Nothing Phone (2a) Plus in 2026

Having just sold my Nothing Phone (3) and being left with the (2a) Plus as my only Nothing/CMF phone in stock, I realised that it could be a relevant place to stop and look back, especially as I never did formally review the latter. The August 2024 released (2a) Plus was the update to the March 2024 (2a) and brought a few upgrades. Commentators at the time questioned why it was done, just six months later, but for those seeking a slightly faster chipset, slightly faster-charging battery and slightly better Selfie camera, it met the needs - though I'm not sure about the others who'd recently shelled out on the (2a)!

So, back to the outgoing (3) which had the newly-worked Glyph Matrix in a small circle and a wildly opinion-dividing unique look/design on the back. It's also bigger, with more squared-off corners and, for me, doesn't sit in the hand anywhere near as comfortably as the (2a) Plus here. They also took away the Glyph Lighting array on the back, which I'll come to, which I do think was a mistake - they could have had both.

The truth is that after tinkering with the (3)'s Matrix and seeing what it could do with the Toys made available at launch and later developed by them and users in Nothing's Playground, I didn't use it hardly at all. Because I felt I should, I'd have the clock showing on it all the time - then tried to force myself to remember to lay it face-down so I could see/make use of it - thus, of course, rendering the (actually pretty good) Always on Display a little redundant! You've got to tip your hat to Nothing for continuing to develop design ideas and trying to make something interesting and different, but it all feels, well, a bit like toys in a playground! Which is OK for those who want to play and enjoy their play.

Glyph Lighting on the (2a) Plus is simpler than Glyph Matrix by design. It flashes/pulses lights which are formed as one straight and two curved LEDs. They are only in white and in the phone's Settings can be assigned to different Notifications, camera-fill, Timers and even to pulse to music playing on the phone (with the 26 available zones inside the 3). The last of which is the one that I used the most! No interaction needed, just pulses (very brightly, if you want) whenever you start to play music/video from any app installed. Now that is my idea of fun!

The other thing that was introduced to device since the (2a) Plus was the Essential Space and Essential Key. That link takes you to my blog post summarising what that's about, so click through as I won't repeat it all here. Bottom line though is that it's far too 'locked-in' to Nothing/one's phone to be of much use when other, similar, generic tools, can be sync'd out and shared wherever you like. They are working on this and trying to push the boundaries, but even the voice recording transcription gives a limited number of monthly items before you have to wait for a refresh-date. Good idea, but just needs expanding/improving. And when it does, it's likely to cost users. Nothing is free these days (or isn't)! Frankly, I prefer using Nothing phones that simply, like this (2a) Plus, don't have all this! The software and hardware button, getting in the way for, in reality, little or no benefit!

The Always on Display is the same as other Nothing/CMF phones, very good, not quite Moto Razr/Neo/Signature good, but pretty bright and certainly with more options to tinker with what's shown as it echoes what's on the Lockscreen Settings. I always have mine set to have the day/date at the top, then a BIG digital clock under that, followed by two blocks - left one giving me weather information and the right-side, the day/date (again - yeah, don't ask)! I think it's because the date 'number' is bigger than the one at the top. Anyway, users can put what they like in these boxes, even make more boxes if they like by removing the 'clock' bit. Underneath that there's a row of icons depicting Notifications that have arrived and down at the bottom, the battery percentage. It's nice. If I'm being picky, I'd like it a bit brighter, but it's better than most.

There does seem to be one issue related to the Always on Display in that with a couple of simple, clear TPU cases I have tried to use with it, the phone often turns it off. Apparently this is a known issue and is to do with the proximity sensor at the top of the screen. However, when I have fallen foul of this I sometimes get a graphic pop up pointing to the left side of the screen where the volume buttons are as the point of the problem. So I remain foxed on this one (and am currently testing the phone with no case on at all)! Update I did thoroughly clean the top of the screen, right across and it does seem to have fixed it. There's also a setting in Gestures to toggle off "Mistouch prevention" designed to prevent screen touches when the phone is in a pocket. So anyway, YMMV on this one!

This phone is the grey one but it can also be snagged in black. I quite like the grey as it shows off more boldly the design that Nothing have etched into the back under the plastic. No, it's not simply a window to see what's inside, but many could be forgiven for thinking so! Even so, it has an industrial, techy, geeky, nerd vibe to it which I quite like! Various screws and metal panels, mostly for decoration/design, the highlight being those Glyph Lights either side of the camera island. The two camera lenses are side-by-side and kind of look like eyes, which some will find fun, others maybe spooky! It's plastic all round and the colour round the edge matches the grey or black.

It feels robust with the solid plastic and even though it only has an IP5/4 rating, one gets the impression that it would survive the elements pretty well, if not perhaps a swimming trip to the beach! On the front there's Gorilla Glass 5, so maybe for some a screen protector would be wise. Actually, thinking back, I think that there was one fitted out of the box when originally supplied. Ripped off by me, no doubt! The phone is 161.7mm tall, 76.3mm wide and 8.5mm fat, weighs in at 190g.

On the left, yes - on the left, we have the volume buttons, about 60% of the way up - which feels about right. I do think that this is the right place for the volume buttons rather than on the right, for this right-handed person! So on the right, there's just the power button (and no Essential Key)! The buttons are also colour-matched and do feel like they might be made of metal - not sure - but certainly very little 'play' and no sign of flimsiness. On the bottom, one of the pair of speakers, USB-C port, SIM Card Tray and microphone - and another up-top.

The 6.7", 1080p, 20:9 AMOLED screen is flat with really not much bezel around it. It can refresh at up to 120Hz, has 2,160Hz PWM Dimming for reducing eyestrain/headaches from flickering, returns 395ppi and can peak out at 1,300 nits of brightness in auto. You can manually switch between always 60Hz, 120Hz or let the system 'Dynamic' work it out for itself based on what you're up to. Up at the top there's a centralised Selfie camera circle, sitting just below the front-firing second speaking pairing up duties in the usual way as an earpiece for phone use. The screen is plenty bright for me, certainly seems colourful enough (though there an no options to tweak this in Settings) and nicely sharp for most uses/people for sure. No complaints.

The speakers produce a perfectly good and loud sound between them. They are more loud than qualitative, not much bass particularly, but with Wavelet in the mix you certainly can retain most of the volume and polish the sound up a bit to make it richer. Audiophiles won't be satisfied but the other 98% will be impressed, overall. Switch over to Bluetooth (v5.3) and as usual these days, even the smarter audiophile won't really be able to complain. Much. Sound from phones over the last few years has just got better generally - there's very few duff ones out there, certainly from the mid-tier and up.

The phone arrived in 2024 on Android 14. It's currently on Android 16 with the promise of Android 17 at some point. That will be it then, but Nothing are quite good at rolling out updates promptly and they will also ensure Google's Security Patches until August 2028, four years on. They work with Google's changes quite well, unlike some, when new releases roll out whilst retaining their own NothingOS 4.0 over the top (up here from v3). Somehow they blend it quite well though, a bit like Motorola. For example, with Android 16 came a lot of those M3E touches like the double-bouncing notification dismissals and Extra Dark Mode. Some of the changes had actually been rolled out by Nothing and Google seem to have adopted them for core Android, such as the way in which Quick Settings can be resized. NothingOS 4.1 is out there with their new 4-series hardware, so no doubt that will be along shortly here too, apparently expected next month.

Under the bonnet, we have the MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro (4nm) pushing things along. This is one of the upgrades and I really can't remember how much more useful this is over the (2a) which has been a long, long time gone. But it feels like it's fast enough to me around the UI and executing more demanding processor tasks. Copying lots of data, updating Play Store, and, though I'm no gamer, I do run a few games when testing phones - usually peaking out with Asphalt the car-racing game - it deals with this admirably with no jerks, overheating or buffers. This one's got 256GB storage and 12GB RAM, though there is an 8GB RAM version too. Again, no complaints - multitasking and jumping back to still-open apps is fluid and no problem at all. Copying over data with the USB-C 2.0 port works just fine and as expected - faster would be better but few people are likely to rely on this these days, I contend.

In terms of connectivity, all seems to work well enough as we'd expect these days. Tested on 2 WiFi networks without issue, good and fast speeds, data and voice with 5G seems to work well, no doubt depending on your location and whether you decide to switch down to 4G. I did this too and it was fine. VoIP, WiFi Calling works as it should too and there's space on the SIM Card Tray for two nanoSIM Cards (though no eSIM support here if that's important to some). GPS locks on and seems to track nicely when I've tested it with various apps, NFC too with other equipment (and in Tesco - I'd forgotten that my banking apps and cards were still registered on this phone)! For Security and biometrics, the optical fingerprint scanner, in my test, works absolutely fine whenever I can get to it before the equally efficient face unlock kicks in!

The battery is a 5,000mAh unit (not Si-C) and it charges, as I said, now at 50W with the right charger/cable instead of the 45W of the (2a). It's charging up from flat in about an hour and halfway in just over half an hour. Perfectly good enough I think, however I miss my (inefficient, overnight) wireless charging! And the performance is impressive enough too, especially if you don't use the AoD when it does take a bit of a hit. But even so, with phone in and out of pockets (so it goes off), general use by Joe Public, it's going to last well into Day 2 I reckon. 

While the triple 50MP camera island looks like a pair of eyes staring back at you, the tech behind them is all about consistency. Having 50MP sensors across the board - Main, Ultrawide and Selfie - means you don’t get a terrible drop in quality when switching modes, which is common with many mid-range phones. The Main sensor uses OIS to keep shots steady, making it decently reliable for everyday photos and 4K video. The Ultrawide has a 114° field of view for landscape shots or fitting the whole group (or room) into a frame without having to back up into a wall.

Because the Selfie is also a high-res 50MP sensor (upgraded from the original 2a’s 32MP), it supports 4K recording at 30fps. The best part though is the software - Nothing’s TrueLens Engine does the work, using AI to balance shadows and highlights, so you can mostly just point, shoot and let the 150 million combined pixels do the work! The camera app is very Apple-like with that familiar side-scrolling menu 25% of the way up with shutter button below. Plenty of options too in Settings with Grid overlays, Motion Photo, Filters, Watermarks, level indicators and so on - the usual stuff, but a nice enough experience.

Tech-spec is 50MP f/1.9, OIS, 50MP f/2.2, wide-angle, 4K@30fps and 50MP f/2.2 Selfie and as usual I'll send you to GSMArena for a deeper dive. Do support them as their data and reviews over the years has been, and is, invaluable - a constant source of information for every reviewer out there! Their bottom line is that the cameras provide a solid performance with good video stabilisation and dedicated Night Modes. But do check out the rest, samples and analysis.

Looking back in 2026, the Nothing Phone (2a) Plus feels like a point in time where the mid-device got it right. While the newer Phone (3) chased the ambitious Glyph Matrix and a design that felt a bit too experimental for daily comfort, the (2a) Plus stuck to a shape and a feature set that actually fits the human hand and the average user’s life. It is a nicely balanced device. You get a consistent, high-res camera experience that switches lenses well, a Glyph Lighting system that is genuinely fun (especially when pulsing to music) and a battery that refuses to quit! By avoiding the locked-in feel of the newer Essential Space tools and sticking to the clean, industrial look/feel, this phone remains a solid recommendation even two years on.

If you want a device that looks like a piece of tech-art but behaves like a reliable, no-nonsense tool - and you don't mind missing out on wireless charging - the (2a) Plus is a reminder that the best upgrades aren't always the flashiest ones. With security patches guaranteed until August 2028, it’s not just a stop-gap - it’s a keeper! Surprisingly it's still available for sale, even on Nothing's own website, now reduced from £399 to £299. Great value!

Thrash (2026)

Here we go with a Sony quintessential 'popcorn flick' that thrives on a regular lack of logic and blatant product placement for Xperia phones! Which is highly unlikely in the USA as Sony don't sell them there! Anyway, don't let that spoil things for you - there's plenty more that can ably do that to come! The director was Tommy Wirkola, who also directed a film I enjoyed very much and reviewed here on my blog in the shape of What Happened to Monday (2017).

Hurricane Henry makes landfall on the East Coast of America. The residents of a coastal town are advised to get to higher ground. Most do, but some don’t. Our core group of characters are trapped in various ways, locations and situations. This includes a heavily pregnant woman, a spunky teen who is unwell and still reeling from her parents' death - and a group of foster kids being mistreated by a placement family who are only in it for the money.

There is a scientist kicking about who has been tracking six sharks in the nearby waters - one of which is a huge Great White. He eventually teams up in a boat with an annoying reporter (and cameraman) who is only interested in himself and a headline-grabbing story for his TV channel. As you can see, the film is set up with various tropes intended to create tension in a disaster movie. Unfortunately, it doesn't really work!

The storm hits with surprisingly decent CGI, showing the town being swallowed by the Atlantic. Suddenly, the power cuts, the TV goes blank and the mobile masts fail - leaving everyone with no way to get help. The sharks, pushed inland by the surge, begin their hunt!

Some of the editing in the film is ruthless. One example is when our spunky but ill teen conquers her fear to rescue the pregnant woman from a car where she is trapped by a tree. One second they are just getting out of the car; the next, they are in the house. The film completely ignores the clearly perilous journey between the two - a journey that took the teen ages to navigate alone, let alone with a heavily pregnant woman in tow!

True to the genre, the 'nasty' characters are picked off with clinical precision by the Family Shark! Snatched through windows or pulled under in pools of blood while making a run (or swim) for it, they meet their comeuppance. Others show cowardice, selfishly leaving the 'nice' people in the lurch or using them as human shields. Some of the shark footage appears to be real, and the bits that clearly aren't have been done well enough to be convincing - though much of it is hidden behind thrashing and splashing!

Eventually, the storm breaks and the waters become calm and flat, but they are still populated by hungry sharks. The closest we get to any tension is when one of the heroes dives into a flooded cellar to retrieve something. He holds his breath, gets his jumper snagged on a piece of debris (of course he does) and we see a shark heading down after him. But to be honest, there is very little tension elsewhere, which is a shame.

While the shark footage is decent enough, the town's destruction is the CGI standout. However, the editing remains the film's biggest mystery. The jump-cuts between life-threatening situations and 'safe and sound' domestic settings suggest a significant amount of footage was left on the cutting-room floor. The lead actors executed their parts acceptably, I suppose, but no Oscars will be heading their way - and I didn't recognise any of them. Some of the camerawork was good enough, but the best of it was the CGI. As I said at the outset, it’s a good 90-minute popcorn romp, but it will be easily and readily forgotten.

The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024), Chapter 2 (2025) and Chapter 3 (2026)

The Strangers: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Chapter 3 are a true trilogy, as all three ‘chapters’ could well have been made into a five-hour film (or perhaps a five-part mini-series) and follow each other perfectly in terms of plot, characters and storyline. Spoiler alerts here for anyone who hasn’t seen the previous chapters. so if you want my opinion, only read about what you’ve already seen!

The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024)

I launched into this not knowing anything about the background, nor that I should have probably watched the 2008 film first, nor even that this was the first of a trilogy. Must pay more attention! Reviews generally slate this film, but I actually thought it was OK. It was quite suspenseful, getting into the heads of the victims during what appears to be mindless terrorism by three masked intruders.

The story follows two chirpy, happy-go-lucky young adults, very much in love, heading off on holiday. They stop in a rural town for lunch and, while they’re eating, some local loons sabotage their car. They can’t prove it, of course, but are practically forced into taking up another local’s offer of an Airbnb nearby while the car is fixed. It is in the middle of the woods. Isolated. Alone. Dark.

During the night, the three hoods go about their onslaught. There isn't actually a huge amount of violence shown - most of it is perceived - and the tension and suspense are handled well. The two leads, especially the girl, were very convincing - not for one minute did it look like their tongues were in their cheeks! Madelaine Petsch plays Maya and Froy Gutierrez, Ryan.

It’s all very dark and menacing but ultimately quite mindless, with no real motive given for the carnage. It’s worth hanging about for the credits, incidentally, because there’s a fair bit in them - even when you think they've finished! I enjoyed it, but it seems I’m alone in that.

The Strangers: Chapter 2 (2025)

The story picks up immediately after the events of the first film, with Maya in hospital in the town of Venus, recovering from the attack that killed Ryan. However, she is far from safe. The three masked killers - Dollface, Pin-Up Girl and Scarecrow - discover that she survived and begin a relentless hunt to finish the job!

Most of the film is a high-stakes chase sequence as Maya flees the hospital into the surrounding woods and town. Along the way, she encounters various townspeople (including a hostile man named Gregory and a group of residents who take her in), adventures and challenges!

Maya is consumed by paranoia, unsure who to trust, as the movie implies the entire town of Venus might be in on something, including the two cops. The mystery of the first film is exposed here as we start to learn the background of Pin-Up Girl, revealed to be Shelly, the waitress from the diner in Chapter 1. Via flashbacks to childhood events, we learn why she behaves as she does and how Scarecrow fits in. Eventually, we also find out how the pair roped in Dollface to make up the trio of maniacs.

Shelly was a social outcast who bullied and eventually killed a classmate named Tamara by beating her with a rock. The phrase "Is Tamara home?", used as a precursor to violence when knocking on doors now, is revealed to be part of a game that Shelly and Scarecrow played as children. As expected, Maya fights back when they catch up with her and, in the end, ambushes Pin-Up Girl and kills her. Scarecrow is visibly distraught, confirming a deep, long-standing emotional connection between the two killers.

The film ends on a cliffhanger. Despite killing Pin-Up Girl, Maya is unsuccessful in escaping the town. She remains trapped and hunted by the remaining two killers, but in the teaser for the third film, we see her wearing the Pin-Up Girl mask! Has Maya snapped after the trauma? Or is she infiltrating the group to kill the remaining members from the inside? All will be revealed!

The Strangers: Chapter 3 (2026)

In the third instalment, we find out more about the origins of the killers and why they continue this cycle of violence. The film opens with a flashback to 2021, showing a woman named Claire arriving in Venus. She is checking into the local motel when she is targeted and brutally murdered, confirming that the town has been their hunting ground for years.

In the present, Maya is still in Venus, mourning Ryan and her narrow escape in Chapter 2. After killing Pin-Up Girl, Maya is eventually captured by Scarecrow and Dollface. They take her to an underground lair beneath a sawmill, where the film reveals the dark truth about the town’s dodgy background!

As it turns out, Scarecrow (Gregory) is the son of Sheriff Rotter. The Sheriff has been covering up his son's murders for years to protect the family name, on the condition that Gregory only kills outsiders. Dollface was a traveller who had already committed a murder when she met Gregory and Shelly. The three bonded over their shared psychotic tendencies and formed the trio.

While held captive, Gregory tattoos Maya with a "smiley face" - the signature of the Strangers - and forces her to wear the mask, intending for her to take Shelly's place. However, during a struggle at a motel where the killers are stalking new victims, Maya manages to stab Dollface with a machete and viciously wipes her out!

Maya eventually escapes and returns to the lair armed with Ryan’s old shotgun. She finds the Sheriff and Scarecrow there - the latter unmasks himself - not a huge surprise if you’ve been paying attention - and tries to convince Maya that they are now 'one and the same'. He wants her to be his new Pin-Up Girl! I'll leave the final outcome for you to enjoy, but you won't have to work too hard to guess how it ends!

Verdict

The trilogy is less of a horror and more of a 'terror' for me. While there is visible violence, the emphasis is on tension as the trio's victims are, yes, terrified. There's a long scene in the second film where Maya is being stalked through the hospital - the camera follows her in close-up through eerie silence. It might be the longest sequence in the trilogy and reminded me of the museum scene in The Last of Us (2023).

It’s all completely bonkers, of course, but it's a fun survival romp. The audience really gets behind Maya and wants her to come out on top. The main actors do a decent job, particularly Petsch, who is convincing throughout. The 'baddies' provide sinister, psychotic characters to enjoy and the cinematography is nicely executed. The direction is tight and doesn't let the audience sit back from the edge of their seats for a minute!

Again, the films are slated by most reviewers, but I don't really get the hate. I think they are great fun and well worth a watch. It certainly isn't Little House on the Prairie, but if they were after something dark, suspenseful and terrifying, and I think they were, they did a good job!

In the UK you can now get to all three films via various streaming services.

The Bride! (2026)

Maggie Gyllenhaal, who first popped up with her amazingly bold performance in Secretary (2002), has delivered something truly smashing here. As I sit down to write this, I don't quite understand why I find myself surrounded by other reviewers slating the movie and dubbing it to be rubbish. It honestly feels like they saw a different film! Co-written with the spirit of Mary Shelley herself, this is a high-voltage reimagining of the classic monster tale that refuses to play by the rules. I found myself thoroughly entertained by its spark (yeah, OK - no more electricity puns), its biting humour and surprisingly deep warmth.

The story kicks off in a wonderfully atmospheric 1930s Chicago. We follow Frank - that’s Frankenstein to you and me - played by Chris Bale (The Dark Knight) with a brooding, soulful melancholy. He’s a lonely man who has lived far too long with his sadness, wandering the fringes of a world that doesn’t want him. Desperate for a companion, he tracks down the brilliant 'Mad Scientist' Dr Euphronius, played with icy aplomb by Annette Bening (American Beauty).

In a sequence that pays homage to Bride of Frankenstein (1935), Euphronius agrees to build him a partner. In a lab defined by domed glass and a dangerous overdose of electricity, they reanimate Ida, a recently deceased young woman. But what emerges from the slab isn't just a compliant companion. No, Ida is reborn as Penelope and Jessie Buckley (Hamnet, Fingernails) plays her as an anarchic force to be reckoned with. She remembers little of her past life, but she has clearly retained all of her fire.

The film then takes an unexpected turn when Frank and Penelope hit the road. This isn't just a scenic drive, they are on the run after the pair of them kill a couple of blokes who attempted to rape her. It’s a brutal scene, so watch out for that, that shifts the movie’s gear entirely. Their journey quickly evolves into a 1930s road trip fueled by violence, sacrifice and a twisted, genuine love.

At this point, the film becomes very Bonnie & Clyde, but with a feminist edge. Like that famous outlaw duo, Frank and Penny's exploits trigger a massive social movement. Across the country, we see scenes of women painting their faces in Penelope’s punk-rock image, sparking a wave of anarchy that threatens the very foundations of the era's polite society. It’s a bold creative choice that makes the movie feel incredibly modern despite its vintage setting.

Hot on their heels are two detectives, Jake Wiles (Peter Sarsgaard) and Myrna Malloy (Penélope Cruz). Ronnie Reed (played by Maggie’s brother, Jake Gyllenhaal) is in the mix too, and the family connections behind the scenes clearly translate to a chemistry that feels real. However, they are often outshone by the luminous Cruz! At 51, she remains absolutely amazing on screen, but it’s her comic timing as Myrna that really steals her scenes. She brings a quirky, sharp-witted energy to the detective hunt that provides a much-needed balance to the darker, more violent themes of the film.

While the main six actors are all performing well, Jessie Buckley is the film’s undisputed talent. Her transition from the tragic, broken Ida to the awakening, rebellious Penelope - and even popping up as Mary Shelley herself - is flawless. She manages to be terrifying, vulnerable and very funny all at once. It’s a physical performance that deserves way more credit than the critics are giving it.

Visually, The Bride! is an absolute feast too. The cinematography captures the grit and the glamour of 1930s America perfectly. From the period-accurate vehicles to the wardrobe, the production design is immersive. Perhaps the biggest surprise, though, is the soundtrack. The music features hauntingly beautiful singing and tracks that perfectly underscore the film’s shifts from moving and sad to outright hilarious. A special nod must go to Jake Gyllenhaal, who contributes to the music of the film. I had no idea he was a musician and his input adds a layer to the film’s unique punk-rock-meets-period-piece vibe!

So yes, I simply don't understand why the critical reaction leans toward such harsh detraction. To me, it's a greatly creative, moving work that dares to do something different. It’s funny when it needs to be, heartbreaking when it counts and visually stunning throughout. Gyllenhaal hasn’t just remade a monster movie - I reckon she's smartly offered us a story about the female struggle for position in a male-dominated world and nicely picked apart the 'mess' of being made-by-others! Don’t listen to the naysayers - this is a road trip worth taking and accessible now in the UK without a cinema visit too.

Red Riding (2026)

This film follows Redele (Victoria Tait), a young woman returning to her ancestral home in the Scottish Highlands - a place she knew nothing much about - following her mother’s suicide. As you might imagine, it nods constantly to the famous fairy tale, with parallels aplenty!

The story begins on a council estate in London, where 'Red' is a bit of a tearaway living by her own rules in a grotty flat with her mum. Her mother, who has half an arm missing, is clearly depressed and struggling. After a failed attempt to take her own life where Red saves her, she eventually succeeds. This leaves Red in a predicament - with no father in the picture, the authorities intend to put her into care. Though she is supposedly fifteen, she is written and portrayed with a maturity far beyond her years.

To avoid the care system, Red seeks out her maternal grandmother. She knows the woman is titled and lives somewhere in Scotland, though they have had no contact for reasons that emerge later. Her only hope of independence is to head for her grandmother’s estate. It turns out the 'estate' is a sprawling Highland property with vast grounds. Clearly, Granny has (or has had) plenty of cash (as well as big teeth!), even if the house itself is somewhat dishevelled.

The groundsman, Malcolm (played by Bill Fellows), picks Red up from the station and delivers her to the imposing house. There, she is introduced to Mary the maid (Jenny Quinn) and 'Lady Penelope' (Lynsey Beauchamp). The supporting characters are as dark, sinister and odd, as one would expect. When Red wants to visit the local town, she is already so spooked by Malcolm that she opts for an old push-bike rather than accepting a lift.

Upon reaching the town, it becomes clear that the locals are wary of the estate. They are haunted by the history of missing children and local myths regarding a 'mad wolf' in the woods. There is a distinct 'Slaughtered Lamb' atmosphere, reminiscent of An American Werewolf in London (1981) about it! Red spends much of the first act investigating her mother’s final days, trying to understand why she abandoned the family for London and the conflicting stories regarding her missing arm. Local legend - and her mother’s own claims - suggested a wolf was responsible, but the official story remains a drug-fuelled car accident.

Tension builds as Red realises the estate is haunted by more than just history - there is also a physical presence to deal with. She begins to suffer from nightmares involving wolves and her mother, unaware that the sinister members of the household are, through various means, controlling her every move. I shall say no more, as it would spoil the twists!

Later in the film, there is no shortage of violence and blood, though much of the action is kept off-screen, leaving us to view the aftermath. Whether this was a cost-saving measure or director Craig Conway’s way of building dread, it does make the film feel a little tamer than it might have been. At times, the low-budget nature is apparent, but this forces the focus onto Red’s growing isolation and confusion.

This is Craig Conway’s directorial debut. Known for his intense acting roles in Doomsday (2008) and The Descent (2005), he brings a gritty, claustrophobic tension to the screen. Perhaps it is more of a chilling thriller than outright horror, but I appreciated the ambition. Regardless of the stunning scenery, the interior scenes make excellent use of thoughtful cinematography. There is a thick atmosphere throughout that perfectly matches the creepy woods, misty climate and dark tone. It is now arriving on streaming services in the UK, so do have a look.

Heel (2025)

Just to keep us on our toes, Heel is also known as Good Boy or The Good Boy in some releases - not to be confused with Ben Leonberg’s 2025 film Good Boy about a dog (good grief - what happened to unique film titles, I wonder)! It is probably best to refer to this one as Heel. Regardless, it is a gripping psychological thriller directed by Jan Komasa (Corpus Christi). It stars Anson Boon (1917) as Tommy, Stephen Graham (Adolescence) as Chris, Andrea Riseborough (Alice & Jack) as Kathryn and Kit Rakusen (Foundation) as Jonathan.

Tommy is a 19-year-old delinquent living a reckless life of drugs, violence and social media "clout-chasing". I actually had to look that up! Apparently, it is "the act of desperately pursuing fame or influence, often by leveraging proximity to famous people or exploiting trending topics". You live and learn! Anyway, after a particularly chaotic night out, Tommy is kidnapped off the street by Chris, a seemingly mild-mannered family man.

He wakes up in Chris’s basement in a remote Yorkshire farmhouse, chained to the ceiling by a dog collar! He slowly discovers the reality of his situation - he has been 'adopted' by Chris and his near-catatonic wife, Kathryn. The family’s goal isn’t to kill him, but rather to rehabilitate him. Chris views Tommy as a 'broken animal' and subjects him to a brutal, theatrical and behavioural 'correction programme'.

Tommy is forced to watch VHS tapes of his own worst behaviour - car accidents he caused, being cruel to people on the street and fights he started - to force him to confront his lack of empathy. If he misbehaves or resists, he is tasered or beaten by Chris. We eventually discover that Kathryn is grieving the loss of their previous son and Tommy has been brought in by Chris to fill that void and help her move past her trauma.

Over time, Tommy begins to "heel" (or even "heal", I suppose). He is granted more freedom in return for good behaviour, eventually being allowed to move through the house via a track system attached to his collar. He begins to form a warped bond with the family’s young son, Jonathan, and the housekeeper, Rina - a Polish girl whom Chris has threatened to expose as an illegal immigrant if she doesn't 'play ball'. Rina’s situation becomes further complicated when it appears a group of hoods is also trying to track her down.

The film poses haunting questions. Can they truly contain Tommy? How long will his rehabilitation take? What risks are they - and he - willing to take to establish trust or exact revenge? And what of the outside world? Is nobody missing him? Is nobody trying to find him? What about his family or his girlfriend? It raises broader questions about whether this twisted process might actually offer him a 'better' life than the hollow one he led in the real world.

Initially, Tommy 'kicks against the pricks' in every possible way, threatening Chris, Kathryn, Jonathan and Rina with violent retribution. However, in time, he becomes a "Good Boy" and follows orders. But is it all an act? Is he hatching a plan behind a mask of fake compliance? This is where the tension lies - navigating this fractured family dynamic - and at times, it is really nail-biting! We don't really know what is going through Tommy’s head until the finale, where all is revealed in a series of surprising outcomes.

It is obviously a very dark film - and while it is slow and plodding at times, the four central performances are excellent, making the pacing feel justified over the near two-hour runtime. Most of the film is shot inside the sprawling farmhouse, with its sound-isolated cellar and an atmosphere that feels perpetually shrouded in darkness. The setting is fantastic - a lovely house in the middle of nowhere that occasionally offers a feast for the eyes with the rolling countryside of Northern England. A joint English/Polish production, Heel is beautifully directed and produced. It is well worth tracking down and is currently available at cinemas.

The Girl Who Cried Pearls (2025)

This is the Best Animated Short winner at the 98th Academy Awards (March 2026), which is now widely available for viewing. I was able to see it via ARTE for free in my browser, and it runs for just 17 minutes. It is a stop-motion film directed by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski - the duo behind the acclaimed Madame Tutli-Putli.

The film is framed as an old man’s memory of his childhood in early 20th-century Montreal. He tells his granddaughter the tale of a young boy who falls in love with the girl next door. Both children are poor, living alongside one another in a dilapidated house of rotting wood and with holes in the walls. The boy witnesses the girl's unhappiness - rooted in a violent family life - and discovers her secret - she weeps pearls. As the tears fall from her eyes and instantly harden into gems.

Realising this is the opportunity of a lifetime, the boy begins collecting and selling them to a pawnbroker. Initially unaware of their true value, he is ripped off by the man. However, as the pawnbroker discovers there is a seemingly endless supply, his own greed overcomes his desire to deceive and he begins working with the boy for their mutual benefit.

The conflict arises when the boy’s love for the girl leads him to buy her gifts. These gifts make her happy, so consequently she is no longer sad - and stops weeping tears of sorrow. At this point, the story descends into a dark exploration of how greed can corrupt even the purest intentions. The boy faces a moral dilemma - does he purposely make her sad so she cries and makes him rich, or does he value his love more than monetary gain? It poses the question about what the point of being rich becomes without happiness. It is a bittersweet, melancholic tale with the feel of a dark Grimm’s Fairy Tale.

There is a twist in this adaptation that I won’t spoil here, which speaks volumes about cynicism, opportunism and things not being quite what they seem - whether regarding emotions or golden opportunities. By the end, we return to the old man, whose story has become significantly more cryptic.

The animation is gorgeous, resembling an oil painting brought to life. The palette is colourful yet subdued, with exquisite detail in every frame. Beautifully presented and bittersweet, it is no wonder it won an Oscar. Highly recommended and free to watch!

Background and Themes

"The Girl Who Cried Pearls" (often referred to as the legend of Darci or the "Pearl Weeper") is a poignant piece of modern folklore exploring the intersection of suffering, beauty, and greed. While it feels like an ancient myth, its themes are timelessly relevant. The most striking theme is the monetisation of pain. It serves as a metaphor for how society often values the "art" or "product" created by a suffering individual more than the well-being of the creator themselves. In nature, pearls are created when an oyster is irritated by a grain of sand - a defensive reaction to discomfort. The story mirrors this biological reality - the tragic irony is that the more the girl "succeeds" (produces pearls), the more reasons she is given to cry. It illustrates a cycle where a unique talent becomes a cage rather than a benefit. This version shares roots with older fables like The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg - a classic warning against greed destroying the source of wealth - or The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (Kaguya-hime). Yet the moral remains intact - when we value the pearl more than the person crying it, we lose the very humanity that made the pearl beautiful in the first place.

PodHubUK Podcasts for the Month of March 2026

    

...a roundup of our month of podcasting. Links to the team, communities and podcast homes on the net at the foot, so scroll down!

Whatever Works

Episode 238 - Groomed by Ted!
Monday 2nd March

Aidan and I are back again with this Month's Monday Mayhem! This time we curse self-assembly furniture, practice pulling Pilling, go-a-gobblin' rude chocolate, stay cool while pulling on vests, go out while staying in (or vice-versa), punch(bag) the living daylights out of moving music and even have time to visit a petrol station on The Dark Side of the Moon! Available now in the usual places, so do join us for a hoot and a honk!

The Phones Show Chat Podcast

Episode 884 - MWC: The Magic and the Nothing!

Monday 2nd March

Joe and I bring you a long and feature-packed show this week as we welcome Sam Ventimiglia back - he chats with us about all sorts of stuff but also his life with OnePlus gear. We have two audio plug-ins, one from Luke Van Eede on his new Moto, the other, Malcolm Bryant on RAM, resources and lazy coding! We chat about the best stuff at MWC, the new Samsung range and even have a go at talking about the new Xiaomi - very badly(!) - we all thought the other would know more! Hopefully we'll get Gavin Fabiani-Laymond on real soon to tell us all about it! Loads more, as always, so do join us!

The Phones Show Chat Podcast

Episode 885 - Like a Leica Leitz!

Thursday 5th March

...and so opportunity knocked for Joe and I, along with you, dear listener, as Gavin Fabiani-Laymond was free to chat with us about his sparkly new Leitzphone which arrived a day or so back. So why not, we thought! Enjoyable half-hour of initial impressions, understanding of the system and findings is here for us all. Short'n'sweet. Available in the usual places, so do tuck in!

Projector Room

Episode 205 - Wolf Nipple Chips!
Thursday 5th March

Gareth and I are back again with our fortnightly roundup of all things film, cinema and TV. This time we Send Help for The Auditors, Together, we visit the Village of the Damned with The Ugly Stepsister, get The Drift with an Ice Skater, chat about Paramount, Netflix and Warner Bros - and round things up with those wacky Monty Python boys! Available now from the usual routes, so do join us!

The Phones Show Chat Podcast

Episode 886 - Apple's Reign in Spain!

Monday 16th March

Joe and I welcome Pip Tomlinson this week as we hear all about what's what in his life, gather thoughts on the folding way forward, the chaos MWC brings to Barcelona, why we're all fired up about Moto's new Signature and oodles more! The ghost of Steve drops in to add even more Apple stuff to the show, catch up on phone related news and there's even time for POTW. Phew!

Projector Room

Episode 206 - Hamnet Hoosiers
Wednesday 18th March

Gareth and I are back with another roundup. This time we focus on Video Game Movie Tie-ins, treat ourselves to some Basketball blockbusters, experience The Rip in Bone Lake, follow The Drift into Shakespeare, Capture the War Machine, scarper from Scarpetta and even have time to look at the Oscar winners. All available now from the usual places. Warning There are some audio issues between about 5 and 10 minutes in, but we ploughed on regardless. Very odd quirks. I tried to fix it, so hopefully it won't spoil your enjoyment too much. If that's what it's called. Enjoyment. Listening to our Pod!

The Camera Creations Podcast

Episode 17 - Photos from our Travels

Thursday 19th March

Charlie, Chris, Ian and I get together this time to chat about the panel's recent travels to Marrakesh, Shanghai and London. Loads of great photos in the Camera Creations Google Photos Shared Album so you can follow along. All good stuff, so do join us for an hour, available via the usual routes. Click through for links.

The Phones Show Chat Podcast

Episode 887 - Ted and Joe Go Live II

Monday 23rd March

Mark Surry turned up to join Joe and I in our second "Live" experiment show. Hope you enjoy it. You will if you like Motorola! But to be fair we did chat Apple Air and Samsung a bit too - and covered some phone related news and releases - especially the OnePlus 15T! Available in the usual places, so grab it!

The Phones Show Chat Podcast

Episode 888 - Three Fat Ladies!

Monday 30th March

Joe and I are joined by Steve Nutt this week and we get stuck into all sorts of Accessibility and Audio stuff. So lots of Pixel and Sony talk, we take some questions from the members of our MeWe Group and grab loads of stuff in the App Wrap! Hope you enjoy it, now available in the usual places.

The Podcasts (PodHubUK)

Phones Show Chat (PSC) - Whatever Works - Chewing Gum for the Ears - Projector Room - Tech Addicts - Camera Creations

The MeWe Community Groups (follow the links to join up)
Phones Show Chat (PSC) - Whatever Works - Chewing Gum for the Ears - Projector Room - PSC Photos - PSC Videos - PSC Classifieds - PSC Health - Coffee Time - Camera Creations - Tech Addicts

The Team
Ted Salmon - Steve Litchfield - Aidan Bell - Gareth Myles - Joe Hickey - Chris Clayton - Ian Bundey - Charlie Winston

Primate (2025)

This is a survival-horror film where the terror stems entirely from a family’s pet chimpanzee that contracts rabies and ends up going bananas! Directed by Johannes Roberts (47 Meters Down, The Strangers: Prey at Night), it reminded me very much of the Cujo (1983), only with a chimp instead of a dog!

The thrills are familiar, the tempo engaging, the violence grisly and the tension provides genuine edge-of-the-seat viewing. We start by getting to know a group of teenagers heading off to a luxury cliffside home in Hawaii belonging to one of their fathers. He keeps a pet chimp named Ben, who is normally well-behaved and treated like a true family member. The father’s late wife was involved in primate research, though she died prior to the film's events.

Adam (played by Troy Kotsur) is the father, and he has no hearing. His two daughters are proficient in sign language and lip-reading, so the family is used to communicating non-verbally - a skill that initially helps their bond with the chimp. Ben is incredibly smart, and in the early stages of the film, we watch him exercising his talents alongside the humans. However, the plot kicks into gear when Adam finds a mongoose in Ben’s compound that the chimp attacked during the night. The mongoose had rabies - and now, so does Ben!

Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah) has returned from college for the summer break to visit her dad and younger sister. There is plenty of 'reunion' business with a party atmosphere, friends hanging out and pool-dipping galore. But they soon notice Ben behaving strangely - subtle at first, then increasingly erratic. By this time, Adam has headed off to a book signing (he is an author), but before leaving, he calls a vet to give Ben a dose of antibiotics. The vet tries his best to help, but he doesn't make it out alive!

Thus begins the violence, which is often imaginative and inventive. The special effects are handled well, and I’m sure the audience will wince along with me at some of the gore; the filmmakers clearly had fun creating a slasher flick with a twist. With Lucy’s friends - Hannah, Kate, Nick and Erin all in situ, Ben is spoilt for choice as to whom to attack next, picking them off with sadistic precision!

In the middle of the carnage, the bikini-clad girls realise they are safe in the pool because Ben (like most chimps) won't go into the water. They sit in the middle of the pool while Ben tries to wait them out. Periodically, he wanders off, prompting the girls to dash for a working phone or other item to help them survive or escape before rushing back to the water the moment Ben hears them! It sounds funny on paper, but the tension is built admirably - and don't forget they’re on the edge of a cliff, which adds to the peril!

The big question is whether Adam can get back in time. After realising Lucy isn't answering her phone and putting the pieces together regarding the rabies exposure, he races home. But even if he arrives before everyone is marmalised, will he be of much use given he cannot hear the predator's approach? We head towards a finale that employs every cliché you can imagine!

It’s really a good fun 90-minutes: gory, grisly, tense at times and pretty well-shot, with the camera occasionally meandering out to capture the sea and the rugged landscape. The cast all do a decent enough job; the leads are certainly convincing, especially Johnny Sequoyah of Dexter: New Blood fame (Harrison's girlfriend) as Lucy.

Interestingly, Ben is played by a human performer, Miguel Torres Umba, rather than being a purely CGI creation. Director Roberts wanted to avoid a digital animal, preferring the "weight of physicality" a slasher needs. Using a suit, some animatronics and a little CGI, the effect is decent-enough. Treat yourself to this slasher romp!

Trap House (2025)

If you’ve ever wondered what it would look like if a gritty DEA thriller had a head-on collision with a Disney Channel movie or an episode of Scooby Doo, Trap House is your answer. It is a film that desperately wants the gravity of a prestige crime drama but possesses the intellectual depth of a Saturday morning cartoon.

Spoilers ahead...

The film kicks off with an assault on the eardrums - thumping, obnoxious music that introduces our "macho-cop" protagonists. We are presented with a world of tattoos and biceps, led by Dave Bautista and Bobby Cannavale. The disparity in talent here is jarring. Cannavale is, as expected, entirely convincing; he outclasses every other person on screen, delivering a performance that belongs in a much better movie.

On the other hand, Bautista is a massive letdown. Playing the "action-man" father, he comes across less like a seasoned professional and more like a bewildered, tattooed gorilla. He mutters his lines with a lack of conviction that makes it impossible to buy into his emotional stakes. Even worse is his portrayal of a DEA agent; his character is wildly unprofessional, easily goaded by prisoners and lacking any semblance of tactical restraint. Joining the disappointment is Tony Dalton. After his legendary, menacing turn as Lalo in Better Call Saul, seeing him wasted here is a tragedy. Whether it’s poor directing or a paper-thin script, his "villainy" feels toothless and recycled.

The film’s primary failure is its obsession with its teenage cast. We are forced to endure tedious scenes of American school life and "spunky" kids on a mission to save their friend. The tone shifts violently from a drug raid to a "kids on an adventure" flick, complete with 1980s-style music that feels utterly out of place.

The premise is, frankly, absurd. We are asked to believe that a group of teenagers - armed only with Tasers and an overabundance of "main character energy" - can casually rob a trap house. It is far-fetched, unrealistic and frankly, dumb. These kids behave with an exaggerated stupidity that the film tries to frame as "bravery", taking any shred of realism and throwing it out of the window.

The only saving grace among the younger cast is Inde Navarrette as Teresa. She is a surprise package who almost rescues the film from its own mediocrity. She is sharp, capable and arguably should have been the focus of the entire story. Instead, she’s stuck navigating a script that prioritises "weepy" backstories and a heavy-handed message about how "everything is repairable" in dysfunctional families.

If the plot doesn't distract you, the product placement will. It is impossible not to notice that every character is brandishing a Google Pixel. It feels less like a cinematic choice and more like a 100-minute tech commercial.

The internal logic of the film collapses entirely in the finale. The sequence is an exercise in chaotic nonsense, exacerbated by the "professionals" (the parents) covering up the crimes of their children. The height of this absurdity is seeing an 18-year-old outsider wandering freely through a DEA command centre and active crime scenes throughout. It’s imaginative, sure, but only in the sense that the writers clearly imagined a world where laws and protocols don't exist.

Trap House is a confused mess. It tries to stay in PG territory while tackling subjects that require a much grittier 18-rated edge. By trying to be a serious film while leaning on daft plot points, it succeeds at being neither a thriller nor a family drama. It is a sterile, unimaginative outing that treats the audience like they’re as "dumb" as the characters on screen.

Unless you’re a die-hard fan of Bobby Cannavale or you really, really like looking at Google Pixels, this is one house you shouldn't bother visiting!