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Brandon Wolgast

@pikaroth

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Movie 26 of 2026: Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. WOW! Is it possible for writer/director Jane Schoenbrun, @janedoesnotknow, to make a bad film or even a less-than-great fim? They hit a homerun with the truly experimental documentary A Self-Induced Hallucination, and their first actual film, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, is incredible and gets better and better upon repeat viewings. Then, of course, their massive homerun I Saw the TV Glow in 2024 which, had I seen it in the theater that year, would have been my favorite film of the year. It’s SO good it’s almost painful. Coming to this one, surely Schoenbrun would have a “miss” at some point? If so, it’s not here. Camp Miasma is yet another homerun that I cannot wait to watch again and really dig into. Like their other films, the first viewing is one of just kind of going-with-the-flow and letting the movie wash over you. Then, again with all their movies, it sticks in your brain as the days and weeks go on, and the second and third and fourth viewings are where you really start to put it all together. Sadly, Schoenbrun’s films will not be for everyone (though they should) as all of them will make certain types very uncomfortable, but as is life, sometimes you need to be uncomfortable and sit with those feelings and emotions about yourself and others. I am happy to own World’s Fair on blu ray (great release that you can get from Vinegar Syndrome), and it’s a crime @A24 did not do a physical 4K release of TV Glow (you can buy it digitally in 4K Dolby Vision) as I’d love to own a physical copy one day, and I hope Miasma is released physically in 4K as it’ll be an instant purchase. On a side note, I have also pre-ordered Schoenbrun’s upcoming novel Public Access Afterworld. I know this “review” is hardly a review and more just random sentences, but I love the movie, and I love all their films. #teenagesexanddeathatcampmiasma #isawthetvglow #wereallgoingtotheworldsfair #janesschoenbrun by @pikaroth

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23 days ago

It’s happening! About to leave the hotel and head to the opening gala are Lucas Museum of Narrative Art! @lucasmuseum We cannot wait! And, tomorrow, we will be spending the entire day there! All of these years, and tonight is the night! #georgelucas #lucasmuseumofnarrativeart #losangeles #museums taken in Los Angeles, California by @pikaroth

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a month ago

Movie 25 of 2026: The End of Oak Street. We went in really not knowing what to expect from this one, and we ended up thoroughly enjoying it, and I think repeat viewings will genuinely make it better and better. Is this a movie where a neighborhood from 1982 vanishes and ends up tens of millions of years ago in the days of the dinosaurs? Yes, absolutely! But, it’s so much more than that. The family dynamics should hit home for nearly everyone of any age, especially if, as a kid, your parents ever argued or were thinking of divorce (or got divorced), or as an adult to be in a relationship where things are not perfect and may not work out yet you love the person, nonetheless. At its core, this is rather strong study of a family falling apart while trying to hold itself together. It’s a family drama with dinosaurs! Though, come on, anyone who leaves their dog out at night and not in the house (and tied up at that!) are not good people, but I suppose we have to overlook that as it’s a movie. Also, as a bonus, no matter what anyone says, this is absolutely without a doubt set in the Cloverfield universe! As always with that universe, all involved are tight lipped and, “Well, it could be,” but here there is just far too many references to those films and that world along with what seems to be a direct reference to The Cloverfield Paradox. You do NOT need to have seen those films at all as each is fully standalone but all “work” together if you do watch them all. Again, here it’s just a bonus kind of tacked onto a really good movie on its own. As said, I do really feel this will get even better upon repeat viewings, and if you go in thinking it’s only going to be about people being transported back to fight dinosaurs, you may be disappointed as it’s much more about a family spiraling. #theendofoakstreet #oakstreet #cloverfield #dinosaurs #cinepolisusa taken in Cinépolis by @pikaroth

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2 months ago

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2 months ago

Movie 23 of 2026: Hadestown: The Musical. This is a Hellscape version of Disney’s Carousal of Progress! First, thank you to @fenix825 for inviting us to this as I had NEVER heard of it at all (not this filmed version or the play itself). @snorris49 had heard of it, so she was aware, and we are so thankful that @fenix825 reached out to see if we all wanted to go together. This was a ton of fun and extremely well done. It’s really cool that a famous stage play can now be seen and experienced, even if in a different manner, by people who otherwise would most likely never be able to do so. While the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is ancient and well known, it is always great to see a different take on these stories (Nolan’s The Odyssey as a recent example but so is the Coen Brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou and many others). I loved the framing of this myth around the 1920s and 1930s with the changing of industry and the rich getting richer while the poor suffer. We build walls for no other reason than to separate ourselves from others we are scared of for no reason. Everyone here is outstanding with (sadly) the weak link being the actor playing Orpheus who 100% looked and sounded exactly like he was straight out of Team America: World Police. When we got home later, we looked up the other main actor who had played Orpheus in other performances, and he is so much better. Nevertheless, this was awesome to watch, had great (and catchy!) songs, told a timeless story wrapped in a more modern story, and we both now want to see it in person one day. #hadestown #orpheus #eurydice #musicals taken in Epic Theatres Of Clermont by @pikaroth

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3 months ago

Movie 22 of 2026: The Odyssey. Sing, Goddess, Nolan’s triumph! In over 15 years, I’ve never said anything too “personal” in one of these mini-reviews, but here I am: this is what I went to university for and what my degree is in, and due to that, this film had me excited and also cautious. Thankfully, to paraphrase Nolan’s other masterwork Interstellar: this is no time for caution. Countless others have said it, but I’ll say it as well: this movie is perfect. There are no issues here at all. The casting, acting, direction, score, editing, etc. are award worthy from all involved. You will not find a more accurate adaptation of a 3200-year-old story than here that nails all the themes: loss, home, love, duty, honor, disgrace, loyalty, and hospitality. Our sold-out crowd was crying, cheering, and clapping all at the right times (and it got an ovation at the end in our theater). There have been too many versions of The Iliad and The Odyssey (and other works) over the centuries, but, again, Nolan nailed it perfectly. At nearly three hours long, it never once drags, and people in our theater were quite literally running to the bathroom and back to miss as little as possible. You will cheer for Odysseus to get home and do what needs to be done to the suitors while at the same time cursing him for his awful treatment of the cyclops who did him no wrong. As I already said, everyone here is fantastic, but Matt Damon certainly gives the performance of his career. @snorris49 can confirm I was overjoyed throughout the movie as this captured Homer’s epics (if there was a Homer, but that’s another story) in a way I never thought I’d see. This is epic, it’s human, and it’s a must see. You do NOT need to be educated on the original texts, history, of myths to understand this at all, but for those that are, you will get even more out of it. On a side note: for The Iliad and The Odyssey, my personal favorite translations are by Stanely Lombardo. There are many good and great translations out there, most notably by Emily Wilson, but Lombardo is still who I’d recommend. The year is not over yet, but as of now, this is the best. #theodyssey #christophernolan #mattdamon #homer taken in Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Hamlin by @pikaroth

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3 months ago

Movie 21 of 2026: Backrooms. Really great! For me, it’s a movie that is really good as soon as it’s over, but later as the hours and days go on, it gets better and better. You will like it if you take it “straight” as just a strange movie with an alternate “dimension” of yellow rooms, but beyond that, there is much going on here. The two main characters are broken and dealing with major psychological issues, and the “Backrooms” represent their internal turmoil and confusion. Primarily Clark, played by the amazing Chiwetel Ejiofor, has layers that are exposed as the film goes on that (minor spoilers?) are depicted visually at the end. @snorris49 knew of the original “backrooms” photo that started this but not much beyond that, and I followed Kane Parson’s YouTube channel and his take on the backrooms for years prior to this movie, and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. The movie does a great job of truly not needing to know anything prior to going in, but if you do, you may get even more out of it. The movie is clearly something that can lead into many, many more movies if needed and wanted (and given it’s A24’s highest grossing film ever, a sequel is coming), yet it still stands alone as a rather great psychological thriller with a few genuine scenes of great horror. If you take this as literal or symbolic (or both!), it works. My last mini-review was of Possession, and I know this and Possession are somehow considered as “competing” with each other, so I’ll throw my opinion in on that: both are great, but this is the clearly better film that has more to say. Still, both are well worthwhile, but Backrooms stands out as the superior film. This is overall a high recommend with Ejiofor giving a great performance in a film that psychologically deconstructs his character. Note: we DID truly jump a couple of times, and we also laughed out loud a couple of times (Clark recording his furniture store video had me in tears). #backrooms #chiwetelejiofor #kaneparsons #a24 by @pikaroth

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3 months ago

Movie 20 of 2026: Obsession. First, we both really enjoyed this one and would recommend it! It REALLY is good, and the reviews out there are not exaggerating in that it’s a great film overall! However, in saying that, it’s complicated strictly due to, I admit, our ages. @snorris49 said it within 30 minutes, and I’m paraphrasing here: a younger generation will find this movie “deep” and with much to say about toxic relationships. In the end, she was dead on. If I’d have seen this in my teens or 20s, I would have thought it was “genius,” especially given it was written and directed by 26-year-old Curry Barker who will clearly (hopefully!) get bigger and bigger and evolve in his films. Still, at our ages now, it doesn’t “hit” as hard as it clearly is for a younger generation as those in their 20s and early 30s are just at a different point in their lives. We loved all of the characters here, we loved the two lead actors, Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette, and we cannot wait to see more from both. I do look forward to watching this again soon-ish as there is stuff “going on” in the background (for example, what’s the deal with the vanishing dildo and baseball cap and changing digital clock? It’s all clearly deliberate and not a mistake), and the world created feels very similar to the best film of 2024: It Follows (though, to be fair, not nearly as good as It Follows which is a work of art). Please don’t let this mini-review sound too negative as it’s a truly good film and well worth watching, but it’s not GREAT. What IS great is the, hopefully, future films from Curry Barker as he grows, evolves, and advances as a film maker. #obsession #currybarker #indenavarrette #michaeljohnston by @pikaroth

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3 months ago

Movie 19 of 2026: Supergirl. Awesome a ton of fun with some good solid emotional moments! The DCU continues to fly high and has no misses yet. Milly Alcock is not only great as Supergirl, but she is the best Supergirl we have had in live action, and we cannot wait for more of her in (hopefully) future films. This is a “short” film at less than two hours that gets in and gets out. It feels, in the best way possible, as a cross between a Guardian of the Galaxy combined with Star Wars but still has its own voice and feel. It was awesome to see David Corenswet as Superman again, and he got a tad more screentime than I thought he would. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I was VERY thankful that the ending didn’t “wimp out” as I thought it might. Justice does get served. Just like in Superman, Krypto is awesome and adorable. When he gets shot and poisoned, you are immediately with Supergirl on her mission and cheering her on. It goes without saying that Jason Momoa was born to play Lobo, and I can’t say much more than that. Fingers crossed for a future Lobo film! This was an extremely fun movie, and it continues to grow the outstanding DC Universe that now consists of this, Superman, Peacemaker, and Creature Commandos, and we will soon have Lanterns, Clayface, and Batman as well as a follow-up to Superman. This is a solid recommend, and, of course, I have already pre-ordered the 4k steelbook edition to own! I really hope the DCU continues, even if slowly, to grow its fanbase as these are the most comic book movies out there, and they are awesome. #supergirl #millyalcock #superman #krypto #dcu taken in Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Hamlin by @pikaroth

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4 months ago

Movie 18 of 2026: Stop! That! Train! I am not in the least bit being funny or exaggerating when I say that this is going to be in my top five of the year. To those that made the film: I am demanding more adventures of Tess and DeeDee! Put them in any adventure or job, and we’ll be there. It’s absolutely laugh out loud funny. A comedy, a parody and, most importantly, an amazing homage to 1980’s Airplane! @snorris49 (and my dad!) love drag queens, and I have always appreciated the art of being a drag queen, but I am not in the least bit knowledgeable about them, and, thankfully, that did NOT matter here. @snorris49 said if you are familiar with them, you may get even more out of this movie in terms of certain jokes and names, but I can confirm you do not need to be “in the know” to enjoy this. Just like Airplane!, jokes come at you fast, and for every joke you may not laugh at, you’ll laugh a minute or two later at the next one. I lost it multiple times, and we both died when we learn President Gagwell worked for the US Rail Force in the 80s as Reagen found the best way to protect the US was by train. It was also great to see the number of cameos, especially Sarah Michelle Gellar. If you want to genuinely just go to the theater to see a funny film that will have you laugh out loud that is a truly loving homage to Airplane!, then this is a must see. I want to say one joke I thought 100% was going to happen but didn’t, and I think it was ONE thing they should have had me work on the script with them for: the character Donna is continually made fun of for being the girl with glasses and how in movies when a woman removes her glasses, she is now gorgeous. I was certain at the end Donna would remove her glasses and immediately be replaced by Margot Robbie (or another undeniably gorgeous woman) with nothing said, but that did not happen. Just felt like a dropped joke that would have landed. Anyway, hilarious film that we can’t wait to see again one day, and the world demands more Tess and DeeDee! #stopthattrain #dragqueens #glamazonianexpress #shefun #trains taken in Cinemark Orlando and XD by @pikaroth

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4 months ago

Movie 17 of 2026: Masters of the Universe. PLEASE GO AND SEE THIS IF IT’S STILL PLAYING NEAR YOU! It has been said to death by everyone who has seen it, but it is amazing! A blast from beginning to end that, sadly, I’m sure will never have a sequel (though who knows!). I suppose while I am the target audience for it as someone born in the <cough> 70s who grew up with He-Man and the Masters of the Universe in the 80s from the toys to the cartoon to the comics, but after seeing this, I absolutely believe you do NOT need to be a fan or even know about He-Man to genuinely have fun watching this. It’s a throwback action film where people get beat up and shot (and killed!) with just enough heart and emotion to make the characters meaningful. I’m disappointed and upset that we have this AND Mando and Grogu in the theaters at the same time, yet neither is doing THAT well (I think both will do just fine and make a profit but both deserve SO much more). Everyone here is great, and somehow the Fisto and Ram Man jokes do not get old. I loved it all from Skeletor being just evil for no reason than being evil, to Adam wearing a pinkish/red shirt on Earth, to the group standing around and lauging at the end, to Fisto fisting bad guys and Ram Man giving head to them, to the PERFECT cameo of Dolph Lundgren, to the look of Eternia, to the not THREE post credits scenes (stay for all three!), to the AMAZING retro 80s music, and how they even managed to pay off the Highlander reference at the beginning with the music at the end. Extremely well written and does exactly what it sets out to do. If you have not seen this, do yourself a favor and get to the theater, sit down for 2 hours and 20 minutes, and enjoy a ridiculously fun and not-that-serious action film. This will be an instant purchase on 4k physical for the home. You do NOT need to be a He-Man fan to enjoy this, but if you are a fan, the amount of “fan service” is insane, and we loved it! #mastersoftheuniverse #heman #skeletor #catlegreyskull #snakemountain taken in Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Hamlin by @pikaroth

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4 months ago

Movie 16 of 2026: Disclosure Day. I know this has not been seen by many as a good or great film. Seems that most people have disliked it or outright said it “sucks.” I, however, enjoyed it! Is it a GREAT film? No, not even close, but in the end, @snorris49 liked it and said it was “good,” but she’ll never watch it again, and I liked it actually more and will most likely watch it again down the road. I say this as someone who grew up reading all the Time Life Mysteries of the Unknown books, watching Unsolved Mysteries and thinking it was based upon real events when it came to aliens, and we are just the RIGHT generation for the 70s and 80s “alien fad” that was going on. Of course, I grew up and aged to around 12 or 13 and realized none of it was real, but it all hit me in my formative years, so it was stuck with me. The actual message behind this movie would work without aliens as it’s about (no spoilers as it slaps you in the face) empathy and truly listening to people and realizing we are all suffering and trying our best – almost Star Trek in nature in that regard. Do the aliens make sense? No, of course not. Aliens never make sense. They can cross time and space and seemingly want to bring peace to Earth yet as soon as they arrive, they continue to crash, get captured, and somehow never spread peace or understanding. But, again, don’t question what are allegedly more intelligent creatures who like to abduct children and change their entire mental states (given that, maybe the aliens do deserve to be harshly interrogated). So yeah, we are told the aliens are good, yet they are also kind of assholes and torture children, so who knows! ANYWAY, this is well made, well-acted, and had some really amazing shots of windows and reflections that should stand out as you watch it. In the end, we both liked it, and I liked it a bit more. Good message throughout and the last thing spoken is perfect. I can’t wrap my head around people saying it was terrible or awful. #disclosureday #aliens taken in Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Hamlin by @pikaroth

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4 months ago