Review Corner: Wes Anderson’s 'Phoenician Scheme,' Amazon’s 'The Better Sister,' and Netflix’s 'Dept. Q'

Happy Wednesday, folks!

This weekend, I watched The Ugly Stepsister and Until Dawn, as well as new comedy specials from Jarrod Carmichael (HBO’s Don’t Be Gay) and Mike Birbiglia (Netflix’s The Good Life). Both specials were solid, though I preferred Carmichael’s, which was better than his last one, Rothaniel, in which he first came out as gay.

The Ugly Stepsister is a vicious retelling of Cinderella from the perspective of her stepsister, and it’s one of my favorite movies of the year. There’s stuff in this movie that had me squirming on my couch, and imagery I may never forget. Lea Myren is fantastic in the title role, and development execs should keep an eye on writer-director Emilie Blichfeldt, as she has a bright future ahead of her in the genre space.

Until Dawn, on the other hand, was pretty weak if you ask me. Yes, there are some fun kills and some cool gore, but the film can’t escape its humble video game origins or the script’s paper-thin characterizations, which the young cast fails to overcome.

I realize that not every studio horror movie is going to have a cast like the original Scream or I Know What You Did Last Summer, but this ensemble was a little too forgettable. As such, I can’t recommend this one, which I have to chalk up to a disappointing effort from director David F. Sandberg and writer Gary Dauberman.

On the box office front, Karate Kid: Legends failed to kick up much excitement domestically, debuting to just over $20 million — not bad given its modest $45 million budget, but a far cry from 2010’s Karate Kid movie starring Jaden Smith, which opened to $55 million.

This weekend brings the release of the John Wick spinoff Ballerina, but I’m more interested in the film’s Rotten Tomatoes score than its box office, as I know one executive who bet a small fortune on Kalshi that the film would strike out with critics.

Today, I offer my review of Wes Anderson’s new movie The Phoenician Scheme, which opens in wide release this weekend, as well as a ranking of the director’s full filmography. There are also reviews of The Better Sister, Prime Video’s new limited series starring Jessica Biel and Elizabeth Banks, and Netflix’s crime series Dept. Q starring Matthew Goode.

I also weigh in on Netflix’s latest Tudum extravaganza and its mouth-watering offerings, which range from sequels to Knives Out and Happy Gilmore to new seasons of Squid Game and Stranger Things. Plus, an early take on Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein.

Additionally, there are items about Ariana Grande joining Meet the Parents 4, new projects from James Cameron, Ryan Coogler, and Luca Guadagnino, Sydney Sweeney heading to Amazon with Wicked helmer Jon M. Chu, Jason Momoa and Andy Samberg heading to Hawaii via Netflix Airways, the latest addition to David Fincher and Quentin Tarantino’s new movie, and my thoughts on the trailer for Aziz Ansari’s Lionsgate comedy Good Fortune starring Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogen.

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