First of all, let me say I did visit the movie theater recently to watch the new release "The Dog Stars" from famous director Ridley Scott ("Gladiator II,' 2024) and starring the sexy young actors Jacob Elordi ("Wuthering Heights," 2026) and Maragret Qualley ("The Substance," 2024). My experience viewing this film was such a snooze-fest I’m still struggling to think of anything worthwhile to mention. All I can say about "The Dog Stars" is it will not be a favorite film of 2026 for anyone.
Luckily, I watched another new release that kept my attention in all the best ways. This more entertaining film is "The Christophers" directed by the master of succinct filmic brevity, Steven Soderbergh ('Black Bag," 2025). "The Christophers" had a limited, and therefore quiet, theatrical release in April this year but was then released on the personal streaming platform Hulu on August 22 where I first watched it. I know this sounds like hyperbole to some people, but this was one of the most interesting films I’ve seen so far this year, and it has some easily Oscar-worthy performances.
Michaela Cole ('I May Destroy You,' 2020) plays a struggling visual artist in London who also turns out to be a successful forger of famous painters. When she meets two adult children of a world-famous artist, played by Ian McKellen ("The Good Liar," 2019), she agrees to work for this once iconic master painter as his assistant. But her real job is to locate some forgotten unfinished paintings by this reclusive man, hidden somewhere in his studio, and use her forgery skills to complete the paintings so his entitled children can sell them for millions of dollars. She plans to do all this without the wrinkled grumpily faded art celebrity knowing what's going on.
These paintings waiting for completion are a series known as "The Christophers", and my brain was gracefully scratched the entire time I watched this film. It's one part art heist, one part family drama, and one part coming-of-age tale all presented with acerbically poignant moments. Some characters' secrets are revealed, and some allegiances change, keeping both artists on their toes while simultaneously grasping for any remaining shred of success.
The dialogue between the two leading actors crackles with bright intensity and assessment. This dialogue comes from screenwriter Ed Solomon (No Sudden Move, 2021) who's probably most famous for writing the three "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" films (1989, 1991, and 2020) and writing the first two "Now You See Me" films (2013 and 2016) about naughty illusionists who steal big things. "The Christophers" does have some moments of comedy like these previous films from Ed Solomon, but it has much more emotional depth than most viewers would assume. Mr. Solomon's work is hopefully reminding us you cannot predict what a storyteller's next step will be. Good ones can surprise you.
Two passionate artists, one faded and experienced facing one young and calculating, create an unpredictable game of mental cat and mouse. This game combines the twisty playfulness of "The Thomas Crown Affair" (1968 and 1999) with the psychologically brisk explorations in "Sleuth" (1972 and 2007).
"The Christophers" is shot in lots of long unadorned takes with a handheld camera, creating a visual simplicity and physical coziness. This simplicity and coziness makes the film feel like an intimate play on stage so every viewer can focus only on the actors in front of them, their smallest of gestures, and their sneakily verbal mixtures of deceit and honesty.
Why must some people go through the physical labor of making art? What level of importance does authorship have in the world of creating? This film will give viewers many possible answers to these questions, and these answers will keep you thinking.
