I have finally put my hat in the Digger discourse. Dig dig dig. I'm so glad Tom Cruise has joined forces with another auteur in his catalog. The discourse surrounding Digger has heavily centered on the massive $150–180 million budget, and how big of a creative and financial risk this has been for everybody involved. Along, with critics lambasting it for the lack of "humor" and self-indulgent tendencies both stylistically and politically. It certainly has a lot to say about current politics, overconsumption, power, and environmental catastrophe. Digger has safely divided fans and critics alike.

Having seen it, I lean FOR Digger. I adored it. I was especially interested in how the film uses its absurdist humor and Cruise’s larger-than-life performance to explore a world that feels increasingly farcical. It lets out all the current frustrations about where we are going and sums it up in an entertaining, loud fashion. I don't know how else one can encapsulate what we're all feeling. What stuck with me most, though, was how it illustrates the complicated relationship with creating art, especially political art, when you don't have power to change the things you're criticizing. The feeling of powerlessness that comes with watching the world fall apart.

I wrote a review exploring why I think the film’s ambition and messiness are part of what make it so interesting.

I’d genuinely love to hear what other people think. Does Digger earn its swings, or does its ambition get the better of it? And what do you think the film says about the place of original, auteur-driven movies in Hollywood today? I'm sure you all have thoughts LOL.

I don't want to self-promote, but if you want to an extended version of my thoughts feel free to request my Substack review and I'd be happy to send it over.

Not a fan of Digger, but the performances, set design, and big swings that the story takes are admirable and impressive. Now playing in theaters.

(For the record, I wanted to write a spoiler-inclusive review, but seeing as almost no one has watched this movie yet, I have chosen not to)

Some movies try and say a lot of things and end up saying nothing. Others aim for nothing and hit it. Digger is a movie that wants to say a lot, and it does, though it’s not what you think. Digger opened this weekend to mixed reviews from critics and a certified box office catastrophe. Having waited until after viewing to read other reviews, I walked out of the theater confused as to whether I had seen the same film critics were mostly panning.

The movie tells the story, seemingly, of Digger Rockwell (Tom Cruise), an oil baron tasked with saving the world from natural disaster caused by his aggressive drilling and refusal to heed scientists’ warnings. At first, it sounds like a Dr. Strangelove-esque disaster satire, a black comedy designed to criticize the wealthy climate deniers and incompetent government officials who put us in an apocalyptic position for personal gain. It sounds alright if not a little uninspired in this day and age (consider Don’t Look Up, Mountainhead). But Digger is not that at all. In fact, it mocks those types of films for their one-note heavy handedness, lecturing audiences on obvious points so blatantly that they have no real impact or resonance. The film ends up delivering something much more original, interesting, and profound.

The first twenty minutes are straightforward, introducing the story that the trailers and marketing present. Digger in his sprawling estate receives news that his oil rig in Greenland exploded and a massive glacier has formed, hurtling towards Europe. He briefs the ailing president (John Goodman) and his cabinet of Bible-thumping sycophants, whose possible solutions to the apocalypse range from prayer, bombing the glacier, and blaming Al Gore. It’s a fine start to the film, but in terms of timely satire, it plays no better or worse than an average SNL cold open.

Then the film does something that, initially, feels like it changes everything. I won’t call it a “twist”, because it doesn’t function the way classic story twists do. The Usual Suspects, The Prestige, The Sixth Sense and other films revolve nearly entirely around their plot twists, shocking reveals at the end of the film on which the entire story hinges. (What, really, is Usual Suspects about other than the reveal of Keyser Soze’s identity?) This story development in Digger comes early and at first offers promise. But almost immediately after, I felt frustrated. The story felt cheaper, the development unearned and seemingly pointless, and whatever momentum it had been building disappeared.

After languishing for another thirty minutes, Cruise’s character delivers a speech to the European Commission in what has to be one of the best scenes of the last twenty-five years. He storms around the auditorium, verbally and physically fighting the crowd, and criticizing the bureaucrats for their hypocrisy. The nearly single take used could feel like a theatrical gimmick, but given what we know about the story unfolding, it’s not. The film starts to give us more and more information, building on the surprise development. And quickly, it starts to fall into place.

Digger isn’t a superficial, ‘rich people are bad, look at how silly they are’ film like the aforementioned examples or White Lotus. It actually has tremendous contempt for those types of works, whilst still endorsing their obvious and true message. At one point, Cruise’s character mentions how cliché the film’s events feel. He describes his own actions as exaggerated, critiques the trope of the hapless vice-president (Michael Stuhlbarg), and explains that at least some of the people involved are actually a lot more competent and sinister than just ignorant buffoons. The film is even critical of audiences who revel in these stories—not the film’s own audience, but rather those who delight in such easy and broad criticisms and how unproductive they can be.

Jesse Plemons’ character gives a monologue that highlights the tonal line Digger walks. In it, there’s a positive, compelling interpretation that art is important, it can bring people together under the worst of circumstances and, if done right, can tell powerful stories. Simultaneously, his character also provides an argument that those powerful people responsible for tragedy can feign magnanimity and still escape the consequences of their actions.

It feels like in most reviews I’ve read, the critics must have left somewhere before the hour mark. Up until that point, the film was frustrating and aimless. But as the credits roll, it’s clear why and all is forgiven. This is a great movie, and the last film that Warner Brothers will ever make as an independent studio before its imminent absorption by Paramount Skydance on Tuesday. The box office disaster is someone else’s problem now; Digger is a worthy note for such a storied studio to go out on, one sure to undergo serious critical re-evaluation in the coming years.

Amazing movie editing is amazing, inde's expressions were highlight, bear's Character is a selfish character "what's so bad being with me" good characters amazing overall film 🎥

Hello, my name is Douglas Campbell, I review movies and occasionally TV on YouTube.
I went into Resident Evil (2026) pretty much completely blind. I genuinely had no idea what was in store because I have not played a single Resident Evil game in my 29 years of life. I thought it was just zombies but there are mutants, witches and all kinds of insanity. Unless there’s a lore based reason, it seems Capcom does whatever the hell they want with horror and work it out canonically later. I really enjoyed Barbarian and Weapons, so I was curious to see what Cregger would do with a Resident Evil movie…I thought it was just okay…I didn’t hate it, but this was the worst of his three horror films so far, which is still pretty good.

If you are interested my latest video is here:
https://youtu.be/K14LilMJlsY

If you’d like to check out my channel in general, the link is here: https://youtube.com/@wearefilmstash?si=TdYCyYUrk6Y6pOLz

Today I’m reviewing RESIDENT EVIL (2026), the new horror film from Barbarian and Weapons director Zach Cregger, starring Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser.

Siendo una película dirigida por Andrew Niccol, quien la produjo, fue el guionista y director.

Siendo honesto, yo de pequeño quería ser militar, ser algún guerrero o, por así decirlo, alguien como Punisher que defendía a la gente. En algún punto de la vida me dije: "¿y si vendiera armas? ¿Qué tan buena idea sería?". Pero viendo esta película entendí el punto de vista que me habría tocado vivir. A mi consideración, es una película fantástica: te muestra a una persona que se siente asqueada de su vida y empieza a buscar una forma de escapar. Y surge la pregunta que seguramente más de alguien se ha hecho: ¿y si vendo armas? Ahí empieza la película: nuestro protagonista, Yuri Orlov (interpretado por el gran Nicolas Cage), busca esa gloria o el propósito de su vida y empieza a vender pistolas...

Lo característico de esta película es cómo retrata el mundo que gira en torno a esto: mucha gente hace oídos sordos o no mira lo que sucede en otros lugares, cuánto se sufre por la guerra, especialmente en aquellos países de África donde actualmente se siguen librando guerrillas. La película retrata la corrupción y cómo un arma, aunque no se use en una guerra, sí o sí termina siendo utilizada en otra. Eso es lo que más me deja encantado o fascinado: retrata lo que de verdad pasa con las superpotencias, cuya influencia siempre va a estar presente en los países que la necesitan...

Y cómo una persona, mientras más se adentra en el mundo ilegal, va perdiendo a sus seres queridos, igual que Tony Montana: tenerlo todo y después perder a la familia o a los cercanos, sin poder confiar en nadie. En este caso, el protagonista justifica sus actos de tráfico como un comerciante más: "yo solo respondo a la demanda, si no estoy yo, alguien más lo hará".

Hay una frase que me dejó complejo, anonadado, en el momento en que atrapan al protagonista: él dice que las potencias piensan que matan con sus bombas nucleares, pero lo que en realidad mata son esas pistolitas, aka el AK-47. Con lo que más me quedo es con la idea de que el mundo gira en torno a una demanda constante, puede ser comida, ropa, drogas o incluso armas, y para lograr ponerle fin... ¿cómo se podría? Eso es lo que me pregunto.

Qué buena película, fascinante, una gran crítica social sobre lo que nosotros tratamos de hacer oídos sordos o de no ver. Ahora, ni cagando quiero ser un traficante de armas.

¿Qué te pareció?

Resident Evil is yet another lean, mean, and hilarious genre exercise from Zach Cregger that not only delivers on the gory horror thrills and zany comedy many will be looking for

Today I’m breaking down LANTERNS Season 1 Episode 5, “Lights Out,” one of the biggest and most consequential episodes of the season so far. Rushville erupts into chaos, Zoe’s story reaches its shocking conclusion, we finally learn the truth about Abin Sur, Hal Jordan risks everything to stop the Manhunter, and John Stewart FINALLY gets the Green Lantern ring he’s spent his entire life preparing for…only to make a decision that changes everything.

Long time follower, first time poster, wanted to get my thoughts out on Buddy

Hello, my name is Douglas Campbell, I review movies and occasionally TV on YouTube. I didn’t want to see Practical Magic 2, so I let my subscribers decide this week’s review…and they chose Buddy…what the actual hell was that?! I really like the horror genre and Buddy was on my radar but I wasn’t going to seek it out immediately. I’m definitely glad I saw it because this is one of the more creative horror films I’ve seen in a while. The attention to detail on a production level is worth watching alone.

If you are interested my latest video is here:
https://youtu.be/jWI9DmlG5Ao

If you’d like to check out my channel in general, the link is here: https://youtube.com/@wearefilmstash?si=TdYCyYUrk6Y6pOLz