Connect with us

Movie Reviews

“Nutcrackers” Review: A Heartwarming Holiday Hulu Original Movie.

Published

on

It was refreshing to see Ben Stiller in a different role outside of his typical silly, goofy, comical characters. Stiller portrays a Chicago real estate executive who is called upon by Social Worker Gretchen (Linda Cardellini) to take temporary guardianship of his four nephews after the passing of his estranged sister who died in a tragic car accident along with her husband. Despite the upsetting incident, the lighthearted comedy comes from the four Kicklighter boys – played by Homer, Arlo, Atlas and Ulysses Janson, who are also brothers in real life.

Nutcrackers takes place in the countryside of Ohio, and challenges city man Michael “Mike” Maxwell (Stiller) to look after his nephews until they are placed with a foster family. The Kicklighter boys are seen behaving like feral animals in their farmhouse. When their uncle arrives, the boys immediately shutdown and size him up as if he were a stranger. Mike seems distant himself and gives minimal effort in comforting them. Mike is obviously not the father figure. He’s conceded and heavily focused on his real estate ventures. Nevertheless, the Kicklighter boys give Mike a run for his money with typical boyish pranks and country bumpkin lifestyle.

The oldest Kicklighter Justice (Homer Janson) asks Mike, “When I wake up tomorrow, are you still gonna be here?”, and further questions his uncle by telling him that his mom (Mike’s sister) believed that he was not capable of love. Mike learns that his sister owned a dance studio, and his nephews are surprisingly good ballet dancers. He sees this as an opportunity to host a recital with the Kicklighter boys performing their version of “The Nutcracker” with the participation of the other local children. Mike invests his time planning and overseeing the rehearsals, which leads the boys to gradually bond with him. Mike does care for his nephews, but doesn’t see himself capable of taking on the responsibility of raising them. Instead, he intends to use the recital to make the boys more appealing for a family to foster or adopt them.

Will there be tensions surfacing between Mike and his nephews on the night of their recital in front of a pack house? Or will Mike have an epiphany? Not to give out any spoilers, but the boy’s rendition of “The Nutcracker” does have an emotional heartwarming impact. I see Homer Janson having a promising future career in acting.  

Be sure not to miss out on Nutcrackers, available November 29 on Hulu.

Sabrina - Kiddo is the newest member of Countdown City Geeks and is a contributor of movie and television show reviews. Her passion for film derived from her college days where her rhetoric-writing professor focused on the aspects of screenwriting and music lyrics. She also has a knack for saying movie quotes.

Conventions/Events

‘Good Boy’: An exceptional haunting film from a dog’s perception. – Review

Published

on

By

Have you ever wondered why your furry companion stares at the wall or barks when there is nothing around? In this independent horror film, it presents a possible explanation to why your dog behaves in a peculiar manner. Good Boy is a unique take on creating a horror film where the main character is Indy, an adorable loyal dog that will do what it takes to protect his human friend and not leave his side.

Indy made his grand entrance at the 2025 SXSW in Austin, Texas and captivated the audience with his handsome furry coat and charming face. Indy was trained by his owners Kari Fischer and Ben Leonberg, along with the help of a professional trainer. It took more than 400 days (over the course of a couple of years) to complete filming due to the specific commands and desired behaviors that Indy had to learn, but most importantly ensuring his comfort and safety.

You can watch the video here of Indy showing off his impressive skills during the Q&A with Ben Leonberg and Kari Fischer (aka dog parents).

The screenplay was written by Alex Cannon and Ben Leonberg, who also directed the film. They created a unique perspective of a horror film by developing the storyline from a dog’s point of view.

The film begins with Todd in his apartment looking catatonic with indications that he might be suffering from an illness. Indy is by his side and appears to be uncomfortable and restless witnessing Todd being lethargic. Todd decides to move out of the city to the family’s countryside home and takes his loyal dog, Indy, with him. It is here where the supernatural forces lurk in the shadows and Indy feels its strange presence.

The scenes have all those spooky elements a horror, suspense film should have – the dark rooms, chilling sounds, creepy shadows, and thunderous storms. There is even a mysterious cemetery that is part of the property. It is said that dogs have a sixth sense, and this film depicts the fear and concern from Indy that death may be lurking around.

If you are a dog owner or an avid dog lover, Good Boy will touch your emotions as you observe Indy’s faithfulness and courage to save his owner, Todd, from whatever entity haunting them.

Continue Reading

Movie Reviews

Dreambreaker: A Pickleball Story – Review

Published

on

By

This documentary film shines light on the sport of pickleball and the competition against leagues to cash in on the now popular sport. Two wealthy Texas entrepreneurs form rivals in professional pickleball leagues and feud over obtaining contracts on the world’s top players.

Austin billionaire Steve Kuhn, a hedge fund manager turned philanthropist, and sports mogul built Dreamland, an outdoor entertainment and arts venue in Dripping Springs, Texas located in the Hill Country. The site features 16 dedicated pickleball courses, miniature golf courses, and one state of the art music stage.

In 2021, Kuhn co-founded Major League Pickleball (MLP) and held tournaments in Dreamland. I was surprised to learn how this sport evolved into a franchise and attracted investors like Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, and elite athletes like LeBron James, Patrick Mahomes, and even Drew Brees.

Like in all investments and in sports there is always a competitor – here is where Connor Pardoe steps onto the court. Pardoe formed the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) back in 2018, which required the players to sign a one year exclusive contract and transformed the industry from a recreational activity to a burgeoning sports powerhouse. The PPA then gets a new player, investor Thomas Dundon a chairman and managing partner of Dundon Capital Partners in Dallas, Texas. Dundon extended the exclusivity contracts to 3 years.

This sporty film has the tournament founders going head to head, evolving the sport into social media influencers, and chasing the gold. It also stars John McEnroe, no stranger to sport action drama.

Pickleball fanatics and those curious about the sport will find this documentary interesting, maybe even have more people interested in participating in playing pickleball or as a spectator.

The documentary is produced and directed by Ashley Underwood and written and produced by Craig Coyne is set to premiere Friday, April 11 on truTV and also will be streaming afterwards on the Max platform.

Continue Reading

Movie Reviews

‘Drop’ is a thrilling, modern cat & mouse game – Review

Published

on

Hitting theaters this weekend is DROP—a pulse-pounding thriller that brings you to the edge of your seat and dares you to blink.

Starring The White Lotus’s Meghann Fahy and 1923’s Brandon Sklenar, this tightly wound suspense flick delivers a smart, high-stakes ride that’ll keep your heart racing long after the credits roll.

Fahy plays Violet, a widowed single mom cautiously dipping her toe back into the dating scene, but what starts as a simple blind date quickly spirals into something far more sinister. Unbeknownst to her, Violet has become a pawn in a much larger, meticulously crafted scheme—her every move tracked, every word being monitored, and her options vanishing fast.

What follows is a relentless game of cat-and-mouse in the digital age, where escape routes are illusions and the villain is always one step ahead. As the tension ratchets up, so does the claustrophobic dread, with Violet scrambling to outwit a faceless enemy who seems to know her better than she knows herself.

Director Christopher Landon (Freaky, Happy Death Day) once again proves he’s a master at twisting the familiar into something fresh and terrifying. With DROP, he delivers a modern thriller that’s not just entertaining—it’s unnervingly plausible. At this point, Landon isn’t just on my radar—he’s fast becoming one of my new favorite filmmakers working today.

Catch the movie in theaters now.


Continue Reading

Trending