Movie Met | A Top 10 UK Movie Blog

Train Dreams review “The dead tree is as important as the living one”

26 January 2026 / Will Phillips / 0 Comments

Train Dreams, based on the Novella by Denis Johnson, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January of 2025. Recently making its way to Netflix, I watched it to try to understand what all of the hype was about for this stunning picture.

The plot is simple, centering on the life of a hard-working Robert Granier- played by Joel Edgerton. Through the decades, we see Robert go through the highs and lows of a constantly changing United States during the 20th century. It is not the world that the film draws attention to though, but Robert’s personal struggles to find his way and meaning in life.

Marty Supreme review “A bold portrait of single‑minded obsession”

23 January 2026 / Finley Kettle / 0 Comments

After one of the boldest, most inventive marketing campaigns for an “independent” film in recent memory, does Marty Supreme, A24’s unhinged Ping-Pong picture live up to the hype?

Directed by Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme follows the exploits of an American table-tennis prodigy in the 1950s, but don’t let that simple synopsis fool you… Marty Supreme is far from a conventional sports flick. Instead, Marty is no plucky underdog or inspirational hero; he’s a narcissistic, arrogant scumbag who’ll stop at nothing to achieve his aspirations. The film’s tagline, Dream Big, is fully embodied in its lead character, but his actions are far from inspirational.

The Housemaid review “Serving secrets, one at a time”

11 January 2026 / Adam Brannon / 0 Comments

Based on the 2022 novel of the same name by Freida McFadden, The Housemaid is a stylish psychological thriller packed with twists, turns, and some standout performances from a very talented cast. But does this campy thriller manage to hold the audience’s attention, or does it ultimately outstay its welcome?

Hoping for a fresh start after a troubled past, Millie (Sydney Sweeney) becomes a live-in maid for the wealthy Winchesters, played by Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar, a couple who harbour more than a few sinister secrets.

Avatar: Fire & Ash review “James Cameron still rules the big screen, bro”

22 December 2025 / Adam Brannon / 0 Comments

I’m shivering at the thought as I write this, but would you believe it’s been 16 years since James Cameron first brought Avatar to the big screen?

Initially lambasted upon release – and failing to take quite as much money as many expected during its opening weekend – the film went on to gross nearly $3 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time.

Cameron always insisted Avatar was designed as a multi-film experience, unfolding over many years, though I don’t think any of us were prepared for just how literal he was being. The second film, The Way of Water, didn’t arrive until 2022 – a full 13 years later. Despite that, it now sits comfortably as the third highest-grossing film ever, beaten only by its predecessor and Avengers: Endgame.

Fast forward three more years and Cameron is back again. But has 16 years been kind to the series? Or is it finally running out of steam with Fire & Ash?

Avatar [2009]: A retrospective look back

19 December 2025 / Adam Brannon / 1 Comment

Looking back, it’s easy to forget just how much pressure rested on Avatar. James Cameron was attempting to follow up Titanic, a film that had dominated cinema history since 1997. When Avatar finally arrived 12 years later, it wasn’t just another blockbuster – it was positioned as an event, one that aimed to redefine what cinema could look and feel like.

Wicked: For Good review “No good deed goes unpunished”

25 November 2025 / Adam Brannon / 0 Comments

As one of the world’s most popular musicals, it always felt inevitable that the film adaptation of Wicked would land well with fans – and, by extension, the box office. Even so, last year’s Wicked “defied gravity” – see what I did there, by soaring to nearly $760 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing movie musical of all time and the fifth highest-grossing film of 2024. That’s no mean feat for this genre.

A huge part of that success came from the show’s existing popularity, of course, but Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s electric chemistry, combined with Universal Pictures’ fantastic marketing campaign, certainly helped seal the deal.

What was less warmly received was the decision to split the musical into two films. Fans widely lamented the choice, arguing that the second half of the stage show – which follows Elphaba’s iconic Defying Gravity moment – simply isn’t as strong. So how does the follow-up, Wicked: For Good, shape up?

“Bleak brutality and compelling camaraderie” The Long Walk review

25 November 2025 / Rachel Goodman / 0 Comments

‘The task is simple: walk or die.’

The Long Walk (2025), directed by Francis Lawrence, is the latest Stephen King book-to-film adaptation. While the premise of the film simply is ‘walk or die’, The Long Walk carries so much more allure and emotional magnitude than this simple tagline might suggest.

Behind the mask: Thomas Beatty on The Hook and the art of authentic storytelling

18 November 2025 / Adam Brannon / 0 Comments

Independent filmmaking thrives on authenticity, collaboration and a little bit of creative chaos — all of which pulse through The Hook, the striking new project from rising filmmaker Thomas Beatty.

Fresh from its success at Bournemouth Film Festival, where it picked up awards for Best Editing and Best Original Song, the film is already generating the kind of word-of-mouth buzz most indie directors can only dream of.

In this exclusive interview with Movie Metropolis, Tommy reflects on the film’s organic evolution, from its inception by Charlie Freeman, Elijah Rowen and Jack McEvoy, to the intensely collaborative process that shaped everything from its visuals to its music.

With festival runs, a planned release next year and an upcoming vampire series already in the works, this is a filmmaker firmly on the rise.

In conversation with director Bailey McKenzie: The journey behind The Last Hope

28 September 2025 / Adam Brannon / 0 Comments

At just 17 years old, filmmaker Bailey McKenzie wrote and directed The Last Hope, a debut feature that earned him a Best Director nomination and recognition on the international film festival circuit. What began with LEGO stop-motion shorts and self-taught screenwriting quickly grew into an ambitious live action project that showcased not only his passion, but also his determination to make his mark as a storyteller.

In this interview with Movie Metropolis, he reflects on the challenges of taking on multiple roles behind the camera, the impact of early success, and how his creative journey has evolved since. He also shares insight into his upcoming feature, Only for a Moment, which promises to be a moving exploration of love, loss, and resilience.

Eddington review “A neo-nightmare of pandemic-Era paranoia”

2 September 2025 / Finley Kettle / 3 Comments

Who could have guessed that one of 2025’s most intense cinematic showdowns would unfold to the sound of Katy Perry’s 2010 anthem “Firework” – all set against the chaotic backdrop of the COVID pandemic? It’s a scene so wild, so emotionally charged, and so pivotal to the film that only the twisted brilliance of Ari Aster could have dreamed it up.

Few characters embody the feeling of being “a plastic bag, drifting through the wind” quite like Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) in Eddington, Aster’s latest American neo-nightmare. As the sheriff of a remote New Mexico town, Cross is caught in a whirlwind of conspiracy, paranoia, and unrest during the volatile days of May 2020. From COVID mandates to BLM protests, he’s pulled in every direction – struggling to hold his town together save his crumbling marriage, and match wits with his rival: the charismatic town mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal).

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