tristinadupree

If Midsommar threw on a pair of jeans and played an electric guitar, you'd have Opus.

There's no denying the film's atmosphere-equal parts fever dream and surreal art installation-but the premise felt oddly familiar. A strange cult? Check. Ominous followers watching every move? Check. Friends disappearing without explanation? Also check. It's hard not to feel like Ari Aster already laid the groundwork here, and did it with more finesse.

That said, John Malkovich delivers a predictably mesmerizing performance as the enigmatic cult leader, giving the film much of its weight. The visuals, music, and costume design add layers of intrigue, even if they occasionally veer into style-over-substance territory.

Unfortunately, the ending felt rushed and, at times, too far-fetched to land with impact. It's a film that reaches for depth but doesn't quite dig far enough.

Opus isn't without merit-but if you've already followed Aster into the woods, this journey may feel more like déjà vu than discovery.

"Animal Kingdom" delivers a wild, sun-soaked punch of adrenaline, anchored by a compelling cast and a storyline that grabs hold from the very first episode and doesn't let go. It's gritty, raw, and strangely poetic-with just the right amount of criminal chaos and surfboard swagger.

While Ellen Barkin's portrayal of Smurf is undoubtedly impressive (she's a powerhouse), the character herself is deeply off-putting. Her incessant "baby" this and "baby" that, mixed with an overly tactile approach to parenting her grown sons, toes the line between controlling and downright creepy. Smurf is less "matriarch" and more "mob boss with boundary issues."

Pope, on the other hand, is the show's darkly beating heart. Unpredictable and volatile, his struggle to be good-whatever "good" means in this family-gives the series its emotional weight. His internal conflict, shaped by Smurf's manipulative grip, is both tragic and mesmerizing.

Deran's guarded vulnerability and Craig's flair for self-destruction round out a dysfunctional, deeply human crew. These are characters you love despite their choices, not because of them.

The series evokes the spirit of Sons of Anarchy-loyalty, family above all, and the inevitable fallout when those lines blur. The writing is sharp, the pacing tight, and the cinematography makes the California coast feel both like a dream and a trap. The flashbacks and casting for younger versions of the characters are particularly well done-seamless and believable.

It's a shame the show wasn't renewed. Few series manage to balance heart, violence, and family dysfunction with such finesse. I'd binge it all over again in a heartbeat. Solid 9/10.