent memory.

Overall Grade: 4/5 Stars

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‘Supergirl’ review: DC Studios serves up a second less-than-super movie

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‘Supergirl’ review: DC Studios serves up a second less-than-super movie

James Gunn isn’t exactly crushing it.

Named co-chairman and chief executive officer of the newly formed DC Studios in 2022, the “Guardians of the Galaxy” filmmaker wrote and directed the division of Warner Bros. Discovery’s largely disappointing “Superman,” released last year.

This week, DC Studios’ second big-screen affair, “Supergirl,” lands in theaters with similarly underwhelming results.

‘Superman’ review: James Gunn gets DCU off to rocky, overstuffed start

Starring Milly Alcock as the movie’s namesake Kryptonian heroine — who also goes by Kara Zor-El and is the cousin of David Corenswet’s Superman/Clark Kent/Kal-El — “Supergirl” isn’t distractingly zany the way its 2025 sister film was. Instead, it’s tonally boring, a chore of a movie chock full of thinly drawn characters and increasingly bombastic and violent.

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To be clear, Gunn isn’t at the helm for “Supergirl.” Instead, it’s the typically dependable Craig Gillespie (“I, Tonya,” “Cruella”), working from a script by Ana Nogueira, making her less-than-impressive feature-writing debut.

This planet-hopping adventure in the new DC Universe isn’t a complete space wreck, however, thanks largely to the spunky performance by Aussie Alcock, best known for portraying the younger Rhaenyra Targaryen in the early episodes of HBO’s “House of the Dragon.”

When we catch up with Kara, she’s basically as we left her late in “Superman”: a super-sized mess. She’s out with her beloved, rambunctious dog, Krypto — the peppy and powerful pup having already been a major player in “Superman” — and enjoying a 23rd-birthday pub crawl among planets under a red sun. (Quick reminder: Supergirl, like Superman, draws her incredible powers from a yellow sun, like Earth’s, so she’s at least vaguely normal under a red sun and, importantly, can become intoxicated. The color of suns is a major factor throughout “Supergirl,” and it’s the movie’s most inventive narrative element.)

It is on such a world where a drunken Kara encounters 13-year-old Ruthye Marye Knoll of the Danastia Clan (Eve Ridley), whose family has just been brutally slain by the ruthless Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts). Understandably, Ruthye wants revenge against Krem — leader of the Brigants, a band of male pirates and traffickers — and can think of little else.

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She’s offering anyone who will help a sword made by her family of skilled weapons makers. The beyond-buzzed Kara isn’t interested, but she gets involved when a scumbag type tries to take the sword. She continues to do her best to fend off Ruthye’s subsequent pleas for assistance in her quest to kill Krem, but when the baddie — in the process of stealing her floating RV of a spaceship — shoots a charging Krypto with a poison dart, Kara has designs on punishing him, too. In fact, she needs to retrieve the specific antidote Krem carries with him to save her four-legged bud.

Milly Alcock, left, as Kara Zor-El, and Eve Ridley, as Ruthye Marye Knoll of the Danastia Clan, appear in a scene from “Supergirl.” (Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures)

And so the gals are off to other worlds, initially traveling via the space equivalent of a beat-up Greyhound bus, on which they run into a trio of pillaging Sklarian Raiders. The sequence in which Kara retrieves stolen possessions and extracts information from them is as zany as “Supergirl” gets.

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