New Thing #1: The Plague

Well, I’m sorry to report that my first film of 2026 will go down as one of my least favorite films of 2025. “The Plague” is a movie about bullying and the struggle to fit in but with a tinge of body horror that, in my opinion, only detracts from the main point of the film. This is a film made by and for grownups who have been bullied in the past. This movie is more “Been there, that sucked” than teaching any lessons for the kids who are actually dealing with bullying. In fact, I wouldn’t be stunned if it had adverse effects on younger audiences. I get how the body horror element and the over-the-top score will hit a sweet spot for indie film fans and critics but, for me, it added an open-endedness that I think would leave many kids with the wrong ideas.

Tomorrow’s movie is “No Other Choice” by Oldboy director Park Chan-wook. I’m a little nervous about this one because I was not a fan of his last film, “Decision to Leave”.