“No Sudden Move” Review

Year: 2021, Director: Steven Soderbergh

OP-ROB RATING: ALL-STAR

With a fantastic cast set against the rich tapestry of 1950s Detroit, “No Sudden Move” is a smart, memorable addition to Soderbergh’s canon. What makes its engine truly roar are the character’s at-odds motivations, each one expertly crafted. The many twists are both surprising and believable. Don Cheadle and Benicio Del Toro are the main drivers of the gritty crime caper, and are supplemented by spark-plug performances from Brendan Fraser, Jon Hamm, Ray Liotta, Bill Duke, David Harbour, and Matt Damon. Much like an energetic 6th man, NSM is a movie to fondly remember, if not to become immortalized.

“Hoppers” Review

Year: 2026, Director: Daniel Chong

OP-ROB RATING: STARTER

Since the inception of Op-Rob, I have often been accused of “going woke”, and here is another thumbs-up to a Pixar film with a “leftist” agenda; a teenage girl named Mabel inhabits a cyborg beaver to rally the wildlife back to a forest glen that has been marked for urban development. “Hoppers” owns its environmental cause, but doesn’t get preachy. The primary takeaway is essentially, “neither side of the aisle is backing down, so let’s find a way to work together”. It’s a thoughtful, funny movie; one that even the most ardent conservative should find not only palatable, but enjoyable.

“Talk to Me” Review

Year: 2022, Director(s): Michael Philippou, Danny Philippou

OP-ROB RATING: ALL-STAR, RODMAN

Coincidentally, I saw “Talk to Me” a week before “Obsession”. They are similar movies. Both involve selfish main characters, and both deal with possession. TTM is more graphic, and takes greater risks with the expanse of its plot. There is one scene in which we are shown the living reality of the possessed individual; something I haven’t seen done before. It’s terrifying. As with all horror flicks, they must make themselves necessary beyond just pleasing the genre junkies. TTM succeeds, with prescient things to say about forgiveness, and the fragility of impressionable youth.

“Dead Man’s Wire” Review

Year: 2025, Director: Gus Van Sant

OP-ROB RATING: BENCH

“Dead Man’s Wire” is inspired by a fascinating hostage situation that unfolded over 63 tense hours in 1977 Indianapolis. Bill Skarsgård stars as Tony Kiritsis, the working-class kidnapper; and Dacre Montgomery as Richard Hall, the well-heeled mortgage broker hostage. The factual details of the story make for great drama anchored by strong performances, but the film errs by spinning the classism beyond the reality, like it’s gasping for relevance. It’s a tough sell, and the resulting movie comes off as stretching the source material too thin and feels like a missed opportunity for a leaner, cleaner film.

“Highest 2 Lowest” Review

Year: 2025, Director: Spike Lee

OP-ROB RATING: BUST

"You come at the king, you best not miss". Spike Lee’s remake of Akira Kurosawa’s esteemed “High and Low” is frustratingly tacky and melodramatic. Denzel Washington is predictably great; a truly perfect casting as Toshirō Mifune’s character from the original. Jeffrey Wright and Ilfenesh Hadera are also solid in supporting roles. But Dean Winters (the “Mayhem” guy from the Allstate commercials) is comically bad; his noxious performance would almost be enough to ruin the movie singlehandedly. The extra help in sinking H2L comes from a cheesy score, and total abandonment of the subtlety and grittiness that made Kurosawa’s a classic.