Steven Yuen – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

THE RIP – Review by Susan Granger

January 27, 2026January 25, 2026 Susan Granger ben affleck, Catalina Sandino Moreno, matt damon, netflix, Sasha Calle, Steven Yuen, Teyana Taylor, The RIP

As one of 2026’s first Netflix releases, The RIP is supposed to be a heist thriller – using cop parlance for stealing cash, drugs and/or weapons – but those initials really signify “repetitive informant procedural” since there’s obviously corruption on the Miami/Dade police force. An elite narcotics unit is under investigation after the death of Capt. Jackie Velez (Lina Esco) whose murder seems to be tied to robberies at local stash houses, known as a “RIP.” When Lt. Dane Dumars (Matt Damon) gets a tip that could reveal Jackie’s killer, he assembles his team – Det. Sgt. JD Byrne (Ben Affleck), Det. Mike Ro (Steven Yuen), Det. Numa Baptiste (Teyana Taylor), and Det. Lolo Salazar (Catalina Sandino Moreno) – to raid a nondescript house on a cul-de-sac in a quiet Hialeah neighborhood.

Reviews

NOPE – Review by Susan Granger

August 3, 2022August 3, 2022 Susan Granger Daniel Kaluuya, Hoyte Van Hoytema, Jordan Peele, Keke Palmer, Nope, Steven Yuen

After huge success with Get Out followed by Us, Jordan Peale tackles a sci-fi/Western/horror story, set in Southern California’s picturesque Agua Dulce, where “O.J.” Haywood Jr. (Daniel Kaluuya) and his sister Emerald (Keke Palmer) are trying to continue a family tradition. Peale is a bit too subtle this time because, while there’s plenty of tension, often evoked by Hoyte Van Hoytema’s striking cinematography and Michael Abels’ score, the stakes are pretty low.

Reviews

NOPE – Review by T. J. Callahan

July 19, 2022July 24, 2022 T. J. Callahan Daniel Kaluuya, Hoyte Van Hoytema, Jordan Peele, Keke Palmer, Nope, Steven Yuen

In his third film, writer, director, producer Jordan Peele sticks with the delivery of ample servings of horror and mystery that earned him a seat at the big kid’s table, but adds a healthy sprinkle of spicy Sci Fi as he kicks it up a notch with NOPE. Set in the mountainous desert north of Los Angeles, NOPE is about brother and sister horse wranglers who believe aliens have camped out in a cloud over their family’s ranch. When they decide to get video of the creepy occurrences to cash in on the phenomenon, they get more than they bargained for.