So Leo (Alexander Skargard) is a good man. A mute man in a futuristic world where his inability to speak makes him stand out like a beacon, prone to aggressive negotiations with his fists when things get crazy, but a good man nevertheless. This Bladerunner-like existence in the near-future of the city of Berlin, affords humanity all manner of choices to fix their physical anomalies, which means Leo could be talking tomorrow if he chose to and could pay for it. Spoilers live in the future, too!
He refuses to do either of those things, because that would be against his mother’s Amish beliefs, and he loves his mother dearly. So the accident in early life that robbed Leo of that most basic ability to make himself understood, speech, must have been part of Gods overall grand plan, or something, and this is where we find ourselves when the film begins.
It was never satisfactorily explained to me, what the hell Leo is doing working as a mute bartender here in a fancy Berlin strip club, but whatever, that’s where we are. The strip club is run by a gangster type called Maksim (Gilbert Owuor), who excuses various patrons’ handsy treatment of Naadirah, even when it happens right in front of him. Leo’s girlfriend Naadirah (Seyneb Saleh), she of the blue hair and the several important secrets she hasn’t shared yet, is a free spirit with a dark past who does her best to charm Leo into smiling happily at her loving antics. They genuinely seem to care for each-other, which makes it all the worse when Naadirah goes missing.
One might assume a man raised with Amish values would be a bit more of a pacifist, and that would be a large mistake, at least in Leo’s case. Adherence to his motherly values or not, Leo doesn’t let curses, threats, or even his own bodily harm get in the way of using rather brutal physical force to get the information he needs. Inevitably Leo turns out to be good at drawing, and of course writing his queries when he pauses long enough for that, but really, a photo of Naadirah and a menacingly silent inquiring scowl are plenty enough to at least get started in the right direction.
Meanwhile elsewhere, a pair of former military men turned black market surgeon doctors are sewing one of Maksim’s men back up and reminiscing about their adventures together. Cactus Bill (Paul Rudd) and Duck (Justin Theroux) have been together a very long time, were even lovers once, but now no longer romantically involved they stay together like life-mates anyways, even to the point of taking care of Cactus Bills’ daughter Josie (Mia-Sophie and Lea-Marie Bastin). Duck has a bit too much of a thing for kids, his side cybernetic surgery business on children and the accommodating brothel attached to the strip club allows him to wallow in some very illegal activities, which even his closest pal Cactus Bill can’t ignore forever. One has a tendency to wonder what the hell these men have to do with the over-arcing storyline of Leo and his missing Naadirah, and while it is explained eventually, the disconnection of plot points seems to poison the story a little.
So we’re watching Leo run around beating people up attempting to find information on Naadirah, and Cactus Bill and Duck do their rather violent thing too, when a bolt of storytelling lightning surprises us from a TV screen. Leo is passing a television blaring the news, and we see a story about one Sam Bell and a case of missing identity, with several men claiming to be Sam Bell standing up in the courtroom to protest.
Why does this mean anything at all? The director of Mute, Duncan Jones, made this amazing Indie film awhile back called Moon, well known by film enthusiasts for the excellent story-line and pacing, and the roster of all of a single main actor played memorably by Sam Rockwell. Having the already-made character Sam Bell show up inside Mute for all of maybe two whole minutes, establishes this new film firmly in Jones’ movie universe as part of the Moon approximate timeline. This actually helps those of us who’ve seen Moon appreciate this new movie that much more, the understanding that a good deal of this world could be our future.
Leo is plowing through known associates of Naadirah’s looking for her – idiotic Stuart (Noel Clarke) and his taunts, Luba (Robert Sheehan) and the other prostitutes, mob underling Nicky Simsek (Jannis Niewohner), even eventually Cactus Bill and Duck themselves. What happened to Naadirah and why are both great tragedies, and while Leo doesn’t waste time ruminating on them before acting, he is darkly sad as he prepares to wreak his final vengeance in his beloved blue-haired-girls name.
Duck may have neatly gotten around the mute Leo problem, but Skarsgard manages to be incredibly expressive in his silent role anyway. The character of Cactus Bill, despite being cast as Ant-Man himself Paul Rudd, is a gum-cracking asshat I just want to punch, so I guess they succeeded at that. The movie itself is strange and disconnected, even from itself, with free-floating plots that wander off into the ether while other nonsense is focused on, but the soundtrack is excellent and for the most part, the film is worth a watch at least once. Make sure you leave the sound on for the Bowie tribute.
Speak of all the evil with Mute on Netflix now!

Movie
Review of “Good Bad Ugly”

Director: Adhik Ravichandran
Starring: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Das, Trisha, Simran
Genre: Action / Crime Drama
Rating: 4.5/5
“Good Bad Ugly” centers on Red Dragon (Ajith Kumar), a notorious gangster who chooses to surrender himself in the hopes of turning over a new leaf and reuniting with his estranged son. However, when unforeseen threats emerge, Red Dragon is forced to step back into the dangerous underworld to protect the only family he has left.
“Good Bad Ugly” plays to the strengths of Ajith Kumar, delivering a fan-pleasing portrayal of both his vintage villainy and his matured emotional depth. Ajith’s powerful screen presence, coupled with his iconic voice, shines against Arjun Das’s brooding and intense new-age antagonist, creating an electric old-school versus new-school dynamic. The nostalgic return of Simran is a clever nod to longtime fans, bringing heart and familiarity. Trisha brings a strong, grounded performance as the moral compass in Red Dragon’s life, helping move the emotional threads of the story. The film smartly balances action, comedy, and sentimental fan-service moments.
While the film delivers on fan expectations, its narrative could have benefited from tighter pacing and deeper character development for its supporting cast. Some plot conveniences and an overreliance on nostalgia may limit broader audience appeal beyond the fanbase. Certain dramatic beats felt rushed, leaving little time for emotional resonance to fully land.
The ambition to blend high-octane action with heavy emotional stakes sometimes leads to tonal inconsistencies. At moments, the shift from gritty underworld drama to lighter fan moments feels abrupt. Additionally, though Ajith Kumar’s effort to showcase his dancing skills is commendable and welcomed by fans, it slightly disrupts the otherwise darker tone the film establishes.
“Good Bad Ugly” is a tribute to Ajith Kumar’s enduring legacy, offering vintage thrills while teasing new dimensions to his craft. It’s a solid entertainer that successfully taps into fan nostalgia while hinting at an exciting evolution for AK. While not without its flaws, the film’s heart, energy, and performances make it a must-watch for fans and a compelling action-drama for broader audiences.
Streaming
Presence: A Horror Movie For People That Don’t Like Horror Movies

In these uncertain times, you can’t beat a good old-fashioned horror movie. Unfortunately, Presence is not an old-fashioned horror movie. Yet, as I discovered, this is a good thing!
When I heard about the premise of this movie, I was intrigued. The stylishly subtle trailer was, appropriately, haunting. And was that Lucy Liu? A haunted house movie from the perspective of the ghost? As a seasoned horror movie buff, I was all in!
Like the majority of people I missed the films brief theatrical release. Luckily I was able to catch it on streaming. Visually the film is easy to enjoy from your own home, as it’s rather cosy looking. I never thought I’d be describing a horror movie as ‘cosy’ looking but it’s true! This is not a James Wan type creepy, dusty, decrepit house harbouring a haunting. No, this is a 100 year old jewel toned, oak finished colonial style home.
Despite this the story follows the beats we are all familiar with: troubled family of four move into a new house. The big deviation from the trope is we, the audience, are seeing events unfold from the POV of the ghost or presence.
Director Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven) chose to film the entire piece using a small (14mm) hand-held digital camera. Soderbergh himself acted as the ‘presence’ following the actors around. From the audiences perspective it is like watching the family through a barrier or pane of glass. Cleverly, windows and mirrors are hugely prominent and integral throughout.
The presence mainly follows and tries to interact with the daughter of the family, Chloe (Callina Liang), who has recently suffered the trauma of her best friend dying suddenly. Through Soderbergh’s experimental filming, we feel the dysphoria and frustration the ‘ghost’ is feeling at trying to affect the world around it, particularly during the anxiety-inducing final scene!
However, in what could be yet another mismarketing of a film, the trailer promised to be the ‘scariest movie you will see this year’ and ‘terrifying’; instead, they delivered this subversive, character-driven, family drama. If you are expecting jump scares and dramatic music stings, this is not your movie. I could understand if someone was disappointed that the only seemingly scary thing is the mother’s and son’s relationship, right up until the gut-punch of the final scene.
Presence is definitely a slow burn, tension building until the final scene, and the unveiling of the ‘presence’ giving us a new understanding of the whole story. The ending is disturbing and stays with you as you re-analyse earlier scenes.
My one complaint is that the character Ryan (West Mulholland) with his Chesney Hawkes hair, perhaps needed more subtlety. The rest of the cast was completely solid and believable as a family with so many unspoken issues.
I wouldn’t recommend this film for everybody but maybe be as so bold to say it’s a horror movie for people that don’t like horror movies. It’s well-lit and cerebral with realistically flawed characters.
Presence is available to stream.
Three and a half stars.
Streaming
Anime Review: Fog Hill of the Five Elements (Wu Shan Wu Xing)

Genre: Action, Fantasy, Martial Arts, Historical
Runtime: Each episode runs approximately 20-30 minutes
Director: Lin Hun (also the Creator)
Studio: Samsara Animation Studio
Main Voice Actors (Chinese Cast):Liu Zhi Shi as Wen Ren Yu Xuan Zhou Qi as Shen Nong Fang Yuan as Xuan
Overview
Fog Hill of the Five Elements is a breathtaking Chinese anime (donghua) that merges traditional Chinese ink-painting aesthetics with high-intensity martial arts action. Created and directed by Lin Hun, this series delivers a spellbinding visual experience that rivals, and in many ways surpasses, mainstream Japanese anime. Produced by Samsara Animation Studio, the anime is a labor of love, known for its hand-drawn animation and meticulous detail.
Set in a mythological world where elemental beasts roam free, the series follows the Five Elemental Envoys tasked with protecting humanity. The story focuses on Wen Ren Yu Xuan, the Fire Envoy, whose actions set off a chain of events threatening the delicate balance between humans and beasts. The tale is steeped in Chinese folklore and myth, weaving a complex narrative of duty, power, and sacrifice.
Without question, Fog Hill of the Five Elements is one of the most visually stunning animated series in recent memory. The blend of traditional Chinese ink wash painting with modern dynamic action scenes is masterful. Every frame looks like a moving scroll painting, with fluid character movements and kinetic fight choreography that puts many mainstream series to shame.
The characters are deeply tied to traditional archetypes found in Chinese legends but are fleshed out with emotional depth and conflict. Voice acting by Liu Zhi Shi, Zhou Qi, and Fang Yuan brings authenticity and gravitas to their respective roles. The dialogue is steeped in poetic language, enhancing the mythic feel of the story.
The soundtrack complements the epic visuals with traditional Chinese instrumentation mixed with modern elements. The sound design heightens the impact of every battle and emotional moment.
Rating: 9/10
Fog Hill of the Five Elements earns a 9 out of 10 for its groundbreaking animation style, deep mythological storytelling, and heart-pounding action. The only downside is its limited number of episodes and slow release schedule, which leaves fans craving more.
Pros
- Unparalleled hand-drawn animation
- Unique art direction inspired by traditional Chinese painting
- Rich mythological lore
- Epic fight choreography
Cons
- Sparse episode release
- Story pacing can be uneven at times
Final Verdict 9/10
If you’re an anime enthusiast or a fan of animation artistry, Fog Hill of the Five Elements is a must-watch. Its fusion of stunning visuals, martial arts action, and mythological storytelling makes it one of the standout titles in modern animation. Whether you’re into Japanese anime or Chinese donghua, this series deserves a spot on your watchlist.