Articles by Jonathon Wilson
‘Apocalypse in the Tropics’ Is A Can’t-Miss Account of the Fall of Liberal Democracy
At the risk of repeating myself, there is, I think, an argument to be made in favour of streaming services being the most viable delivery...
‘Trainwreck: Balloon Boy’ Is A Fascinating Documentary That Takes Multiple Fun Turns
Just when it seemed like Trainwreck had reached its lowest ebb with a thoroughly uninteresting instalment, along comes Balloon Boy. This story of an apparent...
‘The Institute’ Gets A Little More Sinister (And Weird) In Episode 2
I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that in Episode 2, “Shot for Dots”, The Institute still has a lot of the same problems it showcased in the premiere.
‘The Institute’ Is Too Obscure For Its Own Good In Episode 1
I get the sense we’ll have to cut The Institute a bit of slack. There’s a compelling core story here, and Episode 1 hints at it repeatedly.
The Premiere Of ‘Dexter: Resurrection’ Proves This Franchise Can Do Spin-Offs Better Than Most
Depending on who you ask, contemporary entertainment’s sheer unwillingness to let go of a recognisable IP may or may not be killing the film, TV, and video game industries all at the same time.
The Weird Ending Of ‘Push’ Toys With Genre To Mixed Effect
Typically, home-invasion thrillers have simple endings. The good guys win, or they don’t. Either way works. But Push, which is a home-invasion thriller for most...
‘Push’ Delivers Expert Suspense But Is Let Down By A Disinterested Lead
For at least an hour, Push is one of the best, most nail-biting movies of 2025. It’s a masterful work of horror-thriller craftsmanship, brought to...
The Ending Of ‘Almost Cops’ Is Too Safe, Too Obvious, and Too Predictable
If you’ve ever seen a buddy-cop movie, you’ll likely be able to predict the ending of Almost Cops after the first five minutes. I don’t...
‘Almost Cops’ Plays Too Safe To Rejuvenate the Flagging Buddy-Cop Genre
Buddy cop comedies used to be ten-a-penny, and a lot of them were great – Lethal Weapon, Rush Hour, 48 Hours, Tango & Cash, the...
‘Madea’s Destination Wedding’ Offers No Answers About How These Things Keep Getting Made
The Madea franchise remains one of the most confounding mysteries in all of cinema. Madea’s Destination Wedding is the thirteenth – count ‘em! – entry,...
The Ending Of ‘Murderbot’ Finally Gets The Human Element Right
I’ve had more problems with Murderbot than most, but you have to give credit where it’s due. I was right, at least, in my prediction that the...
In Episode 4, ‘Smoke’ Becomes Far Too Ridiculous To Be Taken Seriously
Smoke has been a risky show since the beginning, especially since it waited until the final scene of its second episode to become interesting.
The Ending Of ‘Leviathan’ Is David vs. A Literal Goliath To Decide World War I
It’s a great surprise that Leviathan ends as conclusively as it does. For one thing, it’s a Netflix series, and those are notorious for never...
Netflix’s ‘Leviathan’ Adaptation Puts Its Focus In All The Wrong Places
You’d need both hands and at least half a foot to count all the cool stuff in Leviathan, Netflix’s anime adaptation of Scott Westerfeld’s World...
The Ending Of ‘Ziam’ Sets Up A Potential Sequel, But Is There Enough Meat On Its Bones?
It’s an unwritten rule that no Netflix movie can ever truly end. With streaming content being what it is, the possibility of a sequel must...
In ‘Ziam’, It’s Muay Thai vs. the Dead, But the Surface-Level Pleasures Are All You’re Getting
Even if it wasn’t my job, I’d still find myself watching a movie like Ziam. As played out as zombies might be these days, the...
‘The Buccaneers’ Season 2 Cycles Through A Lot Of Plot In Episode 4
To give credit where it’s due, I didn’t expect The Buccaneers to rocket through Season 2’s overarching plot the way it does in Episode 4.
‘Stick’ Finally Introduces Timothy Olyphant In Episode 8, And It Was Worth the Wait
I knew this already, but Stick is a nice reminder that nobody plays smug better than Timothy Olyphant.
The Crowd Work Conundrum: Are Comedians Funnier When They Don’t Write Material?
Nate Jackson: Super Funny is a very good special by all the usual standards, but it’s fascinating in one specific, new-ish way. Bookended by perfectly funny...
Invite Only: Fan-Casting The Craziest Project X Party Ever
If you’re old enough to have been a teenager in 2012 or thereabouts, you no doubt remember Project X, a teen comedy based on a...