Magazine Dreams/In the Lost Lands

Magazine Dreams

Killian Maddox dreams of becoming a world-famous bodybuilder and gracing the covers of fitness magazines.
He lives a lonely, strictly disciplined life, and the relentless pursuit of perfection pushes him more and more toward self-destruction.
Is it worth it? Yes and no.

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• Jonathan Majors delivers an outstanding performance, at times even moving — his acting is the strongest element of the film.

• It nicely portrays the psychological dead ends of the modern American man.

• I liked the soundtrack.

• The whole project has a sense of honesty.

• Inventive in places.

• Good direction.

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• It copies, to the point where it feels like it’s outright imitating — entire scenes from Taxi Driver, Fight Club, and other films.

• It has a rather pessimistic tone that can really bring you down. 🤷‍♂️😅

• At times, it loses narrative cohesion.

• The third act — which should be the climax — falls short of the emotional intensity promised in the previous two parts.

In the Lost Lands

A queen, determined to fulfill her love, hires the witch Grey Alice and assigns her a mission.
Sent into the eerie desert of the Lost Lands, Alice and her guide struggle to complete it.
Now, what can I say? Should you watch it? For me — not even close.

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• Plenty of neo-western elements. If that’s your thing, great.

• It has a post-apocalyptic tone.

• Dave Bautista somewhat saves face.

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• Bad CGI that really stands out — and not in a good way.

• Can I say I saw good performances? I'd be lying (not that I expected otherwise from this kind of movie).

• The constant slow-motion in the fight scenes feels a bit outdated.

• Totally second-rate — but I think they’re aware of that.

• The plot is completely incoherent. You just sit there watching without making sense of anything.

• Over-the-top campy aesthetic and stylization.

• One-dimensional characters.