Dog Man brings the beloved books to life in a fun, fast-paced story that kids will love. Thanks to the hilarious cast, parents will have a good time too.

From the mind of Dav Pilkey, who also writes the Captain Underpants books, comes Dog Man. During a horrible accident a police officer loses the use of his head and his trusty dog loses the use of his body – so together they become Dog Man, a crime-fighting super cop that cannot talk because, well, he has the head of a dog.

Yes, this is a bizarre origin story but it is not as traumatic as it sounds. Made humorous for the kiddos, it sets up a really fun story. Especially whenever the canine instincts bleed through for Dog Man.

This movie follows Dog Man as he goes up against the meanest cat in the city – Petey. Petey is brilliantly voiced by Pete Davidson, who knows exactly how to bring the comedic timing (and a dash of heart) to make this movie work. Since the main character doesn’t talk, but rather only whimpers and barks, a lot falls on Davidson to keep things moving, but he succeeds with ease.

The other main character is Dog Man’s boss, the Chief. Lil Rel Howery voices Chief and, much like Davidson, has the added pressure of helping to carry the film. To no one’s surprise, he also hits all his comedic beats perfectly.

Dog Man might be made for the children who love the books, but at least parents will be somewhat entertained. This movie is not going to change lives, but it does have some important messages weaved in about working together for the greater good when necessary. The ending is sweet and, thankfully, the film hits the ground running right out of the gate and almost never slows down keeping the attention of little ones.

Li’l Petey is adorable and easily my favorite part of this movie. His interactions with both Petey and Dog Man bring humor, but also a lot of heart to the story.

All you need to do is take one look at the animation style and it becomes clear that this story is connected to the Captain Underpants universe. I learned from my daughter that the lore is that these stories are written by Harold and George – and, fun fact, Lil Petey writes the Cat Kid Comix, which are sure to make their way to the screen eventually.

Overall Dog Man is cute. It is a lot of fun with some great action sequences and sharp-witted humor. There are themes about being there for your family and how some people are shaped by their past.

Ahead of the movie, fans will see a new The Bad Guys short which really helps to set the mood for humor and fun. As someone who loves these movies, it was nice to get to see these characters again. I found the short to be more entertaining than the movie, but it is made for an older audience, so surely that is why.

NEXT: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Review

About Dog Man

Part dog, part man, all hero.

From DreamWorks Animation—creators of the beloved blockbuster franchises Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon and The Boss Baby—comes the canine-crime-fighting film adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s New York Times bestselling literary phenomenon: Dog Man.

When a faithful police dog and his human police officer owner are injured together on the job, a harebrained but life-saving surgery fuses the two of them together and Dog Man is born. Dog Man is sworn to protect and serve—and fetch, sit and roll over.

As Dog Man embraces his new identity and strives to impress his Chief (Lil Rel Howery, Get Out, Free Guy), he must stop the pretty evil plots of feline supervillain Petey the Cat (Pete Davidson; Saturday Night Live, The King of Staten Island). Petey’s latest plan is to clone himself, creating the kitten Lil Petey, to double his ability to do crime stuff.

Things get complicated, though, when Lil Petey forges an unexpected bond with Dog Man. When Lil Petey falls into the clutches of a common enemy, Dog Man and Petey reluctantly join forces in an action-packed race against time to rescue the young kitten. In the process, they discover the power of family (and kittens!) to bring even the most hostile foes together.

Dog Man is in theaters now.

Heart Eyes is the perfect combination of slasher and romantic comedy, delivering over-the-top gnarly kills, self-aware humor, and a sweet love story.

Creating a horror-comedy that works on every level can be difficult, and yet the team behind Heart Eyes has done just that. There are so many elements that go into pulling it off and if just one of them doesn’t work, the entire film falls apart. But from the opening scene on, Heart Eyes nails every aspect that it needs to.

This movie is very self-aware. It knows exactly what it is, as do all the actors involved. When it comes to meta references, they tend to focus more on romantic comedies than slasher films. Sort of like what Scream does with the horror genre. Which is funny to say because Mason Gooding also stars in Heart Eyes. The poor guy cannot catch a break running from serial killers.

That said, his character in this film, Jay, is different enough from Scream‘s Chad to feel fresh and unique. This speaks to the talent that Gooding has. He can be in two very similar franchises and yet give viewers a whole new performance. Impressive is an understatement.

Gooding stars in Heart Eyes alongside Olivia Holt, who plays Ally. The two have an adorable meet cute but things quickly go off the rails when a serial killer who stalks couples on Valentine’s Day comes to town. Holt and Gooding are electric together. They really nail all the tropes needed for a successful romantic comedy. They are believable in this will they, won’t they situation. I would love to see more of them together on screen.

You can’t have a good horror-comedy without epic kills, however. Thankfully Heart Eyes got this memo and delivers on surprising, over-the-top, unique, ridiculous murders. The movie starts off strong in this department and never slows down. It is this aspect of Heart Eyes that makes me want to see it as a franchise. Give me all the movies, keep them coming, just like Scream. I will be seated day one for every single one of them.

This movie is an absolute blast. The choice of music, the right amount of suspense, and a killer reveal that fits the vibe of the movie – Heart Eyes nailed everything that it needed to and more.

Between Companion, The Monkey, and Heart Eyes, there are a lot of theatrical releases for fans of horror-comedies this month. Each of them is worth your money and time, so I beg of you, do not choose one over the others and support all three of these great films in theaters.

The perfect blend of slasher and rom-com, this movie has over the top kills and jokes that always land.

NEXT: Companion Review: An Exploration Of Abusive Relationships

About Heart Eyes

For the past several years, the “Heart Eyes Killer” has wreaked havoc on Valentine’s Day by stalking and murdering romantic couples. This Valentine’s Day, no couple is safe…

Heart Eyes comes to theaters on February 7.

During Netflix’s Next On Netflix event this week, Ben Affleck surprised guests with a look at his latest collaboration with Matt Damon, RIP.

As someone who grew up outside of Boston, it is in my veins to adore Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. Not only do they work brilliantly together, they represent my city with passion and I will always appreciate that. I am a big fan of all of their work, so when it was announced that they would be joining forces yet again, this time for a Netflix film titled RIP, I was all in without even knowing any details.

When the details came, however, I was even more excited than I expected. At first glance, you might think this is a horror movie because of the title. But RIP does not stand for Rest In Piece in this instance, but rather when police keep whatever money they find at a crime scene.

Ben Affleck & Matt Damon Join Forces For RIP

RIP is a crime thriller set in Miami and is inspired by true events. “A rip is when cops keep whatever money they find at a crime scene, and this movie takes a look at the things people will do for money,” Affleck explains.

Director Joe Carnahan described this film as Heat meets Narc meets Training Day to Affleck when they first discussed it. “He really outdid himself and it’s really spectacular. He co-wrote it, he directed it and he really wanted to make this a genre classic like Seven or The French Connection.”

Ben Affleck goes on to say that RIP is a really fun, engaging ride that keeps you guessing. “It’s a compelling, complicated human drama that also hues to these elements of cinema that people have loved forever.”

The cast includes Ben Affleck, of course, as well as Matt Damon, Sasha Calle, Teyana Taylor, Steven Yeun, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Adkins, and Kyle Chandler. Talk about an all-star cast. If you were not already looking forward to this movie, I cannot imagine that aren’t after seeing this line-up.

“It’s the seventh movie that Matt Damon and my company, Artists Equity, has made and it really is, in a lot of ways, the most important for us because we’ve found some really exciting partners who are really interested in not just what has been but what could be at Netflix. And Bela and Ted and Dan have been spectacular — I want to thank them. This is exactly the kind of film that we want to champion,” Affleck adds.

RIP recently wrapped filming and so Ben Affleck brought with him a little bit of footage. It may not be released to the public yet, but I assure that this movie is going to be a high-octane thrill ride with incredible stunts and, not surprisingly, some truly stellar performances.

Just from the few minutes that I saw, there are a lot of questionable morals as cops struggle with the thought of being able to take home twenty million dollars with others being none the wiser. A payday like that could change lives, but is it worth letting go of who you are to get it? Some might say yes.

RIP is just one of the many exciting announcements that Netflix made, with others including the Squid Games Season 3 release date, Stranger Things season 5 details, and a new look at Oscar Isaac in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein.

Writer-Director Ryan Coogler dishes behind-the-scenes secrets about his new horror film Sinners and talks collaborating with Michael B. Jordan again.

Ahead of the release of the new Sinners trailer, which is out now, we caught up with writer-director Ryan Coogler during a press event moderated by Juju Green (AKA Straw Hat Goofy). He shares behind-the-scenes secrets about his first time playing in the horror genre.

He also discusses the bond he has formed with Michael B. Jordan over the years. Sinners is their fifth time collaborating. Coogler details the filming process for this movie and why it is so unique and thrilling for him.

Ryan Coogler On His Fifth Collaboration With Michael B. Jordan

“What we went through with losing Chadwick, it made us both appreciate each other even more.”

When asked about working with Michael B. Jordan for the fifth time, Ryan Coogler had a lot to say.

I mean, the rarity of it comes in that we kind of grew up in the business together. Mike was a full-time actor as a child, so I got to meet him after he had already been in some great shows and some great movies. But in terms of being a leading man in feature films, his first time doing that was on my first feature film, Fruitvale. He’s got this incredible mix of talent and charisma. A lot of stuff is God-given, but then he also is a real craftsman, you know what I mean? He really cares about the craft and is constantly trying to get better at it and constantly trying to challenge himself. It’s very unique to find that in somebody. We’ve become friends and continue to challenge each other. It’s been a great working relationship, for sure, and a great personal relationship.

Most filmmakers that work, they have their people that they go to, that they end up working with a lot. All of my favorite filmmakers have those relationships. It makes it easier. It’s hard to make a movie. It’s hard to lead a film, to be an actor in these films. When you have somebody who it clicks with, somebody who understands you, who gets you, it doesn’t feel like work all the time. Mike and I have been able to find that in each other, so it’s been great. What we went through with losing Chadwick, it made us both appreciate each other even more.

Michael B. Jordan Plays Twins In Sinners

Ryan Coogler expains that they had twin consultants working with Michael B. Jordan so he could get it right.

Michael B. Jordan is not only playing two characters in Sinners, he is playing twin brothers. One member of the press asked Coogler if these characters are meant to represent two sides of the same coin.

The film is so much fun. What we are dealing with in the film is a lot of archetypical characters. These are identical twins, but they are also that concept of twins. Every neighborhood where I was from coming up, if you said, hey, man, where are the twins at? They would have these guys and they’re kind of notorious local celebrities. So it was an exploration of that. It’s unique in that they are identical twins, but they are two different people. It’s not as simple as two sides of the same coin in that there’s a dynamic that exists with identical twins that’s known.

We had twin consultants on this movie. Two friends of mine that are actually filmmakers as well, Logan and Noah Miller, who I know from Northern California. They were able to consult and work with Mike on the mindset of sharing a womb with somebody and growing up with them and how unique of a dynamic that is. But at the same time, not making it a caricature. The differences between these two guys are slight, but they are there.

Sinners Is A Personal Project For Ryan Coogler

It’s very personal. It’s interesting, too, because each time I’ve been blessed to make something, it has been the most personal thing that I’ve made up to date, and this one’s no different. My maternal grandfather is from Mississippi and my Uncle James, who passed away while I was finishing up Creed, is also from Mississippi. It was a place that I had never been. My maternal grandfather passed before I was born. We grew up in a house that he built in Oakland after he had moved to California, and I was fortunate enough to have a really, really close relationship with my Uncle James. This movie is about the seed of… it started with that relationship with my uncle. He would listen to blues music all the time. He would only talk about Mississippi when he was listening to that music, and he had a profound effect on my life. I got a chance to dig into my own ancestral history with this film, and it’s been extremely rewarding. 

Ryan Coogler Loves Horror, But This Is His First Time Making A Movie In The Genre

“Usually when I make a movie, I’m dealing with an unimaginable fear.”

Ryan Coogler loves movies. And he loves the horror genre. That said, Sinners is his first time getting to play in the horror genre.

It was my first time experimenting with the genre head on, and I loved it. I got to dig into the films that I loved coming up, and get to analyze why I loved them, what drew me to them, and try to really lean on those influences and figure out a way to tell my story in that space. It’s interesting because I think the genre is a genre that’s for the people, that’s for the popular consumers of the film, but it’s also a genre that comes up when people ask about great pieces of art in cinema as well. 

Without getting into too many details, usually when I make a movie, I’m dealing with an unimaginable fear. In this one I had an opportunity to do that. But what I will say that’s ironic is on this film, I didn’t have many nightmares. I think it was because of the material that we were making. Some of it was so intense that that energy was happening there on set. I can’t tell you how much fun we had on this. It was a good time.

There Is A Visual Language To Sinners

“It’s the first film ever done like this.”

There is a unique visual language to Sinners that Ryan Coogler is excited to share with audiences.

It’s my first film back on celluloid since Fruitvale. I’m a big fan of the medium. I was always excited to be back working there. It made a lot of sense for the time period to bring it back to that kind of analog capture. And working with Warner Brothers, they allowed us to shoot the film in large format. It’s the first film ever done like this. It alternates between Ultra Panavision, which is a two, seven, six aspect ratio.

We also filmed quite a few scenes with 143 IMAX film, 15 perf., but every shot is large format photography. It makes for a really, really unique look. It’s intimate. It feels old and fresh at the same time. This format is capturing some of our finest craftspeople. Autumn and Hannah and Ruth. It’s been phenomenal to see their work shine. We’ve been showing it to people, especially with TELUS. Very down res versions. We haven’t even seen it in its full 4K scan glory on its full film yet. I’m still curious about how cool it’s going to look. I’ve seen shots here and there, but it’s really incredible.

Sinners comes exclusively to theaters on April 18^th.

About Sinners

Trying to leave their troubled lives behind, twin brothers return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back.

Sinners is only in theaters on April 18^th.

Next: Companion Review: An Exploration Of Abusive Relationships

There is no doubt that Love Me is a strange movie, but it teaches valuable lessons that humanity should learn before it is too late.

Love Me is a movie about a buoy and a satellite that connect in a post-apocalyptic world where humans are no more. In an effort to learn about the lifeforms that lived on Earth long ago, they grow and evolve, finding love, as well as experiencing many other emotions along the way.

Just by reading that, you are certainly thinking this is a strange concept – and it is. There is no doubt that the movie itself is bizarre. It starts off giving Wall-E vibes, but as soon as the two AI systems create Sims-like characters for themselves, that goes out the window. What starts off cute and adorable quickly becomes heavy, and sometimes dark.

Love Me is going to be a divisive film, there is no question about it. But something about it completely drew me in and I found myself hanging on every word. By the end, I was feeling inspired, while at the same time, eager to connect with my loved ones. I wanted to shout from the rooftops who I am and what I love about myself. I felt that I needed to take a few deep breaths, a break from work, and look inside.

Very rarely a film does this to me, but Love Me is one of them. I am not sure if this is the intent behind the film, but Me (Kristen Stewart) and Iam (Steven Yeun) both experience leaving curves and emotional bumps along the road to discovering who they are – something that humanity, whether we like it or not, can relate to.

Something that is repeatedly touched on in this film is the use of social media. Me and Iam learn about humans and life on Earth by scouring the internet. This means a lot of posts from YouTube and Instagram platforms.

Sometimes the things we post come off a little bit fake. We are not always completely honest with our followers about who we are and what we are feeling. Often we find ourselves embarrassed to fully open up to others, which is a heavy theme throughout Love Me. One that I know I could instantly relate to.

This movie got me thinking about being honest with myself, as well as my friends and family. Mental health is important. Taking care of yourself is easier said than done. Especially when you have a job that comes with the stress of deadlines. That is a fact of life, unfortunately. But Love Me left me wanting to take care of myself more.

The film itself is comprised of live-action and animation. It is intriguing and, in my opinion, very well done. Both Stewart and Yeun deliver great performances and while the script is sometimes lacking, for me that is explained away by the fact that these are computers speaking, not human beings.

Love Me will not be for everyone. Some people are going to hate it, others will love it, and some will be right in the middle. I came out of this film loving it – yet, I am unsure of exactly why, as strange as that might sound.

Decide for yourself when Love Me comes to theaters on January 31.

NEXT: Companion Review: An Exploration Of Abusive Relationships

About Love Me

In a story that spans billions of years, a buoy and a satellite meet online long after humanity’s extinction. As they learn what life was like on Earth, they discover themselves and what it means to be alive and in love.

In this groundbreaking first feature from directors Sam and Andy Zuchero, Love Me explores contemporary topics surrounding technology and identity, though at its heart is a simple, emotionally resonant tale of transformation.

Thrillingly utilizing filmmaking techniques from live-action, practical animatronics, classic animation and game engines, and anchored in enthralling performances by Stewart and Yeun, Love Me culminates in the longest-spanning love story ever told.

Love Me comes to theaters on January 31.

Flight Risk sounds entertaining on paper, but the execution is a complete mess, with laughable dialogue and actors who feel like they are in totally different movies.

As someone who is a big fan of Mark Wahlberg and Topher Grace, I was actually looking forward to checking out Flight Risk. The trailer teased a bit of fun thanks to the twist that Wahlberg’s character has been sent to silence Grace’s character, a witness who is being flown to a trial for someone who does not want him to make it there.

One would think the result would be a heart-pounding thriller, but it ends up being filled with horrible dialogue and actors who all seem to think they are in different movies, suggesting there was no consistency on set.

Topher Grace Is The Best Part Of Flight Risk… But Still Can’t Save It

Topher Grace is really good at playing the subtle bad guy. We saw him do this in Predators, quite well, so he makes a great pick for Winston in Flight Risk. As shown in the trailer, he is a “character witness”, but the film starts with him living off the grid and being tracked down by an Air Marshal (Michelle Dockery) so we quickly learn there is more to that story.

The problem with that is we do not get enough of an explanation. Sure, there are some moments of long-winded exposition which give us a glimpse into what he was doing for this man that wants him killed, but many viewers will be left needing more. Still, I found myself sympathizing with him the most. Even though some of the lines Grace was fed are ridiculous and seemed out of character for the role he was playing.

Mark Wahlberg Is Having Fun… But Feels Like He Is In A Different Movie

Easily the most entertaining character of the entire movie is Mark Wahlberg’s. This is simply because the man is having fun. However, just because he is entertaining, doesn’t mean it is in a good way. Wahlberg is all over the place, using several different accents throughout Flight Risk (which is maybe the point?).

The words that come out of his mouth are cringy at best, and downright disgusting more often than not. He is someone audiences are meant to hate, but it is hard to stomach both his lines and his actions. Wahlberg shaved his head for this role, but there are times when the camera comes in close and you can actually see it growing back – and that they used makeup to cover it up. Why not just shave his head again? Or opt to use a bald cap. The poor man went through all that effort for nothing.

His character often has a disconnect with the others, but hey, it is clear he was having a blast playing this strange, twisted, individual.

Overall Thoughts

While there are three main characters, several others appear as voices on the phone. The fact that the pilot who is helping Dockery’s character fly the plane is the most charismatic of everyone involved in this movie, is a very sad fact. Sure, we see the actor for a brief moment, but he is mainly just a voice.

Mel Gibson’s Flight Risk is only ninety minutes long, yet somehow feels much longer. It should be thrilling and exciting, but it is dull and uninspired. I admit, I laughed a few times – mostly in the beginning and always because of a line that Topher Grace delivered.

As the movie goes on, and it thinks it is feeding the audience big, shocking reveals it just gets more and more annoying and difficult to sit through. Much of what is clearly supposed to be a twist is completely obvious. This isn’t even one of those movies that is so bad, it can be an enjoyable watch. It is just.. bad.

After being filled with bad dialogue and half a plot, Flight Risk ends abruptly, without any true resolution to the story, which is extremely frustrating. But, if you want to check it out for yourself, it hits theaters on January 24.

NEXT: Companion Review: An Exploration Of Abusive Relationships

About Flight Risk

In this high-stakes suspense thriller, Academy Award® nominee Mark Wahlberg (2006, Actor in a Supporting Role, The Departed) plays a pilot transporting an Air Marshal (Michelle Dockery) accompanying a fugitive (Topher Grace) to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem. 

Flight Risk comes to theaters on January 24.