Last night's watch was 'Rental Family' which I have been wanting to check out forever, and the movie lived up to every expectation I had, and then some. Brendan Fraser in interviews has called it a 'love letter to loneliness,' and honestly, no description fits better.
It's a tender, heart-warming film that explores the stories of some vastly different people in a grounded but really touching way, showing that isolation can come in many forms. I think the movie's biggest strength is in its simplicity; it doesn't ever become overly preachy, nor does it use profound, life-changing scenarios to get its message across. It mainly focuses on the issues of everyday people who crave, or sometimes practically need, someone to play a specific part in their lives, and for their own reasons choose to hire somebody to fill that specific role.
The movie presents its characters as real people without turning them into caricatures to be mocked, or reducing their loneliness or wanting for connection into a joke. Even with scenarios where many, especially western audiences, might wonder "why would someone do that?" it never resorts to ridicule; it doesn't judge the people who hire someone for the experience of companionship, friendship, or sexual intimacy, nor does it reduce the people who do that work into stereotypes.
Fraser's character Phillip is undeniably the heart of the film. It becomes clear early on that he is, above all else, a genuinely good guy who is not in an ideal place in life, but instead of playing with the usual bitterness and resentment formula, his isolation has made him more perceptive and empathetic towards the loneliness of others.Which highlights the film's other huge strength: it turns the overused "hurt people, hurt people" trope on its head. Because while traumatic experiences do sometimes lead people down toxic paths, we also need stories that remind us that people with less than ideal backgrounds very often grow to be kind and protective, precisely because the absence of affection has made them acutely aware of its importance. Sometimes hurt people see the hurt in others better than anyone else.
In the end of the day, you don't need to fully understand someone's culture, background, or life choices to see the humanity in them, or to accept that yearning for the presence of a proud parent, or someone to play video games with, or someone to vent to, or any simple gesture or act of kindness is a deeply rooted human need. This is fundamentally the theme that the film sets to explore, and it does so brilliantly.
Last night's 'it's 1am and I can't sleep' watch was 'Send Help', which I wanted to love but found just OK. It felt oddly restrained for a Raimi film, it had its funny moments and a few of his trademarks, but overall it didn't know where to lean. The movie clearly didn't set out to make any grand commentary on workplace sexism or social dynamics, though those themes are utilised quite well, and it never pretended to be elevated horror (not that I particularly like the artistic division the term creates), but I wish it had picked a lane between taking its plot points more seriously or, preferably, going fully unhinged, instead of remaining in a tame middle. Much like I wish Raimi had been given free rein to go full-on horror with 'Multiverse of Madness'.
I'm generally not a fan of the 'socially anxious/neurodivergent character played as an exaggerated caricature' trope, but it can work. There's a bit of 'Carrie' and a bit of 'Misery' in this, blended with some strong 'Triangle of Sadness' elements. Can't say I didn't enjoy it, but the way it ends also involves another trope I don't especially love either.
On the plus side, it's good seeing Sam Raimi return to his horror roots after way over a decade, and the casting was spot-on: Dylan O’Brien makes a very convincing insufferable tech-bro nepo baby, and Rachel McAdams is fantastic as Linda. I just wish the movie didn't hold back in certain aspects with her and had taken some even bolder steps to reach its full potential.
In the world of comic books Barry Windsor-Smith is an artist with a long and significant legacy in the history the medium. Among his long line of work, he is known for redefining Conan The Barbarian in the 70s, and for his 'Weapon X' run, which provided a mature origin story for the X-Men's Wolverine, giving the character more complexity and nuance, and creating some of his most iconic moments that have since been translated to both animation and film.
He is one of the rare creators in the industry who often has complete artistic control over his work, from the writing to the pencils, inks, and colouring. His Jack Kirby influences are very clear, especially in his early work, but through the years his style has evolved and got an identity that is distinctively his own.
On the whole, this volume collects some great specimens of the history of some of Marvel's most well-known heroes. As this is Windsor-Smith's early work, it's interesting seeing how his artwork and overall style evolved and slowly broke away from Kirby's influence and took a form and identity of its own. Certainly a great read for any fan of classic Marvel, and of Barry Windsor-Smith's work specifically.A big thank you to Fantagraphics Books for the advance review copy. This is a collection of classic Marvel Comics material, coming out on April 28, 2026.
'On the Set of Forrest Gump' revisits the now classic film through a primarily filmmaking lens, written by producer Steve Starkey and forwarded by Tom Hanks. From the journey of finding the right actors, to the discussion on how to adapt the book, and the changes that were intentionally made to give Forrest a different perspective, Starkey provides an extensive analysis on how the film began production, and how the end result came to be.
It was interesting seeing the logic behind the differences that exist between the movie and its source material, Winston Groom's 1986 novel by the same name, giving richer backstories to certain characters, following a less cynical approach, removing some of the more unconventionally fantastical elements, and telling an overall more heartwarming story.
It was also a pleasant surprise to see that the book did not fall into the trap that many behind-the-scenes memoirs fail to avoid by becoming too technical, and eventually too tedious. The writing is gripping, and the story is told from a very human and creative perspective. The inclusion of dozens of previously unreleased behind-the-scenes images, stills from the film and their corresponding snippets from the script, as well as the different trivia included, like the fact that Kurt Russell provided the voice of Elvis Presley for that famous (or infamous, depending on your feelings about it) scene of his brief encounter with Forrest, definitely add to the book's charm.
It goes without saying, but this is definitely a book for someone who has already watched 'Forrest Gump'. But at the same time, it should make for a compelling read for anyone invested in cinema history. No matter where you stand on the film's approach to sociopolitical themes, this is an interesting examination of the thought process, and the intent, that went behind the creation of the movie. Written in an unmistakeably earnest way, for what was undoubtedly a passion project that took the creativity, effort, and persistence of a lot of people to reach its final form.
The book adds an extra layer to the discussion surrounding 'Forrest Gump', and offers an in-depth exploration of the process of filmmaking. With thorough descriptions on how practical effects were used to shoot certain shots, and what visual effects made specific scenes possible, how certain scenes never made it into the film, and some solid examples of how artistic vision often clashes with budgeting and the viewpoints of studio executives. All in all, it is a book that as a movie lover I definitely enjoyed.
Big thanks to the University Press of Kentucky for the advance review copy.
The book is coming out on March 17, 2026.
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