SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT

 

Actors don’t just light up the screen — they light up the feed. Social Spotlight takes a look at how today’s stars promote their movies through the platforms that matter.

This round we have the latest Instagram post from Buffy the Vampire Slayer 2 star Meg Donnelly....

Now Showing: Buffy the Vampire Slayer 2

 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 2

Genre: Horror/Comedy

Director: Cathy Yan

Writer: Walter McKnight

Based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer media franchise and characters created by Joss Whedon

Cast: Meg Donnelly, Dacre Montgomery, Max Irons, Annalise Basso, Kira Kosarin, Teagan Croft, Elisabeth Shue, Nick Frost, Sophie Lowe, Bailey Bass, Elena Kampouris

Plot: In Victorian London, William Pratt (Max Irons) wanders a lonely street after being humiliated by London’s elite. Drusilla (Sophie Lowe) emerges from the fog, speaking to him with unnerving interest. She circles him and suddenly presses him against a wall with inhuman strength. She bites him, and later, William rises pale and trembling. Drusilla smiles with satisfaction, guiding him deeper into the night as her new vampire companion, Spike.

Present Day. During a crowded vampire movie night at the Sunnydale drive-in, Spike and Drusilla slip through parked cars. A woman screams as Drusilla lunges onto a car roof, and chaos erupts when Spike tears open a passenger door. People flee between rows of vehicles while engines start and cars scatter across the lot.

At lunch the next day, Buffy Summers (Meg Donnelly) recounts to her best friend Willow Rosenberg (Annalise Basso) how Oliver died in a vampire attack soon after prom. The memory is still raw, but she explains she didn’t want the news defining her at school. Willow reminds her she doesn’t have to carry everything alone, but Buffy is clearly struggling with the loss.

That evening, Buffy sits at the kitchen table while Joyce (Elisabeth Shue) prepares dinner and Dawn (Teagan Croft) complains about school. Joyce notices Buffy is distracted and asks if something is wrong. Buffy brushes it off, saying she’s just tired. Dawn snaps that Buffy is “always tired lately” and never around anymore.

Buffy is in the school library when she finds Giles (Nick Frost) buried under a mound of fallen books he accidentally knocked over. He enthusiastically explains he is her new Watcher and immediately launches into a rundown of Sunnydale’s growing vampire problems. Buffy is skeptical until he details Spike and Drusilla’s recent movements - showing he's knowledgeable in addition to clumsy.

Joyce comes to the school to drop off paperwork and runs into Giles in the library. He introduces himself as the librarian and immediately knocks over a rolling cart while shaking her hand. Joyce laughs politely, but becomes uneasy when Giles asks pointed questions about Buffy’s adjustment to Sunnydale and whether she’s been acting differently at home with everything that's happened. Joyce leaves confused.

Amber Grove (Bailey Bass), from rival Ridgecrest High, marches into Sunnydale's cheer practice with her cheer squad in tow.She criticizes the routines planned by Cordelia Chase (Kira Kosarin). Buffy watches the rivalry escalate. Willow mutters from the stands, questioning if Amber's bitchy attitude might require supernatural explanation.

Buffy, Willow, Cordelia, and Giles examine the drive-in aftermath. Giles identifies the culprits as Spike and Drusilla based on past Watcher reports. He warns that wherever they appear, destruction follows. Buffy says that they need to find them before they hurt more innocent people. Cordelia however insists that it should be second priority following the regional cheer competition.

While investigating, Buffy encounters Spike, who taunts her before launching into a fast, brutal fight. Buffy blocks his swings, landing kicks to his chest, but Spike is able to corner her until Angel (Dacre Montgomery) suddenly appears and drives him back violently. Spike retreats with a smirk, while Angel warns Buffy that she's in over her head. Buffy asks who Angel is, but he vanishes.

Convinced Amber is secretly supernatural, Willow confronts her outside of Ridgecrest High School holding a cross and a bottle of holy water. Amber shrieks from the water splashing onto her cheer uniform. Willow realizes that Amber is fully human - just mean, and runs away.

Giles attempts to dig through the library's archives, finally finding a thick old volume. He hands it to Buffy. The text details Angel's past. Giles explains that Angel was long ago a human named Liam before becoming a violent vampire known as Angelus. 

18th Century Ireland. Liam is lured into becoming a vampire by Darla (Elena Kampouris). He travels across Europe with Darla, even crossing paths and teaming up with Drusilla and Spike to wreak havoc. After slaughtering and feeding on a Romani clan, he is cursed with the return of his human soul, leaving him anguished over the harm and violence he has caused. 

Dawn excitedly tells Buffy about a school event she wants her to attend the night before the competition. Buffy promises she’ll try, but later cancels at the last minute due to patrol. Dawn lashes out, accusing Buffy of caring more about cheer and strangers than her own family. Buffy starts to explain, stops herself, and apologizes without giving a reason. Dawn storms off.

Buffy is able to track down Angel and questions him. Angel admits that everything she read was true and that he regrets every life he took. Buffy listens intently, but wants to know if they are truly on the same side. Angel tells her that he wants to stop Spike and Drusilla's chaos.

Sunnydale High hosts the regional cheer competition, bringing crowds and rival teams into their gymnasium. Buffy alternates between cheer routines and scanning the area for vampires. 

Backstage, a vampire grabs Amber while she is adjusting her uniform. Willow tackles the creature. Her bottle of holy water spills open, burning the flesh of the vampire. Amber trembles in shock.

As Sunnydale's routine begins, the gym lights shut off. Drusilla appears on the rafters. Spike blocks the exit. Drusilla descends to the cheer mat, eyes fixed on Buffy. Buffy clashes with Drusilla across the mat while Willow and Cordelia try to guide the civilians away from the violence. Giles tries to help as well, but it trampled by the crowd. 

Buffy grabs a large cheer trophy and drives it forward, staking Drusilla in the heart with it. Drusilla crumbles into ash. Spike watches from above. He then retreats into the shadows.

The rest of the cheer competition is cancelled. Buffy is happy that she was able to destroy Drusilla before she took any more lives, but Angel warns her that Spike is bound to seek revenge. 

Amber finds Willow and thanks her awkwardly for saving her life. Willow tries to downplay it, but accidentally suggests she’ll keep monitoring Amber just to be sure.

Late that night, Buffy returns home bruised and exhausted. Joyce is awake, having heard about the chaos at the competition on the news. She asks if Buffy is okay and gently touches a bruise on her arm. Buffy insists it was just an accident. Joyce doesn’t fully believe her but pulls her into a hug anyway.

Buffy, Giles, Willow, Cordelia, and Angel meet in the library to discuss what's next. Giles warns that other powerful forces may be stirred by recent events. Buffy accepts that Sunnydale will always attract trouble, but at least she isn’t facing it alone.

HISTORY LESSON (SEASON 15)

 

Welcome to History Lesson, where we take a closer look at the movies that dare to tackle real-life events with varying levels of accuracy, drama, and WTF casting choices. These films promise to educate and entertain, but more often than not, they rewrite history with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. We’ll be your guide through the land of miscast biopics, dramatic embellishments, and historical “inspired-by” liberties, breaking down whether these flicks are Golden Reel Award-worthy masterpieces or just a big-budget Wikipedia summary. Either way, it’s more fun than your high school history class—and there’s popcorn.

This time around we will take a look at Season 15's fact-based slate....

HISTORY LESSON: TO THE MAX

To The Max is a gloriously ridiculous romp that transforms a true-crime tale into a Guy Fieri-flavored fever dream, complete with flaming exhausts and frosted tips. The film dances between a dark comedy and a heist movie, taking itself about as seriously as an infomercial for donkey sauce. Director Matt Spicer and writers Lon Charles and Chad Taylor somehow meld absurdity with just enough sincerity to keep you invested in Max Wade’s chaotic descent from high school hotshot to inmate in solitary. Historical accuracy? Forget about it. This is less a fact-based account and more what would happen if Ferris Bueller took a hard left into Breaking Bad.

Noah Centineo as Max Wade feels like an inspired yet risky choice, portraying a kid whose overconfidence and entitlement are both infuriating and strangely endearing. Rob Lowe and Kathryn Hahn as his clueless parents steal every scene they’re in, embodying the kind of affluence-induced neglect that practically screams, “We didn’t sign up for this!” But let’s get to the real standout: Guy Fieri playing himself as the victim of an epic car heist. His tearful courtroom monologue about his Lamborghini as a symbol of his immigrant grandfather’s American Dream deserves an honorary Golden Reel Award for sheer audacity. The fact that this scene feels both ridiculous and weirdly moving encapsulates the tone of the whole film. Much like Flavortown itself, To The Max is absurd, over-the-top, and oddly captivating.

HISTORY LESSON: THE SECOND LIFE OF JOHN WILKES BOOTH

The Second Life of John Wilkes Booth is an unapologetically wild historical reimagining that has Quentin Tarantino’s fingerprints all over it — minus the gratuitous blood sprays (well, mostly). The film plays fast and loose with history, taking the infamous assassin from infamous to incognito in record time. Is it historically accurate? About as accurate as a history book written by a drunk time traveler. Booth faking his death, marrying a schoolteacher, and reciting the Gettysburg Address? Sure, why not! It’s bold, absurd, and surprisingly poignant, leaning into the “what if?” fantasy in a way only Tarantino could greenlight without blinking.

The casting is as eclectic as the plot. Emile Hirsch as John Wilkes Booth is a gutsy choice — his smirking charisma perfectly captures the deranged narcissism of the infamous actor-turned-assassin, though at times he leans more tortured artist than political zealot. Colin Farrell as the dogged journalist Langford Upham is pure gold, playing a character who seems one missed clue away from starring in his own HBO miniseries. Michael Madsen’s hard-drinking ex-Confederate Moody Suggs steals every scene he’s in, though one wonders if Madsen just wandered onto set, bottle in hand, and Tarantino decided to roll with it. And Margaret Qualley as Booth’s unwitting, sweet-natured wife feels like the moral compass this swirling fever dream needs. It’s a cast that’s somehow both pitch-perfect and completely off the rails, which makes the film feel like history as retold in a bar fight.

HISTORY LESSON: MISFIT

Misfit dramatizes the production of The Misfits, but don’t expect historical accuracy to be its priority. Gus Van Sant helms this moody, slow-burn biopic where everyone’s sweating — literally and metaphorically — on a chaotic Nevada film set. Joaquin Phoenix stars as Montgomery Clift, a man grappling with his post-accident insecurities, closeted desires, and an addiction to painkillers, because nothing says "method acting" like suffering. Christina Hendricks steps into Marilyn Monroe's shoes, navigating forgotten lines, a crumbling marriage, and lingering stares from both her husband Arthur Miller (Peter Sarsgaard) and Clift. Meanwhile, George Clooney’s Clark Gable smokes, swaggers, and undermines Miller’s script for fun. The film paints a sweltering picture of Hollywood glam gone wrong, but whether these personal dramas happened exactly as depicted? Well, let’s just say that the Nevada heat isn’t the only thing embellishing this tale.

The movie doesn’t let truth get in the way of a good story, leaning into every tortured Hollywood trope imaginable. Did Marilyn and Monty bond over shared insecurities while she cradled his head? Maybe in another lifetime. Was there an unspoken cowboy love story between Monty and his wrangler? Sure, if that helps the screenplay get into Sundance. And while Hendricks impresses as Monroe, some moments feel more fanfic than fact, like the Confidential headline scandal conveniently sparking jealousy and diversion. By the time Gable collapses post-production, the film almost asks you to believe the set’s dysfunction killed him. Misfit tries to be a tribute to its tragic icons but ends up as an oddly glamorous therapy session for Hollywood’s most brooding era.

HISTORY LESSON: KURT & COURTNEY: ALL APOLOGIES

Kurt & Courtney: All Apologies is the grunge-era melodrama you didn’t know you needed — and maybe didn’t. Director David Robert Mitchell spins this chaotic love story into a hazy fever dream, and while Ben Foster and Riley Keough embody the tragedy of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, their performances are overshadowed by the sheer gall of this script. Foster is convincing as a mumbling, heroin-addled Cobain, but it’s Keough’s Love who takes the spotlight — part raging hurricane, part unhinged comedy relief. Unfortunately, the film leans so hard into their dysfunction it often feels like it’s daring you to yell, "We get it, they were messy!" Nicholas Braun as Krist Novoselic deserves a special mention for looking like he wandered onto set straight from an indie comedy about a guy who owns too many flannels.

As for historical accuracy, let’s just say the movie is about as faithful as Courtney allegedly was in 1993. Did Love actually administer naloxone like a roadie moonlighting as a paramedic? Doubtful. And Kurt’s handwritten greenhouse note, feverishly scribbled before his tragic end? Pure biopic speculation, because the filmmakers apparently decided reality wasn’t dramatic enough. The movie’s absurdity peaks with Bruce Dern as William S. Burroughs — because, sure, why not? But for all its faults, the film is completely watchable, much like watching a slow-motion train derailment set to Smells Like Teen Spirit. If nothing else, it’s proof that the grunge era was both glorious and gloriously unhinged.

PREMIERE MAGAZINE #357

 

The Roundup with Jeff Stockton (Season 36 Round 7)

 

We're 21 films into Season 36 now following a seventh round where not every ambitious swing connected, and a couple of performances left me scratching my head. Here's The Roundup....

SOUNDTRACKS

Remember when I was wondering whether Season 36 was ever going to have any memorable soundtracks? Yeah... I can officially retire that concern. With Voice becoming the seventh soundtrack-heavy release of the season, the Golden Reel race for Best Soundtrack has quietly become one of the most competitive categories on the board. Will Voice actually make the final nominee list? I'm honestly not sure. But that's almost beside the point.

The important thing is that we've reached the stage where there are legitimate contenders fighting for spots rather than simply filling out a ballot. 1995 still feels like the benchmark for me, but several films have now entered the conversation, and that's exactly what you want from an awards category. Healthy competition makes for better awards seasons.

THE SONG OF ROLAND

This is exactly what I want from a historical epic. Big scope. Strong writing. Excellent craftsmanship. An ensemble cast that actually feels worthy of the material.

No, I don't think The Song of Roland reaches the lofty heights of John Malone and Chad Taylor's Caesar Trilogy. Those films remain the gold standard for large-scale historical storytelling within LRF. But Brady Corbet directs with real confidence, Jimmy Ellis delivers another sturdy screenplay, and the production never loses sight of the emotional tragedy underneath all the spectacle.

THE HULK 3

Now this feels like the Hulk franchise again. One of the smartest decisions this production made was bringing Mark Newton back after he sat out The Hulk 2. That second film had moments, but HG Hansen's screenplay always felt overstuffed and oddly unfocused. It was a movie constantly fighting itself. The Hulk 3 feels far more confident.

Newton clearly understands Bruce Banner as both a character and a franchise. The emotional conflict lands better, the pacing is tighter, and the movie finally recaptures the balance between monster movie, superhero spectacle, and psychological drama that made the first film so effective. Instead of feeling like another sequel, this feels like the series getting back on track. That's exactly what a third installment should accomplish.

VOICE

I spent most of this movie asking myself one question. "What exactly is this trying to be?" A musical? A cyberpunk noir? A futuristic thriller? The answer seemed to be... yes.

Unfortunately, that combination never quite came together for me. Johnny Mercer has already demonstrated enough talent that I'm convinced he's a writer worth following. But this felt like the kind of project where an emerging writer reached for four different genres simultaneously before fully mastering one. Every individual ingredient had potential. Together, they constantly competed for attention instead of complementing one another. There's a good movie hiding inside Voice. This version just couldn't find it.

JONATHAN BAILEY

Let me be clear. Jonathan Bailey gives a perfectly respectable performance. This isn't about bad acting. This is about presence. When you're playing Roland — the legendary knight whose name is literally in the title — I need to believe people would follow you into certain death. I need that larger-than-life screen presence that historical epics demand. I just... didn't feel it.

Bailey is undeniably talented, but I continue to struggle seeing him as a traditional movie star leading man. There's a difference between carrying scenes and commanding them. He handled the material competently, but he never quite passed what I call the "eye test." Every time another major actor shared the screen with him, my attention drifted toward the supporting cast. Sometimes charisma can't really be taught.

RACHEL ZEGLER

This is going to sound harsh, but it's something I've been thinking for a while. Rachel Zegler can absolutely sing. Nobody should question that. What I continue to question is whether audiences actually enjoy spending two hours with her as a leading lady.

For me, there's an undeniable smugness to her on-screen persona that keeps creating distance between the character and the audience. Maybe that's unfair. Maybe it's simply the kinds of roles she's been playing. But movie stardom isn't just about talent—it's about making people want to root for you. I never quite get that feeling with Zegler. She's unquestionably gifted. I just don't find her especially likable as a screen presence, and for someone being positioned as a major leading actress, that's a difficult hurdle to overcome.

ON LOCATION (SEASON 36 ROUND 7)

 

Voice

- Johannesburg, South Africa

The Hulk 3

- Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

- Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

The Song of Roland

- Loarre, Spain

Box Office Breakdown (Season 36 Round 7)

 

VOICE

Budget: $34,000,000

Total Box Office: $23,437,788

Total Profit: -$30,010,007

One of the season's more unconventional releases struggled to find a theatrical audience, as its blend of thriller, science fiction, and musical elements proved to be a difficult sell. Despite the disappointing financial result, the film represents only the second outing for a promising young LRF writer.

BOX OFFICE FACT

Voice is just the second screenplay from Johnny Mercer. After beginning his LRF career with the profitable Zorro last season, Mercer experiences his first box office disappointment.

GENRE RANKINGS

Thriller: #136

Sci-Fi: #153

Musical: #26

THE HULK 3

Budget: $190,000,000

Total Box Office: $641,110,407

Total Profit: $188,390,403

Bruce Banner continued to be one of LRF's most dependable franchise stars as The Hulk 3 narrowly missed Blockbuster status while becoming one of the season's defining theatrical successes. The film further solidifies the Hulk trilogy as one of the studio's strongest long-running superhero properties.

BOX OFFICE FACT

With the release of The Hulk 3, the franchise has now generated more than $1.84 billion worldwide across its three LRF films.

GENRE RANKINGS

Action: #70

Sci-Fi: #29

Superhero: #47

THE SONG OF ROLAND

Budget: $84,000,000

Total Box Office: $263,839,608

Total Profit: $71,103,394

Historical epics continue to be a reliable investment for LRF (when they work), with The Song of Roland delivering another healthy theatrical return. Strong audience interest and disciplined spending helped the film become one of the season's most profitable non-franchise releases.

BOX OFFICE FACT

The Song of Roland marks Jonathan Bailey's sixth LRF film and his fourth profitable release, with this becoming the highest-grossing film of his LRF career.

GENRE RANKINGS

Historical: #12

Epic: #6

Season 36 Round 6 Total Box Office:

$928,387,803

Season 36 Round 6 Total Profit:

$229,483,790

Round 7 became one of Season 36's strongest financial outings, powered by the one-two punch of The Hulk 3 and The Song of Roland. Those two films more than compensated for the disappointment of Voice, producing the season's second-highest profit total.

Season 36 Total Box Office:

$4,296,970,299

Season 36 Total Profit:

$867,649,340

With three rounds remaining, Season 36 sits within striking distance of the $1 billion profit milestone, but the road ahead remains important. While the season has produced an impressive collection of commercial hits — including Boba Fett, Donkey Kong Country, The Hulk 3, Lobo, and Assassin's Creed: Eternal — a series of notable bombs has kept the overall financial picture from becoming one of LRF's truly elite campaigns.

SEASON 36 BOX OFFICE STANDINGS

1. Boba Fett — $763,673,771 👑

2. Donkey Kong Country — $720,434,668 👑

3. The Hulk 3 — $641,110,407 👑

4. Lobo — $480,893,956 🔥

5. Assassin's Creed: Eternal — $421,105,411 🔥

6. The Song of Roland — $263,839,608 💰

7. Luke Cage: The Purple Man — $249,978,106 💰

8. Stretch Armstrong — $144,189,611 ☠️

9. Fletch — $123,159,160 💰

10. Echoes of Red — $82,814,137 💰

11. Double Date — $80,369,160 💰

12. Gray — $62,441,218 💣

13. Darkness — $43,316,174 💰

14. 1995 — $40,003,252 💰

15. Pirouette — $39,100,555 📉

16. Three Rounds — $34,386,590 💣

17. The Quiet Between Us — $26,319,562 📉

18. Heartbeat — $25,404,407 💣

19. Voice — $23,437,788 💣

20. Diary of a Wimpy Kid — $18,000,669 💣

21. 1016 West Monroe — $12,992,089 💣