Mercy

My View: Mercy  (2026)  PG-13  Mercy takes place in the near future, where a system is implemented that, if you are arrested for a capital crime, you go before an A.I. Judge, and you have only 90 minutes to prove your innocence. Detective Raymond (Chris Pratt) wakes up and is accused of killing his wife. He now has 90 minutes to prove his innocence to the A.I. Judge (Rebecca Ferguson). January is usually a dumping ground for films that the studios don’t care about. So, this film, shot in 2024 and now being released, should tell you everything you need to know. Already a candidate for one of the worst films of 2026, Mercy is a dull film that hasn’t figured out AI or the fact that Chris Pratt is not a stage actor. For most of the film (except for doorbell and Alexa video scenes from the past), Pratt is handcuffed to a chair that, if his character doesn’t prove his innocence, will be his execution chair. The film wants to lecture us about a number of things wrong with the justice system, but it does it with an AI judge (played by Rebecca Ferguson) who, at times, gets upset if not called ‘your honor’ but can’t grasp common sense and practical deductions that are used to find clues in criminal investigations. The film wants to be a whodunit, but we already know from the get-go that Raymond is not guilty, and by thirty minutes in, I had figured out who the actual killer was. Too bad that by looking at the countdown clock that was always on screen, I knew we had another 60 minutes for the film to figure that out.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again  Mercy Website Now playing in theaters nationwide

My View: Return to Silent Hill  (2026) R  Return to Silent Hill follows James (Jeremy Irvine), who has lost contact with his girlfriend, Mary, until he receives a mysterious letter asking him to come to a town called Silent Hill. He hopes to be reunited, but he discovers a malevolent force has overtaken the town. James is determined to locate his lost love despite the presence of terrifying characters, both familiar and unfamiliar. The film is based on the much-loved video game, and that’s exactly what it feels like when watching it. Except you can push any buttons to move your character to a new scene or have the fun of killing a horrible creature or two. Instead, it feels as if we are being given a tour of the video game. We don’t like James almost from the start, including the ‘meet cute’ between him and Mary, which comes off as an incredibly bad plot point. About two-thirds through this hour-and-forty-five-minute slog of a film, I lost all interest in seeing how this story played out. Someone please put another game in the system; I’m done with this one.  My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again   Return to Silent Hill Website The review will be up on Friday night.

Indiefest: Magellan  (2025)  In Magellan, Ferdinand Magellan (Gael Garcia Bernal) sets out on a voyage with the hopes of conquest and riches. Instead, Magellan will find in the Philippines madness and heartbreak. I think Gael Garcia Bernal gives a good performance in this film, but I am not sure, as almost every shot is a static, distant shot. I don’t think there was a close-up of Magellan in the first twenty minutes. The film is all about showing us the consequences of actions without showing us what the actions were. I think some critics are going to love this film, but I found its two-hour and forty-minute runtime too long, with scenes that just lay there. This film reminded me of the saying “watching paint dry”, though I would say it was like watching the paint dry on a beautiful picture painted by a master.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee   Magellan Website  Now playing in select theaters.

Indiefest:  H is for Hawk  (2025)  PG-13  In H is for Hawk, Helen (Claire Foy) becomes lost in grief when her father suddenly dies. On a whim, Helen buys a hawk named Mabel. Through this unlikely friendship, Helen learns that life can begin again, even after a loss. Grief hits us in different ways, and with Helen, she basically cuts off almost everyone and everything in her life except for a hawk named Mabel. Most people would look for an animal that can give comfort and love in return, but Helen finds comfort in the bond she develops with Mabel, the hawk. Claire Foy gives a heartfelt, moving performance as a woman who is extremely close to her father, and the only solace she can find is in her connection with a bird that hunts. It doesn't hurt that the always brilliant Brendan Gleeson plays Hellen's father in the flashbacks. Comfort literature has become all the rage, and H is for Hawk is about as close as you will come to a ‘comfort’ film. It’s a film where not much happens, but we see how close Helen becomes to Mabel and how that bond helps her heal.   My Rating: Full Price  H is for Hawk Website   Now playing in select theaters

Forgotten Film: Touched by Love (1980) PG  Lena (Deborah Raffin), a college dropout searching for direction, becomes a nurse’s aide at a school for children with medical problems. Lena is instantly drawn to what the school says is their “problem child”, a young girl named Karen (Diane Lane), who has cerebral palsy. Karen has become unresponsive, staying silent and moody. Lena learns that Karen is an Elvis fan, and they connect. Lena encourages her to write a fan letter, and Elvis replies. Diane Lane shines as Karen, and the strong supporting cast, including Michael Learned, John Amos, and Mary Wickes, adds warmth to this touching movie. My Rating: Full Price  Touched by Love Info

Weird Credits:  From the credits of Mercy: Fixtures Foreperson

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Wuthering Heights  (2026) R  The legendary love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors. The intense and sometimes destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine. Written and directed by Academy Award winner Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) and starring three-time Oscar-nominated Margot Robbie as Catharine and newly Oscar-nominated Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), this is surely going to be one of the must-see films of the year.  Wuthering Heights Website  The film is in theaters on Friday, February 13, 2026  

Until Next Time!