I love a good high-concept romantic comedy. In fact, one of my favorite films from last year was David Freyne's Eternity (2025), which also starred Callum Turner. No matter how unrealistic the central idea is, I'm willing to buy into almost anything if the film puts in the work to establish its rules and commits to them. What loses me is when a movie introduces an intriguing concept only to abandon it halfway through. William Bridges' All of You (2024), for instance, began with a fascinating sci-fi hook before turning into a fairly conventional romance. Going into Will Gluck's One Night Only, I was worried it would make the same mistake.

The most ironic thing about the reaction to Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is that so many people are treating Nolan like a god when one of the film's most significant lines is Odysseus' warning: "Don't look for gods in men; you'll just be disappointed." For years, it has felt as though audiences have placed Nolan on a pedestal. Elevating any filmmaker to that status ultimately does a disservice not only to the artist, but also to ourselves, because it discourages us from engaging with their work critically. Prior to seeing the film, I came across early reactions that hailed The Odyssey as one of the greatest films ever made, as if we were witnessing cinematic history in real time. To be fair, the film does represent a substantial technical achievement as the first feature film shot entirely on IMAX film cameras. However, that accomplishment alone does not make it a masterpiece. While people are entitled to their opinions, I disagree with the hyperbole surrounding the film. The highest praise I would award Nolan's adaptation is that it may be one of the best versions of Homer's The Odyssey ever brought to the screen. That said, I suspect I would have been more impressed by Nolan's film if I were less familiar with Homer's epic.

Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan's Josie and the Pussycats received negative reviews and was deemed a commercial failure upon its release 25 years ago. Over time, however, it garnered a cult following—and rightfully so. I still remember seeing the film for the first time in 2001. I rented it from Blockbuster and absolutely adored it. The music was catchy, and my elementary school mind was blown by the idea of subliminal messages hidden in pop songs. For years, I referenced the movie in conversations, only to be met with responses like "Never seen it" or "Never heard of it." More than two decades later, Josie and the Pussycats remains a film I have never forgotten. I never stopped listening to the soundtrack, especially "3 Small Words" and "Pretend to Be Nice," performed by Letters to Cleo. I never stopped referencing the film, despite how few people seemed familiar with it. And I never stopped loving it.