This week on The Movie Gourmet – new reviews of Christian Petzold’s masterful psychodrama Mirrors No. 3, the briskly-paced thriller This Tempting Madness, and the droll British satire The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford.
Note: both of the two best films of 2026 so far, Mirrors No. 3: and Is God Is are now available on VOD. The best movies in theaters right now remain Pressure and Power Ballad.
CURRENT MOVIES
- Pressure: engrossing study of high-stakes decision-making
- Power Ballad: what (and who) makes a ht song? In theaters.
- Mirrors No. 3: two enigmas explained. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango.
- Is God Is: an extraordinary new story-teller. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango.
- This Tempting Madness: she can’t remember whodunit. In theaters, but hard to find.
- The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford: remembering when people had attention spans. In theaters.
- Marty, Life Is Short: an engaging profile. Netflix.
- Sirat: gripping, hypnotic and devastating. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango and included with Hulu.
- The Christophers: twisty, watchable and disposable. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango.
- Omaha: in the best interest of the children. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango.
- The Drama: the darkest romantic comedy that I’ve ever seen. Amazon, AppleTV, YouTube, Fandango.
ON TV
On June 13, Turner Classic Movies will air the 1974 neo-noir The Yakuza, starring Robert Mitchum. The world-weary Mitchum was the greatest male star of classic film noir, and 25 years later was still jaded and just as cool. Here, Mitchum plays a former GI who returns to Japan to help rescue the kidnapped daughter of an army buddy (Brian Keith) who still lives in Japan. Mitchum’s character has a unique relationship with a former Yazuka (Ken Takakura), who can help him navigate the Japanese underworld. Of course, the Japanese had been making Yakuza movies for over a decade, but The Yakuza introduced American audiences to the code of behavior of the Yakuza (severed fingers and all) and other aspects of Japanese culture. There’s a big reveal about two of the characters, and the finale is heavy duty. The Yazuka was directed by Sydney Pollack (Out of Africa, Tootsie, Jeremiah Johnson) from a screenplay adapted by Paul Shrader (Taxi Driver) and Robert Towne (Chinatown). James Shigeta, who I discuss in my post about The Crimson Kimono, also appears.
