Rogue Reviews

Lee Cronin delivers a fresh horror spin on the classic Universal monster franchise. When a young girl who vanished in the desert years earlier suddenly returns to her family, what should be a joyful reunion quickly turns terrifying as they realise she is not the same daughter they lost. We discuss how this version leans heavily into body horror, jump scares and an unsettling atmosphere rather than...

From the world of Rogue Reviews, this is Rogue Bites - where we break down the latest films and TV in minutes. In this Rogue Bite, we get into: -  Thrash (2026):  A low-key survival movie that brings real tension and fun without going full ridiculous. -  Rental Family (2025):  An indie film that stands out with emotional depth and a strong Brendan Fraser per...

We compare two very different new family films: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, the chaotic, high-energy Nintendo sequel that sends Mario, Luigi and friends on a colourful space adventure and The Magic Faraway Tree, the charming adaptation of Enid Blyton’s beloved books about a family discovering a magical tree that leads to fantastical worlds. We discuss why one feels like pure sensory overload des...

BenDavid Gribinski directs this fun genre mash-up: two lifelong friends get pulled into a dangerous night of organised crime, complete with time travel twists that force them to confront their past mistakes and fractured loyalties. Vince Vaughn plays dual versions of Nick, James Marsden is Quick Draw Mike, and Eiza González is Alice, with Keith David, Jimmy Tatro and more rounding out the cast in...

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett return for this horror-comedy sequel: after surviving the Le Domas family’s deadly game, Grace (Samara Weaving) is thrust into an even deadlier ritual hunted by a cabal of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful families. Kathryn Newton joins as her estranged sister in a fresh round of chaos, with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Elijah Wood, Kevin Durand and more ro...

Phil Lord and Christopher Miller direct this gripping sci-fi adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel: astronaut Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) wakes up millions of miles from Earth with no memory, aboard a ship on a desperate mission to save humanity from a cosmic threat that could extinguish the sun. As he pieces together his purpose, he discovers he’s not entirely alone. We celebrate the smart, character-d...

Today we reviewed The Bluff, Song Sung Blue, and The Wrecking Crew - three movies that couldn’t be more different. The Bluff is a story of pirates and revenge, Song Song Blue is a biopic about the famous tribute act 'Lightning & Thunder' and The Wrecking Crew follows two brothers who reluctantly work together to track down their father's killer. We chat through what works, what doesn’t, and wh...

Kevin Williamson returns to write and direct the latest Scream chapter: original final girl Sidney (Neve Campbell) is pulled back to her hometown when a new Ghostface begins a fresh killing spree, forcing her to protect her family and confront lingering horrors from her past. Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Courteney Cox, Mckenna Grace, Anna Camp and more join the ensemble in this bloody, meta...

We dive into three very different series that recently caught our attention. First up is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the latest spin-off from the Game of Thrones universe, bringing more intrigue and lore from Westeros. Then we shift gears to Paradise, an apocalyptic political thriller now in its second season, blending high-stakes drama with a tense, end-of-the-world backdrop. And finally, we...

Gore Verbinski directs this sci-fi comedy: "A Man From the Future" (Sam Rockwell) recruits a ragtag, reluctant group to prevent an apocalyptic disaster, blending high-stakes time travel with sharp humour and unlikely alliances. Hayley Lu Richardson, Michael Peña, Zazie Beetz, Asim Chaudhry, Tom Taylor and Juno Temple round out the ensemble in this fun, genre-mashing adventure. We praise the clever...

Bart Layton directs and writes this LA-set crime thriller: a master thief teams with an insurance broker for a high-stakes score, while a relentless detective closes in. Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Halle Berry lead, with Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Nick Nolte in support. We hail it as a solid throwback to classics like Heat and Out of Sight, praise...

Sam Raimi brings his signature style to this survival horror: after a plane crash strands a domineering boss and their employee on a remote island, old workplace power structures collapse amid rising tensions and desperate survival efforts. Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien alongside Edyll Ismai, Xavier Samuel, Chris Pang and Dennis Haysbert round out the cast in this tense, gruesome thriller. We c...

We tackle three distinct Apple TV sci-fi series: Pluribus, Vince Gilligan's post-apocalyptic drama about an astronomer's discovery upending society; Severance, the mind-bending thriller following workers with surgically separated work-life memories; and Silo, the dystopian bunker saga where engineer Juliette exposes deadly secrets in a massive underground world. We break down premises, pacing, twi...

We cover two recent releases: Mercy, Timur Bekmambetov’s screen-life thriller with Chris Pratt as a cop racing to prove his innocence to AI judge Rebecca Ferguson; The Rip, Joe Carnahan’s tense crime drama starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as Miami detectives hunting cartel cash amid betrayal; and last years Back in Action, Seth Gordon’s Netflix action-comedy with Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz as...

Nia DaCosta directs the immediate sequel to last year’s 28 Years Later revival: young survivor Spike roams the infected mainland of Britain, where he’s drawn into a charismatic but dangerous cult-like gang led by Sir Lord Jimmy Crystal. Meanwhile, Dr. Kelson deepens his study of the infected and forms a bond with one that carries huge consequences. The ensemble includes Ralph Fiennes (Dr Ian Kelso...

As 2026 begins, we look back at the cinematic highs (and lows) of 2025 with our personal top 10 lists - drawn from dozens of films across blockbusters, indies and everything in between - ranking purely on enjoyment, emotional connection and whether the filmmaker nailed their vision. Then we switch gears to the most exciting 2026 releases on the horizon, from Christopher Nolan’s epic The Odyssey to...

Rian Johnson’s third Knives Out whodunit: a locked-room killing inside a quiet church drags young priest Father Andrew (Josh O’Connor) into the investigation - until the police call in the one detective who can crack impossible cases, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). With Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny and more, it’s a perfect ensembl...

James Cameron cranks up the spectacle in the third Avatar chapter: with the Sully family now embedded among the water Na'vi, a ruthless new volcanic tribe - the Ash People - allies with the human invaders, forcing Jake, Neytiri and their kids into an all-out war across fiery new landscapes. Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Edie Falco, Jack Champion, Oona Chaplin and mo...

Denis Villeneuve’s breathtaking take on Frank Herbert’s “unfilmable” classic: young Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) inherits the deadly desert planet Arrakis, source of the priceless “spice,” only to face betrayal and exile among the native Fremen. Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa, Zendaya and more fill out a stacked cast in this monumental, slow-burn sci-fi masterpiece. W...

Elizabeth Banks unleashes the most gloriously unhinged creature feature in years: when a 500-pound black bear accidentally ingests a massive stash of dropped cocaine, an ordinary Georgia forest turns into absolute chaos. Rangers, drug dealers, tourists, and one very determined Margo Martindale suddenly find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Alden Eh...

We settle into full post-Christmas mode to talk about Jingle Bell Heist, Netflix’s new festive heist movie. Released perfectly for Boxing Day viewing, the film follows two stressed, down-on-their-luck strangers who team up to rob a department store owner who’s wronged them both and, as we’d expect, things don’t quite go to plan.  We share our overall reactions, unpack the twists, motivations...

In this festive episode of Rogue Reviews, we decided to lean into the chaos. As it’s the holiday season, Gary took full control of the watchlist and challenged us to sit through three notoriously bad Christmas movies - films that regularly appear on “worst of all time” lists – yet somehow keep getting watched every December. Together, we work our way through the madness of Santa Jaws, the infamous...

Guillermo del Toro finally brings his lifelong passion project to the screen: a lavish, heartbreakingly beautiful Netflix retelling of Mary Shelley’s classic that spans Victor Frankenstein’s entire tragic life. With Oscar Isaac as the tormented creator, Jacob Elordi as the towering Creature, and a supporting cast including Mia Goth, Charles Dance and Lars Mikkelsen, this is the most faithful and e...

Edgar Wright takes on Stephen King’s brutal 1982 novel (written under his Richard Bachman pseudonym) and delivers a hyper-kinetic, grimly satirical chase movie that finally does the source material justice. Glenn Powell stars as Ben Richards, a framed everyman forced into America’s favourite blood-sport: survive 30 days on the run while corporate killers hunt you live on air. Lee Pace is delicious...

Three years on, with final seasons looming for some of the decade’s biggest series, 2022 suddenly looks like a golden year for television. Stranger Things went supersized and scarier than ever, The Boys swung harder at superhero sacred cows, Obi-Wan Kenobi gave prequel kids the reunion they’d waited decades for, and James Gunn somehow turned John Cena in a toilet-seat helmet into one of the most c...