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 August 2025.
28 Years Later
A sequel to 2002’s 28 Days Later (though only connected in the broadest of ways), Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later is a triumphant return to form for the British director. Shot almost exclusively with iPhones, it contains some of the year’s most unique and impressive cinematography, all accompanied by a fantastic musical score from Scottish band We Fathers.
Alfie Williams leads the film (his first major acting role!) with an impressive maturity, and Ralph Fiennes’ third-act appearance steals the show. The story may start slow, but the back half is a masterpiece and will leave viewers excited for the two upcoming sequels.
★★★★☆
The Life of Chuck
Mike Flanagan is one of my favorite modern storytellers. He’s skilled at building unique story structures, writing compelling dialogue (yes I’m a sucker for his constant soliloquies), and finding compelling camera blocking, all of which are on full display in The Life of Chuck. At times Flanagan’s background in TV comes through via cheap-looking lighting and coloring choices, but it’s not enough to be a distraction.
The ensemble cast is brings their A-game, with each getting their time to shine despite limited screen time. Benjamin Pajak, the child actor who plays a young Chuck, is featured the most and prove to be an absolute star. I hope this film gets him more roles.
I have mixed feelings on the spiritual themes and messages in The Life of Chuck (both a result of Stephen King’s source material and a natural extension of Flanagan’s own thematic sensibilities), but there’s no denying that Flanagan makes sure those themes are well argued.
★★★★☆
Highest 2 Lowest
I was bought in to Highest 2 Lowest as soon as “Oh, What A Beautiful Morning” opened the film over shots of New York City.
The film is an electric watch, and in addition to being a remake of Kurosawa’s High and Low, it acts as a not-so-subtle allegory for the life of the biblical King David. Denzel Washington carries the film’s uneven first half with his layered performance, but once the film kicks into gear it is a sight to behold; a wild combination of showy editing, exhilarating music, and Spike’s sure hand behind the camera. A few performances feel weak, but they don’t detract from the incredible vision on display here.
Check out my full analysis and review below:
★★★★☆
The Luckiest Man in America
I hadn’t even heard of The Luckiest Man in America until I was sent a digital screener last month. But it really surprised me, becoming one of my favorite films of the year.
Paul Walter Houser is incredibly engaging and brings a lot of depth to his leading role. Beyond his great performance, the production design, lighting, and coloring is all perfectly evocative of the 1980s, and the writing took a thoughtful approach to the film’s perspective on capitalism and fame. Plus it’s all based on a bizarre and remarkable true story.
If you can find it streaming or available to rent, I highly recommend this hidden gem.
★★★★☆
We Strangers
I had the pleasure of interviewing writer and director Anu Valia, and our discussion turned to the key themes that make We Strangers so haunting: spiritual searching, the compromises of assimilation, and the cinematic choices that give the story its uneasy, dreamlike tone. The film’s ending is a little unsatisfying, but the journey to get there is quite interesting.
Check out my full analysis and interview with Valia below:
★★★☆☆
Together
Together is beautifully shot and creepily edited, but ultimately left me wanting more (and occasionally less). The third act provides far too many silly solutions to questions that we didn’t need answered, but at the same time the story needed more development of the two characters’ relationship for me to fully buy into their ending.
Dave Franco and Alison Brie are terrific together though, and I’m excited to see more from first-time director Michael Shanks.
★★☆☆☆
Happy Gilmore 2
I don’t have much love for Adam Sandler’s style of comedy or the first Happy Gilmore film, so I’m not exactly the target audience for the sequel. This film never should’ve been two hours long and its “made-for-tv-esque” appearance is evidence of just how far even studio comedy cinematography has fallen in recent years.
That said, I still had a few laughs and enjoyed seeing the countless celebrity cameos (it’s hilarious to see Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy interact with the other characters). It’s not a good film, but it was at least a decent watch.
P.S. This film competes with Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning for most flashbacks in a single movie. It was painful seeing constant flashbacks to the first film smash cut in so that the audience would recognize the cameo in question.
★★☆☆☆