Quick Two Cents #1

Welcome to The Film Pub's first in a series of articles called "Quick Two Cents". This is a series of mini reviews for the latest in the film industry. If there isn't enough quality material for a full passionate review, this is where I'll at least summarize my thoughts however brief they may be. In today's article, I'll look over Netflix's "Nonnas", starring Vince Vaughn, the horror flick "Final Destination: Bloodlines", and "Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning", starring Tom Cruise.

Nonnas (2025)

Considering my track record with jobs over the years, mainly involving the food service industry, I'll admit that I'm more receptive to a film like "Nonnas" than most readers may be. Its concept around a restaurant owner (Vince Vaughn) opening an Italian restaurant with grandmothers as chefs has its charm well intact. Though it delves into heavy themes with our lead doing what he does in memory of his late mom, "Nonnas" has a lightness to it that makes it easy for emotionally vulnerable audiences to watch this without much worry.

It has just enough conflict and stakes in its plot to keep us invested. Two chefs (Lorainne Bracco, Brenda Vaccaro) not getting along due to their backgrounds. The owner putting all of his money on the line as well as his financial partner. There's also a redemptive arc with the owner's ex-girlfriend (Linda Cardellini) from high school supporting his dream and picking up where they left off. Interesting backstory with one of the chefs (Talia Shire). It's light and breezy for those in the mood for it. If nothing else, "Nonnas" is ideal for rental.

Final Verdict: 7.5/10

Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025)

Yet another franchise I have no experience with. Sound familiar? This series is well known for taking ordinary things like roller coasters and constructing a horrifically elaborate domino effect of death to poor unsuspecting souls in its wake. In the case of "Bloodlines", expect no different. For death is after an entire family bloodline, after its hierarch cheated death and saved everyone in a sky box doomed to collapse. In the world of "Final Destination", nothing is safe. People can be killed by everything if the right cards are drawn.

You can easily see your average politician pointing to any movie in this series as their reason why certain crazy laws are in place in this country. I at least can practically feel that manipulation behind the curtain. If you're not a horror fan or a conspiracy theorist, "Bloodlines" definitely won't change your mind on the matter. Although I'm certainly not in either camp, it's hard for me to deny the impressive creativity that is shown front and center here. It's quite grisly and gory how characters meet their end with the most random of circumstances.

A sliver of glass being mistaken for shaved ice. Ear or nose piercings getting caught in the most elaborate places. The paranoia of our characters causing someone else to suffer a brutal death in a garbage dumpster as they originally predicted for someone else. There's a few clever twists throughout it's running time that tie in with the visions our lead sees. A great intro is quickly ruined by a dream sequence no one asked for, but it redeems itself as it flows along with new plot developments. Fans of the series should be pleased with "Bloodlines".

Final Verdict: 7/10

Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning (2025)

Let's call this franchise for what it is, folks. The "Mission: Impossible" film series is just an excuse for Tom Cruise to show off and try some cool death-defying stunts for us to witness. That's not to say this is a bad thing. Far from it. Cruise knows the audience he's seeking to please, and he remains loyal in dishing out what his fans crave. With "The Final Reckoning", you'll get exactly what you expect. I'll admit that in comparison to earlier entries in the series and even "Top Gun: Maverick", this film's plot suffers from one bloated and confusing twist too many.

Ethan Hunt is tasked with doing whatever it takes to destroy the Entity, a powerful AI component that's controlling information on the Internet and leaving its subjects brainwashed. Obviously, there's paralleling and underlying social commentary on our current political climate. An otherwise basic idea is sabotaged by the film constantly twisting its own plot twists. It gets to the point that I'm unsure what I'm supposed to be rooting for to happen, and I can't make an educated decision on what makes sense within this universe or not.

I'm also not impressed with the other antagonist here, who's a holdover from the previous film. The main reason to see "The Final Reckoning" either in theaters or rent on streaming is for the stunts Cruise pulls in real time. The ads show off Hunt hanging on the wings of an old school airplane, and a long episode in a submarine with Hunt recovering critical assets to stop a war from ensuing. So it provides what fans will want from this installment to a certain degree. But for the last entry in the series, it sadly does leave a lot to be desired.

Final Verdict: 6.5/10