THE FORCE FIVE BLOG.

5 REASONS YOU MIGHT LIKE THE YETI (2026)

The Yeti is a 2026 horror film and the feature length debut from Gene Gallerano and William Pisciotta, who both wrote and directed it. It’s about an adventurer’s daughter and an oil magnate’s heir scraping a team together to search for their fathers who have both gone missing in Northern Alaska. By the title, you can take a guess what they run into.

I’m Jason Kleeberg and this is Force Five, and here are 5 reasons you might want to check out the Yeti.

Reason number 5 - it’s a Yeti, and Yeti’s rule. If you’re not familiar with the term, they’re essentially legends in the same way that Bigfoot is. Big, lumbering, ape-like monsters with white hair and sharp teeth. For a less mean one, check out Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. This one, however, is mean and while the budget clearly doesn’t allow the directors to use much of him in continuous shots, when you do see the Yeti, it looks pretty awesome. Which brings me to…

Reason number 4 - it appears to use mostly practical effects, and in an age where AI is all over the place and CGI blood never looks as real as the good old fashioned corn syrup bags we made movies with when I was younger, practical effects are a selling point for me. The blood looks real, the monster looks cool, and no matter how many years pass by, it’s still going to look good because it’s done practically. There’s a certain charm to seeing how low budget films use that budget to deliver their vision and I find it endearing when I see the cracks like fake snow simply because they had to be there.

Reason number 3 - Jim Cummings! Like I said in my review for the short film Help, some Jim Cummings is always better than no Jim Cummings and he has a large part in this film. He plays Booker, a war veteran communications expert. Last time I mentioned Cummings I said to check out Thunder Road so this time I’ll mention the film Last Stop in Yuma County. Go watch that and thank me later.

Reason number 2 - if you like good death scenes, this one has a winner. In a film like The Yeti, you know there are going to be some kills but sometimes in lower budget movies, they don’t deliver. There’s one in this film that could make a list of best kills of 2026. If you’re squeamish because of intestines, however, maybe steer clear of that scene.

And reason number 1 - William Sadler. He isn’t in this movie much but if you’re watching this video you know he’s a legend and he delivers in his limited screen time. He’s probably best known for his roles as Death in the Bill & Ted series or as Heywood in The Shawshank Redemption, but I’ll always associate him with playing Vernon Trent in the Steven Seagal film Hard to Kill and as a bad guy in Die Hard 2.

If any of those reasons appealed to you, you might have a good time with The Yeti, which you can find on video on demand now. If you’ve already watched The Yeti, what did you think of it? And what’s your favorite creature feature?  Let me know in the comments below or email me at forcefivepodcast@gmail.com

5 REASONS YOU MIGHT LIKE BLOODY PARROT (1981)

Bloody Parrot is a 1981 Shaw Brothers film that asks the question, “What if we smashed all genres into one film?” Well, the answer is, it would make absolutely zero sense but would still be immensely entertaining.

I’m Jason Kleeberg, this is Force Five, and today I’m going to give you five reasons you might want to watch Bloody Parrot.

Reason number 5, and this might be all you need to know if you’re in or out on this one…there’s a scene in which a woman who’s wearing only half of an outfit while her other half is nude eats a rock and becomes possessed, throwing tables around and grabbing her breasts. She finds another big pearl and…inserts it into herself and then attempts to kill the guy who she snatched the rock from. Why this happened in the movie is never explained.

If you’re still with me, at number 4 is the incredibly well done title sequence. Watch as swordsmen and birds, presumably parrots, fly and meld into other objects, including a nude woman at one point. It’s a truly breathtaking sequence and while there have been some really cool Shaw Brothers opening credit sequences, this one might be my favorite.

At number 3, despite all of this insanity going on in this film, it looks stunningly beautiful. I love the contained style of the Shaw Brothers sets and they look amazing, but the lighting is fantastic, the colors pop and if you get a chance to check out the Arrow Blu-ray, I doubt it’s ever looked better than it does now.

At number 2 I’m going with the gore. If you like gory movies, this one delivers. Throats are cut, bodies are dissolved, stomachs are slashed open, a guy even cuts his own arm off after it becomes possessed and in true 80’s Shaw Brothers fashion, we get to see it all. There’s a great shot of blood running down a beach after a big battle, it’s super well done. There’s also a fantastic character who uses one of the most unique weapons I’ve ever seen in a movie, it’s a thrown hollow disc that acts as a boomerang and takes peoples’ eyes out but the most interesting thing about it is that it has the skin of a human face stitched on top of it.

And the number 1 reason if you’re not sold already, is the mashing of genres that I had mentioned at the start of this video. If you’re someone who likes to see a variety of things on screen in one film, Bloody Parrot delivers. Aside from the demonic possession I mentioned and the bizarre Bloody Parrot, which at first seems to be a supernatural force, there are sword battles, there’s comedy - our hero cuts a guys clothes off instead of killing him inside of a store and then he cuts a sausage link from the wall showing him what could have been, there’s some mystery as our hero searches for some stolen treasure meant for the emperor and someone who’s poisoning people, there’s some erotica, it really is a mishmash of all genres rolled into one.

Bloody Parrot is definitely one of the wilder Shaw Brothers films out there and I think it’s a really fun time at the movies.

Have you seen Bloody Parrot? What’s your favorite Shaw Brothers film? Let me know in the comments below or email me at forcefivepodcast@gmail.com.

5 REASONS YOU MIGHT LIKE OUTCOME (2026)

Outcome is a 2026 dark comedy directed by Jonah Hill and written by Hill and Ezra Woods. It stars Keanu Reeves as Reef Hawk, a child actor turned star, who won multiple Oscars and became a beloved actor by all. While gearing up for a new film after a five year hiatus, his crisis lawyer calls him to tell him a video is about to hit the media and that the best course of action is to head out on an apology tour to find out who might be behind the leak.

Reason number 5, if you like short movies like I do, this one clocks in at just about an hour and fifteen minutes. Too many films overstay their welcome and even if you’re not into it completely, it’s just over an hour of your time. I say bring back the sub hour and a half movie, especially for movies that head straight to streaming. You don’t need to cater to theatrical showings - tell your story and get out.

Reason number 4, if you hate the Malibu Californian image obsessed, Instagram influencer fame clout chasers and celebrity hangers on, you’re going to love hating some of the people in this film. It perfectly captures all of the insanity of that out of touch Hollywood culture that is so easy to dislike. Matt Bomer and Cameron Diaz are two standouts, who play Reef Hawk’s enabler yes men best friends Xander and Kyle. They’re ridiculous in a way that is incredibly annoying, yet undeniably entertaining. And while they’re mostly insufferable, both of them get a really sincere moment in the movie and Cameron Diaz’s scene in particular really impressed me. Both of them were really great.

Reason number 3, if you’re interested in seeing Drew Barrymore flip out, here’s your chance. In a great scene, Mrs. Barrymore goes full Ellen on the set of a talk show and it’s very amusing. Bonus points for the “back up” interview that happens during the credits because its one of the funnier scenes in the movie and I’d love to see a full version of it.

Reason number 2, if you’re curious about what a celebrity crisis team looks like and how things go, while I can’t speak to the accuracy of it, it seems like it could be pretty accurate. I liked the scene introducing the team and I also thought the office, specifically the pictures that you see in the background, were particularly amusing. Most of the funniest scenes in the film happen around that table, including one focused on bodily fluids and another about what could be seen in the video, but we’re going spoiler free here so I’m being purposely vague.

Reason number 1, the legend Martin Scorsese. As one of my favorite film voices of all time his presence alone probably would have made the list, but Mr. Scorsese actually gets to act here, and he’s fantastic. He plays Red, a manager for child actors that Reef fired a long time ago. He’s only in the movie for a scene or two but he’s really great in those two scenes, displaying the disappointment that can only come from someone who’s felt let down by another in the past.

If any of those reasons intrigued you, check out Outcome which is currently streaming on Apple TV. If you’ve already watched Outcome, what did you think of it? And what’s your favorite Keanu Reeves performance?  Let me know in the comments below or email me at forcefivepodcast@gmail.com

5 REASONS YOU SHOULD WATCH THE WHISTLER (2026)

I am Jason Kleeberg, this is Force Five, and today I’m going to give you 5 reasons you might want to watch the 2026 folk horror film The Whistler, directed by Diego Velasco and written by Esteban Orozco, Carolina Paiz and Nacho Palacios.

If you like movies about myths and local legends or you like folk horror, The Whistler might hit the spot. The story revolves around a Venezuelan religious folk legend named Maria Lionza, who in real life is revered as the goddess of nature, love and water who was eaten by an anaconda and exploded out of it. While that doesn’t happen in this film (which is too bad because that would have been rad), it does delve into cults, possession, souls and spirits, so if that sounds like something you’d be into, The Whistler will certainly scratch that itch.

Continuing that theme, reason number 4. The possession scenes are really well done, specifically the first time Nicole, our protagonist, sees this happening. Without spoiling anything, a voice comes from the subject who’s been possessed and I found it really creepy, so if you’re a sucker for a good body takeover scene, you’ll find them here.

Reason number 3, Nicole is played by Diane Guerrero and she does a really great job of portraying a grieving mother who’s trying to hold on after a tragic occurrence just a few years earlier. I knew Diane from her role in Orange is the New Black - and there are a lot of Orange is the New Black DNA here, from the director to the writers, but while I thought she was really good in that show, she never got the chance to really show her acting chops. Here she does the heavy lifting and does it really well. And this is a film about grief at its core, so keep that in mind.

Reason number 2, the movie looks incredible. Credit needs to be given to the film’s cinematographer, Camilo Monsalve, whose composition is really striking in The Whistler. Whether we’re panning shots of sugar cane fields or just flying over the Venezuelan jungle, it looks like a place you’d want to visit, even if people are being disembowled. Much of the film takes place at night and even then it looks really visually arresting. Props to the color grading as well.

Reason number 1 you might want to watch the Whistler, it’s not gory. Despite me saying people are being disemboweled, almost all of the bloody stuff happens off screen, so if you’re super squeamish or you’re just getting into horror films, this could be a good jumping on point. There is blood that you see splattered amongst the sugar cane and onto headlights, stuff like that, but most of the actual gore happens off screen.

If any of those reasons tickle your fancy, check out The Whistler, which you can find in theaters right now. If you’ve already seen The Whistler, what did you think of it? And what’s your favorite folk horror film?  Let me know in the comments below or email me at forcefivepodcast@gmail.com

5 REASONS YOU SHOULD WATCH SNIPER: NO NATION (2026)

When I was 12 years old, I rented Sniper from the local video store and I loved it, but I never expected that it would turn into a series, and I certainly never expected that series to be going strong in 2026.

I’m Jason Kleeberg and this is Force Five, and today I’m going to give you five reasons you might want to watch Sniper: No Nation.

Reason number 5 is one I already alluded to, but this is the twelfth film in the Sniper franchise, and that alone is wild. Very few franchises make it this far, especially without massive budgets, theatrical releases, or rebooting completely.

But here’s the thing about the Sniper series from the films I’ve seen - these sequels don’t feel like phoned in direct to video films that are just using the name recognition to trick unsuspecting grandpas at the one Red Box still standing outside their neighborhood grocery store. Instead, there’s an effort to evolve the story, to grow the characters and to really construct some well made action scenes. More on that in a bit.

Reason number 4? The cinematography. This movie looks great, way better than most modern direct to video films do, and obviously most of that has to be credited to the cinematographer Brendan Barnes. The camera moves with purpose, the action is clearly shot and while most of the film takes place indoors or in tighter locations, it still looks good. It doesn’t hurt that the director, Trevor Calverley, was the cinematographer on the previous Sniper film, Sniper: The Last Stand.

Reason number 3? The film has some really cool bad guys. The armor they wear is really badass, it reminds me of G.I. Joe and Cobra figures I used to play with when I was little. The aesthetic when they don their helmets is really cool. Immediately they’re shown as being formidable, easily dispatching of several armed soldiers and things obviously ramp up from there when they take several of the GRIT members hostage. They’re only one side of a two sided evil coin, however, and the political aspect featuring the Prime Minister is far less interesting. That being said, they’re not in the movie that much.

At number 2 I’ve got Tom Berenger. I have always liked Tom Berenger on screen and he’s had some really great roles over the years. I’ve loved him as Barnes in Platoon, Jake Taylor in Major League, Shale in one of my favorite late 90’s films, The Substitute, I’ve basically liked him any time I’ve seen him on screen, even in the sequel to Turbulence, Turbulence 2: Fear of Flying. Also, if you haven’t seen the 1977 film Looking for Mr. Goodbar, do yourself a favor and check it out, he’s good in that too. Now he looks like the kind of guy who kicks his boots off, grabs a Coors and falls asleep to Yellowstone reruns in his easy chair - actually, the exact target audience for this movie, but don’t let that fool you. He’s still being Tom Bereneger and he even gets to be a part of the action, this isn’t a Seagal, sit in a chair and act like you’re acting kind of situation.

And the number one reason you might want to check out Sniper: No Nation is because the action scenes are really rad. It starts off a little small scale in my opinion but as the film goes on the action set pieces get bigger and bigger until a big action scene underneath a freeway overpass. Fight scenes feel like they have impact, there are plenty of explosions and sniper kills, and it doesn’t skimp on the gore either. There are several very rewarding moments for action fans here - if you’re interested in seeing some of the deaths, I’ve got a Top 5 Kills in Sniper: No Nation video out as well.

Sniper: No Nation knows the assignment and executes that assignment in spades. If you’re looking to fill an hour and a half with some military entertainment with some crackling action scenes and some fun characters, give this one a shot.

What did you think of this film? And is there a different reason you think people would want to check out Sniper: No Nation? Let me know in the comments below or email me at forcefivepodcast@gmail.com.

5 REASONS YOU SHOULD WATCH RECKLESS (2026)

Reckless is the feature length debut from Elliott Montello and stars Scott Adkins as Devon, a goofball criminal who’s double crossed by his partners after a heist. After he does his time, he goes after his share of the loot, but finds himself on the run from the cops and the guys who stiffed him.

I’m Jason Kleeberg, this is Force Five, and today I’m going to give you five reasons you might want to watch Reckless.

At number 5, if you’re a fan of modern British crime films, this one is going to scratch that itch. There’s one aspect that I’ll talk about in a moment that really reminded me of Snatch, but really this feels like it’s got a bit of Guy Ritchie in its DNA, so if you really like those kinds of movies, you’re going to like this one quite a bit. Unlike many British crime movies, however, which tend to look drab and a bit depressing, this film is bright and colorful.

At number 4, the opening heist is really well done. Long time Force Five listeners might remember I did an episode way back on Top 5 Movie Masks and I loved the British flag design of the blank face masks in this opening heist. It’s frantic, it’s kinetic, a bunch of guys shouting over one another as they try to get what they came for. It’s exactly what you want out of a heist scene.

At number 3, the movie has a really cool way of giving you a lot of information in a very short amount of time with these interstitials. I’m not sure what the style here is called but it’s like cut-out stop motion animation and instead of someone giving a voice over or doing it in a boring way, it’s a quick, entertaining way to convey crucial information. For example, the first time it’s used, we find out that Devon went to prison and we learn how he got to be such a good fighter in a funny and visually appealing way.

At number 2, as much as I love Vinnie Jones, I think the most entertaining villain in the movie is an actor I wasn’t familiar with named Mark Strange. He plays Bishop and has not one, but two fight scenes against Scott Adkins. The most memorable thing about him is his mace, which he uses in different ways to get the upper hand. I thought he was a really fun adversary.

And speaking of Scott Adkins, you probably knew it was coming. Any time Scott Adkins is in a movie, I’m excited for it. This movie doesn’t have as many fight scenes as you might be used to in an Adkins movie but that’s because it’s not a straight up actioner, it’s a crime movie. The fight scenes are well shot with a good sense of space and have small elements of comedy sprinkled into them, like a scene where Adkins slips a Build A Bear over a guy’s head to get the upper hand or Bishop fighting him while wearing a Go-Pro. 

So there you have it, five reasons why you might want to check out Reckless from 2026.

If you’ve seen it, what did you think of it? And what’s your favorite Scott Adkins flick? Let me know in the comments below or email me at forcefivepodcast@gmail.com.