Good Boy (2025) Review: A Bold and Original Dog’s-Eye Horror Story

Good Boy

Directed by: Ben Leonberg

Written by: Alex Cannon, Ben Leonberg

Starring: Indy the Dog, Shane Jensen

Release Date: October 3, 2025

Good Boy (2025), directed by Ben Leonberg, is a chilling and original horror film told entirely from a dog’s perspective. Starring Indy the retriever, this daring experiment blends loyalty, fear, and supernatural terror into one unforgettable story.

A Fresh Take in a World of Recycled Horror

Hollywood has long been plagued by remakes, reboots, and derivative sequels. Truly original films are rare, which is why Good Boy deserves celebration. Director Ben Leonberg has crafted something audacious: a horror movie seen entirely through the eyes of a dog.

The film follows Indy, a loyal retriever, as he tries to protect his owner Todd (Shane Jensen) from an unseen supernatural force. By anchoring the story in Indy’s perspective, Good Boy achieves a blend of innocence, loyalty, and primal fear that feels entirely fresh within the horror genre.

⸻

The Story: Loyalty Meets Supernatural Terror

The film wastes no time in setting the stakes. Todd has been bleeding in his sleep, a disturbing problem that his loyal dog notices before he does. Indy refuses to leave Todd’s side, nudging him awake and showing a protective instinct that sets the tone for the entire movie.

Exposition comes sparingly. A phone call from Todd’s sister suggests deeper issues—possibly illness or addiction—that complicate his situation. Soon after, Todd takes Indy to a secluded family cabin, a location steeped in ominous history. It was here that Todd’s grandfather died alone with only his own dog for company, a haunting parallel to Todd’s current plight.

As Indy explores the cabin, he begins to sense and even “see” things Todd cannot: eerie sounds, phantom barking, and the suggestion of the grandfather’s loyal dog still lingering in the shadows. The basement, in particular, provides one of the film’s most unsettling sequences, where Indy’s bravery clashes with his instinctive fear.

⸻

Why the Dog’s Perspective Works

At its core, Good Boy relies on the bond between humans and dogs. Leonberg and co-writer Alex Cannon understand the emotional shorthand that comes with seeing through Indy’s eyes. We project loyalty, love, and courage onto him—not because Indy understands these concepts, but because we believe he does.

Indy doesn’t “act” in the traditional sense; he simply behaves like a dog. His warm eyes, curious movements, and unshakable presence allow the audience to fill in the emotional gaps. This makes him the perfect vessel for our fears and hopes, especially when the supernatural threat emerges.

The result is an intimate, emotional horror experience. We don’t want Indy to be hurt, and we don’t want him to lose Todd. That fear is the engine of the film, and it works because nearly everyone has felt the unspoken bond between themselves and a pet.

⸻

Experimental but Accessible

Of course, Good Boy is not for everyone. The movie requires viewers to project human emotions—such as loyalty and love—onto Indy in order to fully engage. If you cannot make that leap, the experiment may feel too abstract.

But for those willing to embrace the concept, the film delivers a hauntingly effective story. It is both experimental in form and emotionally accessible, tapping into the universal love people have for their dogs. That’s what makes the scares so sharp and the emotional beats so resonant.

⸻

Final Thoughts: Man’s Best Friend Meets Fear

Good Boy is a rare thing: an original horror movie that succeeds on its own terms. Director Ben Leonberg dares to tell a story through the uncomprehending but deeply loyal eyes of a dog, and the gamble pays off.

Indy may not know he’s in a movie, but the audience knows they are watching something special. If you love dogs and are open to an inventive twist on horror, Good Boy is one of the most unique cinematic experiences of 2025.

⸻

Star Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5 stars)

Directed by: Chris Columbus

Written by: David Simkins

Starring: Elisabeth Shue, Keith Coogan, Anthony Rapp, Penelope Ann Miller

Release Date: July 3, 1987

⭐️⭐️⭐️½ (3.5 out of 5)

Revisit Adventures in Babysitting (1987), Chris Columbus’s charming directorial debut starring Elisabeth Shue. This 80s cult favorite blends teen comedy, suburban satire, and pure heart for an unforgettable night out in Chicago. A Lovable Relic of 80s Teen Comedy

 

When Adventures in Babysitting hit theaters in 1987, few could have guessed that this modest teen comedy would become such a beloved 80s relic. Directed by Chris Columbus in his feature debut and starring the effortlessly appealing Elisabeth Shue, the film captures both the reckless fun and innocent sweetness of a bygone era of studio comedies.

Now nearly four decades later, the movie remains a charming time capsule — a story about a young woman thrust into chaos, navigating danger, city lights, and clueless boys with the poise of a true hero. It’s not perfect, but it’s bursting with personality, humor, and a big, silly heart.

---

Elisabeth Shue Shines as the Ultimate Babysitter

Elisabeth Shue plays Chris Parker, a suburban teen whose fancy date night gets canceled by her no-good boyfriend (a smarmy Bradley Whitford). With nothing better to do, she agrees to babysit the Anderson kids — Sara (Maia Brewton), an imaginative little girl obsessed with Thor, and her older brother Brad (Keith Coogan), who secretly adores Chris.

When Chris’s best friend Brenda (Penelope Ann Miller) calls in a panic from a Chicago bus station, Chris does what any self-respecting babysitter shouldn’t: she loads the kids into her mom’s station wagon and heads downtown to rescue her friend. Along for the ride is Brad’s wisecracking buddy Daryl (Anthony Rapp), who blackmails his way into the adventure.

---

A Night in the City — and One Misadventure After Another

From a flat tire on the expressway to a run-in with car thieves, mobsters, and blues musicians, Adventures in Babysittingunfolds as a whirlwind of absurd urban escapades. The tone is pure slapstick adventure, but what makes the movie sing is how earnestly it commits to the fun.

There’s even an unforgettable scene in a blues club where the gang is forced to perform a song about — you guessed it — babysitting. It’s utterly ridiculous, yet somehow delightful, especially with legendary bluesman Albert Collins on guitar.

Chris Columbus’s direction is rough around the edges, but that scrappiness gives the film its charm. The Chicago streets are grimy and chaotic, yet Columbus’s camera treats them with affection and humor. You can already sense the filmmaker who would go on to craft Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire, using suburban order clashing against urban chaos as the source of comedy.

---

A Sweet and Surprisingly Sincere Coming-of-Age Story

What elevates Adventures in Babysitting beyond its genre peers is its sense of sincerity. Beneath the gags and goofy peril lies a story about responsibility, growing up, and self-belief.

The standout emotional moment comes late in the film, when young Sara meets a mechanic who looks just like her hero Thor (played by a pre-Law & Order Vincent D’Onofrio). When he snaps at her, Sara insists he’s only acting that way because he doesn’t have his magic helmet — and then offers him hers. It’s a simple, touching gesture that captures the film’s earnest belief in the magic of kindness and imagination.

Columbus has always been gifted at moments like these — small, sincere beats in the middle of chaos — and this scene remains one of the sweetest of his career.

---

How It Holds Up Today

It’s true that Adventures in Babysitting contains a few outdated moments, particularly in its racial and gender politics, a common issue with many 80s comedies. But the film’s missteps feel more naïve than malicious. At its core, this is a movie about decency — about a young woman trying to do the right thing in an impossible situation.

Judged by the standards of its day, it’s a delightfully silly, often hilarious teen comedy that never forgets its heart. The performances are loose and joyful, the pacing brisk, and the city feels like a wild playground where danger and laughter exist side by side.

---

Final Thoughts

Adventures in Babysitting may not have the layered wit of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off or the rebellious edge of The Breakfast Club, but it doesn’t need to. Chris Columbus set out to make a fun, fast-paced urban adventure, and he succeeded.

Nearly 40 years later, it’s still an endlessly rewatchable crowd-pleaser — a film that reminds us that being a “babysitter” can be as heroic as being a superhero, especially when you’re played by Elisabeth Shue.

Anemone(2025) — Daniel Day-Lewis Returns with Raw Power

Anemone

Directed by: Ronan Day-Lewis

Written by: Daniel Day-Lewis, Ronan Day-Lewis

Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean, Samantha Morton

Release Date: October 3rd, 2025

Rating: ★★★★☆

Daniel Day-Lewis returns to the screen in Anemone, a powerful drama of brotherhood, trauma, and emotional reckoning. Read Reelscope’s Catch-Up 2025 review exploring his intense comeback performance alongside Sean Bean and Samantha Morton.

The Return of Daniel Day-Lewis

If anyone doubted that Daniel Day-Lewis had lost his love for acting — or the fiery passion that made him one of cinema’s greatest performers — Anemonedispels that thought within minutes. One unbroken gaze from Day-Lewis to his co-star Sean Bean is enough to remind audiences just how locked in he can be. The passion, the precision, and the quiet devastation are all still there as he confronts trauma, family history, and undiagnosed PTSD in a film that feels both intimate and haunting.

A Cabin in the Woods and the Ghosts Within

Anemone unfolds at a cabin on the border between England and Ireland. The woods are deep, silent, and isolating — home to Ray Stoker (Day-Lewis), a man who’s long ago chosen solitude over society. His life of cutting wood and listening to a battered old radio is disrupted when his estranged brother Jem (Sean Bean) arrives unannounced.

Neither brother says much at first, but through silence and small gestures, we feel the decades of resentment, guilt, and pain between them. We soon learn Jem’s visit has purpose: Ray’s estranged son — whom Jem raised with Ray’s former wife (Samantha Morton) — is in crisis. Jem believes only Ray can reach him before tragedy strikes.

Brothers, Trauma, and Masculinity

Ronan Day-Lewis’s direction keeps the focus tight — two men trapped by their past, surrounded by woods that feel like an extension of their minds. The conversations that unfold over a few days are tense, raw, and uncomfortably real.

Ray is a man raised in violence and silence — where emotion was weakness and trauma was buried under work and war. He’s lived by the belief that pain is best endured, not shared. Jem’s visit forces those walls to crack, and though Anemone doesn’t force catharsis, it leads us right to its threshold.

The film’s final image — an open doorway — invites us to decide whether Ray will finally step forward or remain trapped in the past. It’s an ending that feels both haunting and hopeful.

A Meta Edge: Sean Bean and the Power of Expectation

There’s a fascinating meta tension in seeing Sean Bean play Jem. Known for dying in many of his most famous roles, Bean carries an unspoken sense of danger into every frame. When the camera lingers on Day-Lewis chopping wood with an ax, it’s hard not to imagine violence lurking beneath their reunion. The movie never indulges this possibility — but it adds a layer of suspense that heightens the unease of their fragile peace.

Daniel Day-Lewis, Unmatched

Day-Lewis remains one of the few actors who can make silence feel symphonic. A late monologue — delivered with stomach-churning imagery and gut-wrenching honesty — cements why his return matters. In lesser hands, it might have tipped into shock or melodrama. Instead, it becomes a moment of pure, painful truth.

Sean Bean gives one of his best performances in years, grounding Jem’s guilt and compassion in subtlety. Samantha Morton, in limited screen time, provides the emotional anchor that ties the entire family’s pain together.

A Confident Directorial Debut

Ronan Day-Lewis’s direction is understated and confident. For his first feature, he resists any temptation to over-style the material. His camera lingers in the right places, capturing faces rather than landscapes, though the cinematography still finds haunting beauty in foggy woods and the lonely gray of a coastal beach.

It’s a debut that suggests both respect for performance and confidence in mood. He knows the story doesn’t need embellishment — it only needs truth.

Final Thoughts

Anemone is an emotional excavation of masculinity, guilt, and generational trauma, powered by a magnetic Daniel Day-Lewis performance. Whether this is a brief return or the start of a new chapter, it’s proof that his craft — and his fire — remain undiminished.

Music Biopic Week: Rocketman (2019) — The Dream That Became Elton John

Rocketman

Directed by Dexter Fletcher

Written by: Lee Hall

Starring: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Richard Madden

Release Date: May 31, 2019

Rocketman is more than an Elton John biopic — it’s a dazzling, dreamlike musical about fame, addiction, and self-acceptance. Taron Egerton delivers a fearless, heartfelt performance in Dexter Fletcher’s visionary reimagining of a rock legend’s life.

A Biopic That Dares to Dream

Rocketman isn’t a typical music biopic. It’s not a linear walk through Elton John’s career milestones or a sanitized story of redemption. Instead, it’s a fever dream — a kaleidoscope of memory, regret, and melody.

From the first frame, Dexter Fletcher makes it clear this isn’t about cold facts. The film unfolds like Elton John recalling his life through the fog of stardom and substance abuse. The result is a surreal, confessional musical that blurs the line between performance and therapy.

Elton himself executive-produced the film, and it feels like we’re watching him narrate his own subconscious: moments of euphoria, loneliness, and creative combustion stitched together by the songs that defined him.

Taron Egerton Becomes Elton’s Reflection

Taron Egerton doesn’t mimic Elton John — he reimagines him. He doesn’t look or sound precisely like the real man, but that’s the point. This is Elton’s dream of Elton. A fantasy version who’s at once more handsome, more tortured, and somehow more fragile.

Egerton captures both Elton’s swagger and insecurity with extraordinary empathy. His performance brims with charisma and self-awareness, the kind that makes you believe he’s not just playing a role — he’s embodying a feeling. And crucially, he does his own singing, giving every musical number a raw, lived-in energy that no lip-sync could match.

After Rocketman, I was fully on board with the idea of Egerton as a bona fide movie star, history has yet to see him make that leap. In Rocketman however, he’s a superstar who sells emotion, humor, and heartbreak in equal measure.

The Complicated Friendship at the Heart of It All

Jamie Bell plays Bernie Taupin, Elton’s lifelong lyricist and creative soulmate. Their relationship forms the film’s emotional spine — two misfits who found in each other a way to express their pain and joy through art.

Many casual fans once assumed they were lovers; Rocketman clarifies that their bond was something deeper — a spiritual partnership that transcended romance. Bell’s quiet warmth and sensitivity ground the movie’s more extravagant sequences, and his musical chemistry with Egerton is as powerful as the real thing.

Villains, Lovers, and Parents Through Elton’s Eyes

Richard Madden plays John Reid, Elton’s lover and manipulative manager. Critics who call Madden’s performance too broad miss the point: Rocketmanis told through Elton’s distorted memory. Of course Reid comes across as a larger-than-life villain — that’s how Elton remembers him.

The same applies to Bryce Dallas Howard and Steven Mackintosh as Elton’s emotionally distant parents. They aren’t portraits of real people; they’re symbols — Freudian approximations of rejection and longing. In this dream logic, Fletcher turns biographical trauma into cinematic myth.

A Jukebox of Emotion

Rather than treat Elton’s songs as set dressing, Rocketman uses them as emotional architecture. “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” “I’m Still Standing,” and “Your Song” aren’t just performances; they’re expressions of who Elton is at each stage of his life.

Lee Hall’s screenplay and Fletcher’s direction let the music dictate the rhythm of Elton’s psyche. Every number feels like a confession disguised as a showstopper. This isn’t Bohemian Rhapsody’s cleaned-up timeline — this is the unfiltered interior life of a man who turned pain into poetry.

Final Thoughts

Rocketman is a biopic that sings from the soul. It’s bold, imaginative, heartbreaking, and triumphant — much like Elton John himself.

When I first saw it, I didn’t expect to be swept away. I’m a fan of Elton’s music, but not a superfan. And yet, by the time the credits rolled, I felt like I had lived inside his heart for two hours.

Rocketman is one of the finest musical biographies ever made.

Movie Review: 3:10 to Yuma (2007) – A Masterful Modern Western

Movie Review: Fantastic Four (2015) – A Superhero Reboot That Falls Apart

Fantastic Four is a 2015 superhero film directed by Josh Trank. It stars Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell as the iconic Marvel team. A dark, serious-minded reboot of the comic book classic, the film reimagines the team's origin but struggles with tone, pacing, and cohesion.

Plot Summary

Reed Richards (Miles Teller) and Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell) invent a prototype matter transporter that opens a portal to a parallel dimension. After being recruited by scientist Franklin Storm, Reed joins forces with Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan), Sue Storm (Kate Mara), and Victor Von Doom (Toby Kebbell) to explore the other world. But a catastrophic accident mutates them all. Now imbued with unstable powers, the group must confront personal demons, military interests, and an old friend-turned-enemy threatening to destroy Earth.

What Works

• Performance: The cast—especially Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Bell—show promise, even if the script underuses them.
• Direction: Josh Trank brings an initially intriguing, grounded approach to the material, aiming for a sci-fi tone reminiscent of *Chronicle*.
• Potential: The film hints at compelling character dynamics, especially Ben’s tragic transformation and Reed’s guilt.

What Doesn't Work

• Pacing: The origin story drags on for too long, with the team only coming together in the final minutes.
• Visuals: Action sequences are muddled by flat, dark cinematography that undermines excitement.
• Script & Structure: The film feels disjointed, with last-minute reshoots (and Kate Mara’s wig) emblematic of behind-the-scenes turmoil.
• Tone: Grim and joyless, the film forgets the fun and family dynamic that made the Fantastic Four beloved in the first place.

Final Thoughts

Fantastic Four (2015) is a cautionary tale of studio interference, creative clashes, and missed potential. Despite a talented cast and a unique approach, it collapses under the weight of competing visions and an incoherent final act. This one is best remembered as a franchise misfire rather than a faithful adaptation.

Rating

⭐ Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

---

What did you think of Fantastic Four (2015)? Leave a comment below or share your thoughts on what went wrong with this reboot!

If you enjoyed this review, check out my takes on other superhero movies here.