The Movies

Daniel Berrios
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Film Reviews
  • Updated Monthly

I'm Daniel Berrios. This is my journey to learn about the movies - the art form I adore - one review, interview, editorial at a time. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. Take care of the movies.

  1. Sep 9

    289. 31 Days of Halloween 2025 - Day 24: MAD GOD (2022) dir. Phil Tippett

    Is it crazy to still be working through last year's 31 Days of Halloween in September of this year? Yes. Yes, it is. However, I doubt it's as crazy as what Oscar-winning animator extraordinaire Phil Tippett (JURASSIC PARK, ROBOCOP, RETURN OF THE JEDI, f****n' PIRANHA) did: drop his magnum opus after three decades of work. MAD GOD is a stop-motion masterpiece: a descent into hell the likes typically reserved for Hieronymous Bosch paintings. The one character we follow is named The Assassin, dressed in a leather coat and gas mask (looking like the dude on the cover of FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS). He's arrived in a world that looks like the detritus of every other failed civilization. Only remnants remain. Statues, cracked buildings, abandoned machinery. No hierarchy exists outside of predator and prey. Even then, what alphas could remain? What would they even live for? I feel more like a witness than a viewer. This is the result of a man and his team painstakingly crafting every beam of light, clay creature and miniature piece of rubble, placing each in a precise location. It's the closest, I'd argue, filmmaking will get to humanity resembling a capital-C Creator. To allow myself to start comprehending how Tippett pieced together these elements and worked them into such a lovingly presented hellscape is to immediately launch open a headache. This is a movie that defies recommendation; there's no questionnaired flow chart that should lead you here. It's simply: Are you human? Yes? Then sit your ass down. Press play. --- Follow The Movies on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Throw a couple dollars in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tip jar!

  2. Sep 2

    288. Interview | JUST PLAY DEAD Director Martin Campbell

    JUST PLAY DEAD marks a different sort of challenge for Martin Campbell. The director, best known for GOLDENEYE, CASINO ROYALE and THE MASK OF ZORRO, is used to staging rough-and-tumble fights, car chases, fiery explosions. But JUST PLAY DEAD posits its tension around a couple whose marriage gasps its last breath in service of a wicked game of wits. In JUST PLAY DEAD, Samuel L. Jackson plays Nick Wolfe, a career criminal whose empire looks to crumble as the feds will indict him for financial frauds within a few months. Nick's plan is to fake his own death and pocket the life insurance payout with his wife, Nora (Eva Green), whose lover Chad (Jason Fernandez) will be framed. One problem: Nora actually wants Nick dead. But Nick didn't get to this age, wealth and notoriety by being naive. Nora didn't spend 11 years married to Nick without also knowing that he would grow wise to whatever plan she'd concoct. It's in this back-and-forth that JUST PLAY DEAD shines. These people are not "good" people but they surely don't hate each other. One moment where Nora lays in bed with her other lover, a cop, has her bemoaning that she could have any stud in bed. The trick, she says, is finding someone she can talk to. For as much as the husband and wife cross each other, they find a sick sense of play in it. Campbell could easily toss a chessboard in the middle of the living room, if he were a worse director. It's in Jackson and Green's banter that Nick and Nora's marriage takes its last gasping breaths, a look into what qualities attracted them together and ultimately, lead them to mutual admiration and even, if I dare say it, respect. But there's no way they'll stay together. Jesus Christ, what a nightmare. In our interview, Campbell discusses the joys of crafting this kind of marriage, the process of leaning into its gauche beachside melodrama and the fearlessness required of any actor to engage with this goofy-ass world, something that Eva Green, especially, handles with aplomb. This is a rare interview in which me saying her accent in this sounds like Katharine Hepburn and Norma Desmond by way of Jennifer Coolidge...is a compliment. JUST PLAY DEAD is now available to watch in select theaters and on VOD. --- Follow The Movies on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Throw a couple dollars in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tip jar!

  3. Aug 5

    287. Fantasia 2026: Interview | SUNSPARK Director Danny Bourque

    Danny Bourque is the one-man-band behind SUNSPARK, a new animated short playing at this year's Fantasia International Film Festival. The movie follows a plucky robot named Zap, who lives in a humanless post-apocalypse characterized by flat, dry, dusty land. That is, however, except for two things: Zap's humble Dust Bowl-era abode and a mountainous junkyard, managed by really-late-stage capitalist Jimbot, who accepts payment in the form of sunflowers. On a search for supplies, Zap finds the discarded shell of a robot and dedicates themselves to the project of repairing and restoring them back to life. The dedication is so strong, it even includes stripping parts from their own body to give to this other robot. With no dialogue, SUNSPARK manages to tell a gentle sci-fi story that's appropriate for any aged heart, while intriguing the mind regarding subjects of relational sacrifice, the nature of sentience and the effects of humanity's flawed stewardship of the Earth. Danny was able to produce this entire project in less than two years with assistance from the Render Network, a non-profit seeking to provide independent creators with the computing resources needed to produce high-quality work with even higher levels of detail. By stringing together a network of computing/rendering power across a global, decentralized network, Danny was able to bring scenes to life that should've taken more than 10x the time to do so with an individual's home computer power. It speaks to one of SUNSPARK's focuses, the magnifying power of community. It's a beautiful short, one whose universe I'd love to spend more time in. My kids enjoyed hanging with Zap and I'm sure they'd like to peek into more stories and characters in the future. --- More info on SUNSPARK can be found here.⁠ Follow The Movies on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Throw a couple dollars in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tip jar!

  4. Aug 1

    286. Fantasia 2026: Interview | UNHOLY NIGHT Director/Writer Michael Gabriele

    It's Christmas in August, y'all! Fantasia International Film Festival mercifully brings UNHOLY NIGHT to us, likely to get our minds off of this 100-degree (37-degree, for you Celsius-users) weather. At an Italian family's Christmas Eve dinner, festivities are interrupted when the grandmother, deceased for a few years, returns, with an undead look and feral rage. It's then up to the awkward 30-something Gino (Marc BenDavid) to muster up some cojones and save not only his family, but his ex-girlfriend Rene (Shailene Garnett), who lives next door and may be confronted by some other undead elders... The movie seems like it'll be a goofy, zombie-splaterring time and, in some ways, it is. But what I loved about Gabriele's screenplay and direction is how it uses the concept to pursue questions of familial expectations, managing a set of regrets, acquiring the bravery needed to stand up for oneself. It dips toes into multiple genres and tones, succeeding on all fronts. I talked with Gabriele about his movie's themes, the experience of designing a set with 3+ generations' worth of family history, the demanding camera work, and so much more. --- More info on UNHOLY NIGHT's Fantasia premiere can be found here. Follow The Movies on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Throw a couple dollars in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tip jar!

  5. Jul 30

    285. Fantasia 2026: Interview | NO REST FOR THE WICKED Director Kasper Kalle & Actor Egor Venned

    --- Follow The Movies on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Throw a couple dollars in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tip jar!

  6. Jul 29

    284. SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY (2026) dir. Destin Daniel Cretton

    It's been 281 episodes since the last live-action Spider-Man review. I'm old. SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the first of the MCU movies not to be helmed by Jon Watts. With this new change comes a new vantage point. Instead of this movie dropping Spider-Man (Tom Holland) into the wider MCU universe and its ramifications, this film gives the Webhead more of a chance to shine on his own. Some of this is by design: NO WAY HOME ended with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) granting Peter a spell to make everyone forget not only that Peter Parker is Spider-Man's secret identity, but also to forget Peter Parker even exists. The Witness Protection Program could never. In this isolation, Peter becomes a full-time friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, stopping robberies and cooperating with the cops while wistfully scrolling through Snap stories of his best friends Ned and MJ (Jacob Batalon & Zendaya), who are enjoying their four years at M.I.T. Peter's life at this moment is all work with some aunt-grieving on the side. The constant hero stress and bruising activates a response from Pete's arachnid DNA: it's morphin' time! With it comes a sort of Spider-puberty. He grows much stronger, develops organic webbing (I'm sure Tobey's in the other universe cackling. "How's the spinerette juice, f****r?") , and grows prone to a more feral, angry temperament. For a Spider-Man labeled by New York as a hero, the menace starts to creep in. But wait, there's more! (Rest in peace, Billy Mays.) A new threat begins attacking Damage Control centers throughout the city. This government agency is, in a way, picking up where SHIELD left off, with a focus on repurposing alien and enhanced-human tech for the betterment of all mankind. This threat has a way of possessing people's bodies, hopscotching their way past security officers and into vaults, searching for the most valuable technology called V-Max. A Spider-sense can only do so much against someone who can jump between bodies at will. It does even less against someone with the capability of finding Peter's loved ones and putting them in a danger he previously thought impossible. I haven't seen him this psychologically disturbed by a villain since Hobgoblin from the '90s TV show. The new ground-level approach does well for crafting a more lived-in New York. Holland's performance is better than ever. The different MCU characters introduced don't step on each other's toes. And yet, I find the big issue with these Spider-Man films remain: they're overstuffed. As a result, I spend more time looking at the clock rather than letting my heart get swept away by the drama. But as is, it's a good leap in the right direction for these movies. Let's hope the next film lands as a WINTER SOLDIER to this one's FIRST AVENGER. --- Follow The Movies on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Throw a couple dollars in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tip jar!

  7. Jul 25

    283. Fantasia 2026: Interview | BIRDCALL Director Justin Calandriello

    More info on BIRDCALL can be found here. --- Follow The Movies on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Throw a couple dollars in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tip jar!

  8. Jul 23

    282. Fantasia 2026: Interview | ANCESTRAL BEASTS Director/Writer Tim Riedel

    Tim Riedel grew up thinking his stories didn't matter. He didn't see a lot of Indigenous movies, even less featuring his Red River Metis tribe; the ones he caught felt more like Schoolhouse Rock primers for Whitey. So as a filmmaker, he turned his attention outwards to More info on ANCESTRAL BEASTS can be found here. --- Follow The Movies on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Throw a couple dollars in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tip jar!

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5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

I'm Daniel Berrios. This is my journey to learn about the movies - the art form I adore - one review, interview, editorial at a time. Take care of yourselves. Take care of each other. Take care of the movies.

Information

  • Creator
    Daniel Berrios
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    291
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Daniel Berrios
  • Show Website
    The Movies