Cinema Snapshots: April 2026
What I watched last month...
Welcome to this month’s Cinema Snapshots! At the beginning of each month, I reflect on what I watched the prior month and provide a quick “snapshot” of my thoughts on those films. So without further ado, here are my Cinema Snapshots for April 2026.
Project Hail Mary
Science teacher Ryland Grace wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he begins to uncover his mission: solve the riddle of the mysterious substance causing the sun to die out. He must call on his scientific knowledge and unorthodox ideas to save everything on Earth from extinction… but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.
A sneakily difficult and impressive adaptation. Weir’s novel is very interior, packed with science details, and constantly jumping timelines. I didn’t love it on the page, but I couldn’t imagine it on the screen.
And yet, Project Hail Mary is a joy-filled and heartfelt success of a film. Ryan Gosling is the perfect actor to carry chunks of a film by himself (Matt Damon was similarly successful with that task in Weir’s The Martian ten years ago). Writer Drew Goddard finds the emotion and thematic strengths of Weir’s novel and adapts it wonderfully, Lord and Miller’s direction brings a brisk, fun-filled energy to the entire film, and Fraser’s cinematography is stunning, especially the space scenes.
This approach does have its limits. Lord, Miller, and Gosling’s comedic leanings occasionally remove the gravitas from the more serious beats. The earth scenes (which have room to breathe in the novel) often feel like annoying interruptions to the space scenes. And the frequent montages, which are admittedly necessary for the runtime, take away from the importance of certain moments and discoveries.
It may not be perfect, but Project Hail Mary is the definition of a fun time at the movies, full of care, craft, and heart that other blockbusters would do well to imitate.
★★★★☆
Avatar: Fire and Ash
In the wake of the devastating war against the RDA and the loss of their eldest son, Jake Sully and Neytiri face a new threat on Pandora: the Ash People, a violent and power-hungry Na’vi tribe led by the ruthless Varang. Jake’s family must fight for their survival and the future of Pandora in a conflict that pushes them to their emotional and physical limits.
For better and for worse, I end up judging director James Cameron (Titanic, The Terminator) on a curve. On the one hand, he’s trained audiences to expect something new and wholly different each time they watch his films, and Fire and Ash feels disappointing distinctly because of its lack of newness. It’s “just” an Avatar sequel. On the other hand, Cameron is operating on such a high level of storytelling, camera control, use of light, and visual effects mastery that watching anything he releases is a spectacle unlike nearly any other.
Fire and Ash also surprised me with its overt biblical references and themes! Cameron has always inserted spirituality into his Avatar films, but typically in a pantheistic or ecospiritual form. But here, while still fitting within the fictional world of Pandora, he tackles themes of God’s silence, divine intervention, and even an overt recreation of the binding of Isaac.
I still think this is the weakest of the Avatar films. It lacks the narrative simplicity and unique world building of the original, as well as the world expansion and CGI upgrade of The Way of Water. But a weak film for Cameron is a masterpiece for nearly any other filmmaker, and the action, emotion, and spiritual depth on display here more than makes up for its flaws relative to the rest of the franchise.
★★★★☆
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come
Moments after surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game — and this time with her estranged sister Faith at her side. Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins rules it all.
Making a sequel to Ready or Not was always going to be a tricky task. The original film made the most of a simple but fascinating premise (a deadly game of hide and seek), with unique action, smart humor, and a strong lead performance from Samara Weaving. It’s a fairly self-contained film that felt open and shut by the time it ended.
The sequel, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, was better than I expected! Sure, there’s less novelty this time around, but the filmmakers expand the lore and concepts from the first film and expand them to interesting degrees. And while it’s nothing deep, I love the Christian implications of having two characters named Faith and Grace fighting against the demonic.
As a whole I consider the film a slight downgrade from the first, but it remains an incredibly fun watch.
★★★☆☆
Hoppers
Scientists have discovered how to ‘hop’ human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals. Animal lover Mabel seizes an opportunity to use the technology, uncovering mysteries within the animal world beyond anything she could have imagined.
Pixar has been going through a bit of a slump, and while Hoppers may not match the excellence of their 90s and 00s, it marks a move in the right direction for the famous animation company.
The film has some hilarious gags that had me laughing throughout, both via physical comedy and unexpected one liners. The setup was strong as well, establishing a caring environmentalist protagonist and introducing the unexpected technology that kicks the film into action. Unfortunately, along the way Hoppers just loses its edge and doesn’t quite stick the landing. It’s a pretty good film, but not quite the return to form for Pixar I had hoped.
★★★☆☆
Reminders of Him
When Diem’s custodial grandparents adamantly refuse Kenna’s attempts to see her daughter, Kenna discovers unexpected compassion, and then something truer and deeper, with former NFL player and local bar owner Ledger. As their secret romance develops, so do the dangers for both of them, leading Kenna toward heartbreak and, ultimately, the hope for a second chance.
Reminders of Him is wonderfully made from a technical standpoint. The direction, cinematography, coloring, and sound design are all top notch, much better than what you typically get from this genre.
That sad, I just didn’t connect with the story. The melodrama was played up too much (I suspect this being Colleen Hoover’s first screenplay credit may not have helped), and the score and songs forecasted emotions that were already too explicit in the writing and performances. It’s ultimately a good-looking (and not horrible) film to watch, but one that exhausted me by the end with its hyper-emotional tone.
★★☆☆☆
