Pasckie Pascua's Nerdy Squirrel Reviews: Movies.

“Brothers Under Fire” (2026, Hulu) action film . A decorated U.S. Army Captain and his military squadron travel to Mexico for a comrade's wedding. When a ruthless local cartel violently interrupts the celebration and kills a groom, the joyous trip turns into a brutal fight for survival. Stars Kiefer Sutherland.          The action sequences are alright and neatly-executed but not the sort that'd stick in your memory. Yet there's nothing in this by-the-motions cartel cliche that is fresh or new. Mr Sutherland's talent goes through a day-job gig. Get paid, done. That's all. 🎥💻📽 “Normal” (2025, HBO Max) action thriller . The story—set in the fictitious, titular town of Normal, Minnesota —follows a newly-arrived interim sheriff who investigates a town-wide conspiracy after a botched bank robbery.         The premise is ridiculously cartoonish or wildly whacked but no matter. This movie revels on Bob Odenkirk'...

“Borderlands” (2024, Fandango) science fiction action comedy. Cate Blanchett stars as Lillith, an outlaw who forms an alliance with a team of misfits to find the missing daughter of the most powerful man in the universe.         One critic called this cartoonish din, “generic gaming adaptation.” Sure, it is just one of countless video game movie adaptations, and this is one of the worst. The production budget is $115 million; the box-office take is $31 million. Imagine the money wasted! Worse than “Supergirl,” I guess.         To add to the pain, Kevin Hart and Jack Black are here. But thank God, Jack was actually just the voice of the robot Claptrap (but still annoying). The only good thing here is Cate Blanchett. Enough said. 🎥💻📽 “The Toxic Avenger” (2023, Amazon Prime) superhero black comedy . A bullied, downtrodden janitor falls into toxic waste and transforms into a deformed, super-powered vigil...

“Lone Samurai” (2025, Plex) Japanese-language survival action. A shipwrecked 13th-century samurai overcomes his desire for ritual suicide after being captured by a violent cannibal tribe on a remote island.         The movie opened in slow-paced but visually stunning sequences. Ruminative. The real drama commences when Riku's seppuku (or suicide) attempt was halted when a violent, cannibalistic tribe captured him. The real show is the final act's choreographed combat.         It takes patience to watch this but it's okay, in the end. 🎥💻📽 “ Waiting for Dalí ” (2023, Tubi) Spanish comedy-drama. Two brothers fleeing political trouble in 1974 Franco-era Spain find refuge and culinary purpose at an eccentric coastal restaurant obsessed with the famous artist Salvador Dalí.        Alluring cinematography, Spanish small-town cultural atmosphere, awesome food preparation, and a ...

“Project Hail Mary” (2026, Amazon Prime) Science-fiction. A middle school teacher awakens aboard an interstellar spacecraft with no memory of how he got there.         This critically-exalted feature is directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and written by Drew Goddard , based on the 2021 novel by Andy Weir . It stars Ryan Gosling , as Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher and former molecular biologist on a mission to save humanity, and respected European luminary Sandra Hüller as Eva Stratt, the head of the international task force behind “Project Hail Mary.”        The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes has glowing superlatives: "A visually dazzling space odyssey that's carried along effortlessly by the gravitational pull of Ryan Gosling at his most winning, ‘Project Hail Mary’ is a near-miraculous fusion of smarts and heart." I can't say this sci-fi isn't a fine movie but having watched ...

“Love Lies Bleeding” (2024, Fawesome) romantic thriller . The lesbian relationship between a reclusive gym manager, who is estranged from her powerful father, a sinister businessman with a criminal history, and an ambitious bodybuilder gets wrapped up in the father's web of violence and coverups.         As expected, critics praised this silliness. Rotten Tomatoes : "Lust and violence collide to powerfully pulpy effect.” While I thumb-up the involved performance of Kristen Stewart as the reclusive Lou and Katy O'Brian as the bodybuilder Jackie, I don’t really dig the fantastic plot and the whoa! “supernatural” bit. Besides the two leads, all the rest are confectionary caricatures. 🎥💻📽 “Filthy Animals” (2024, Amazon Prime) crime thriller. Set on Christmas Eve, it follows two outlaw misfits—a thrill-seeking drug enthusiast, and a bodybuilder out of rehab—who hunt down child sexual predators, until a mysterious woman derails their mission.  ...