Opening in theaters February 13, ‘GOAT’ features the voices of Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, David Harbour, and more. Inspired by the real-life story of basketball superstar Stephen Curry, the film delivers a powerful message about dreaming big.
If the ‘GOAT’ trailer did not catch your interest, you are not alone. The marketing for this film has made it seem a lot more silly and childish than it actually is. Sure, there are jokes weaved in for younger audiences, but this a family movie, rather than one made for kids.
Adults have plenty of jokes included for them as well, and the overall message is extremely heartwarming. While ‘GOAT’ has a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, there are also some that will have viewers reaching for the tissues.
While it might seem like this is a story we have all heard before, ‘GOAT’ offers a fresh and unique take on the message of following your dreams. In a world where big animals play Roarball (a play on basketball), a small goat named Will (Caleb McLaughlin) wants nothing more than to take the court.
The movie is not about him working hard to get there, as he is drafted to the Thorns early on. The real message lies in learning to find your place in the world, not listening to others, and being yourself. As he gets to know his teammates, they all grow as one, but also individually.
One of the subtle inclusions, but a powerful one nonetheless, is the fact that the Roarball league is co-ed. Will looks up to Jett as his inspiration. He wants to be like her when he grows up. This normalizes boys and girls, women and men, playing together as one and getting along with each other. It is just one more way that ‘GOAT’ subverts the tropes of a sports movie.
There are plenty of basketball Easter eggs (directors Tyree Dillihay and Adam Rosette certainly know their stuff), but thanks to the brilliant writing, you do not need to know basketball to understand the story or the jokes. Music also has a strong presence in the film, whether it be the inclusion of the a song or the unforgettable score.
Caleb McLaughlin voices Will Harris, the main character, and while he is an amazing live action actor, you never know if that can translate over to voice acting. They are two completely different animals (pun intended). Thankfully, Caleb is sure to blow audiences away as he brings the perfect amount of heart and humor to the film.
Gabrielle Union is a powerhouse and an absolutely brilliant choice for the voice of Jett. A woman who knows exactly what she wants, even if she does a bit of an inflated ego at times. As for the rest of the team: Steph Curry who voices Lenny, David Harbour who voices Archie, Nick Kroll who voices Modo, and Nicola Coughlan who voices Olivia, all bring something special to the table. Creating a voice team that has a comedic and heartfelt chemistry.
‘GOAT’ is far more heartfelt than the marketing leads viewers to believe. Thanks to an incredible cast chemistry, well timed jokes, and gorgeous animation, it sets the bar high for the family films of 2026.
The story follows Will, a small goat with big dreams who gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball – a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world. Will’s new teammates aren’t thrilled about having a little goat on their roster, but Will is determined to revolutionize the sport and prove once and for all that “smalls can ball!”
Arriving on Netflix on November 26 is the first four episodes from ‘Stranger Things’ fifth season, starting the long(ish) road to wrapping up the series as a whole.
Finishing off a series that has had as much worldwide attention of ‘Stranger Things’ is a task that could best be described as “mammoth.” There is so much expectations and a multitude of dangling plot lines to be tied up.
Creators Matt and Ross Duffer have opted to go big, and Netflix in its infinite wisdom (and hunt for viewing figures) has decided to split this final season somewhat confusingly into various-sized chunks. Fortunately, the first four, at least don’t disappoint.
Script and Direction
(L to R): Ross Duffer and Matt Duffer attend Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 UK Special Screening at ODEON Luxe Leicester Square on November 13th, 2025 in London, England. Photo: StillMoving.Net for Netflix.
The Duffers and their writers team appear fully cognizant of the challenges inherent in sticking the landing –– and what has emerged, at least in this initial run of four is a mostly balanced treatment of the surviving main characters.
A majority of the cast get something fun (or terrifying; or both) to do, and the team-up concept means that there are more interactions. The creators have also built on the premise, raising the stakes as the final conflict begins.
Despite hour-plus running times for most episodes, there’s not much downtime, and the show’s hefty budget means it all looks good.
Though the younger cast have all aged to such a degree that they’re not the most convincing high-schoolers to grace screens, they still give committed, entertaining performances.
Gaten Matarazzo’s Dustin remains a standout, but all the “young” characters enjoy decent storylines or at least moments, while Winona Ryder is on good form as Joyce.
It might have very familiar genre bones (evil presence in a small town, psychic connections or powers, monsters) but ‘Stranger Things’ has always built well on those foundations, with this initial batch of final season episodes delivering on heart and spectacle.
Now we just have to wait until Christmas Day for the next three.
‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Volume 1 receives 75 out of 100.
‘Stranger Things’ has always referenced 1980s pop culture, so it seems appropriate that this middle chunk of Season 5 should be the ‘Empire Strikes Back’ of the final run. The heroes are on the back foot to some degree, but are looking for ways to win. It never reaches the sheer quality of that second ‘Star Wars,’ but there is some solid entertainment here.
The scripts are a mixed bag here and there –– we get plenty of big reveals (particularly about the nature of the Upside Down) and a lovely moment for Will, but the episodes also suffer from long batches of exposition designed to set the finale up (though one scene featuring the reuniting gang manages to pull off an info dump while also being fun).
Frank Darabont and Shawn Levy are on directing duty here (the Duffers share a credit with Levy on Episode 7) and the three episodes are generally stylish, full of interesting visuals.
While we talked about the main characters in the review of the first chunk, credit to Noah Schnapp, who brings real pathos and nervy energy to Will’s big revelation to his friends.
But we would be remiss if we didn’t also highlight Jake Connelly as Derek Turnbow, who is a real star in his supporting role.
We’re in the endgame now for ‘Stranger Things’ and while the final season has been a mixed bag, it’s certainly got plenty to offer fans who have been on the ride for nearly a decade.
Can it stick the landing? We’ll have to wait and see once the finale arrives.
‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Volume 2 receives 70 out of 100.
And so… it ends. With somewhat of a bang, but also a slight whimper as the big finish proves to be as epic as you’d hope, but the more exciting moments are also sandbagged by protracted sequences that play the same beat over and over again.
Series creators Matt and Ross Duffer were behind the writing and directing for this giant wrap-up (the whole thing runs for around two hours and eight minutes, longer than many movies), and –– spoiler alert in case you haven’t seen it –– chose to largely keep following their pop cultural inspirations and go for a big ol’ happy ending. At least, mostly.
The script is baggy in places (there really was a world where this could have been about an hour and a half) and some of the moments are saccharine, but all in all, it’s a solid ending for the show.
And style-wise, the big final battle against Vecna and his even more powerful allies does deliver on the spectacle, while the extended wrap-up gives the characters some closure.
The main cast are brought front and center once again, with the likes of Finn Wolfhard and Gaten Matarazzo standing out once more.
On the other end of the spectrum, spare a thought for poor Winona Ryder, who mostly got reaction shots until one big moment and then the character coda.
It stumbled slightly, but for the most part, this ‘Stranger Things’ finale stuck the landing, offering a big, effects-heavy clash and then scope to explore the characters’ ongoing stories.
‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Volume 2: The Finale receives 80 out of 100.
What’s the plot of ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Volume 1?
The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown.
Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s (Noah Schnapp) disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming…
Just when the residents of Hawkins, Indiana (population: dwindling fast) thought that they’d finally put supernatural threats behind them following the traumatic events of the Battle of Starcourt, the new trailer for ‘Stranger Things’ fourth season suggests that their troubles are far from over. War is coming… and no-one is safe.
And that includes those such as Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) and his family, who moved away to Southern California at the end of the last season. While Eleven is having trouble fitting into a new school, she’s soon informed by Sam Owens (Paul Reiser) that her particular set of mysterious skills are needed back in Hawkins.
There’s just one small problem with that plan: she doesn’t have them anymore.
Yet back in Hawkins, things continue to be, well, strange. Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) are facing their own challenges, moving on up to Hawkins high school and all the potential bullying, hormonal issues and fashion challenges that presents.
But possibly having an even harder time is Sadie Sink’s Max Mayfield, who is still grieving the death of brother Billy (Dacre Montgomery), who sacrificed himself in the big battle. Not only is Max struggling with loss, but she also appears to have develop some interesting new abilities of her own, if the shot of her floating above the others is anything to go by.
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Whether it’s her or someone else achieving that, they’ll need the help, as something even more terrifying is on the way and a giant conflict is bubbling away, with some of it tied to the creepy new location of the Creel House.
Then there’s poor old Jim Hopper (David Harbour), locked away in a prison in Kamchatka, Russia, where life seems to be just as rough – what we must wonder now is how he gets free? We’ll get that answer, plus some flashbacks to fill in other story gaps in a season that promises to wrap the plot up.
For those who might not have seen the announcement a couple of months ago, the new season is so epic and huge that the creators (and Netflix) have opted to split it in two.
“With nine scripts, over eight-hundred pages, almost two years of filming, thousands of visual effects shots, and a runtime nearly twice the length of any previous season, ‘Stranger Things 4’ was the most challenging season yet, but also the most rewarding one,” wrote the Duffer brothers. “Everyone involved is incredibly proud of the results, and we can’t wait to share it with you. Given the unprecedented length, and to get it to you as soon as possible, Season 4 will be released in two volumes.”
Expect the first batch of episodes on May 27th, with the second haul following on July 1st. Bad news for those who were looking forward to their latest ‘Things’ binge, but good news in that the season will be able to contain more of the sprawling story.
If you’re curious as to what new movie this week might be best for you, Moviefone is here to help you find it and watch it. This week’s selection of movies features freaky ghosts, freaky monsters, and all kinds of grieving. Here are the movies we’re suggesting this week:
Godzilla vs. Kong (In Theaters and on HBO Max)
A scene from ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’
For what feels like ages, fans have been watching Kong and Godzilla’s solo movies and waiting ever-so-patiently for the inevitable matchup. Now, the prehistoric predators are reunited, complete with the Monarch corporation watching their every move. Questions arose in the previous films about whether these big guys were friend or foe of the humans, and as they face off, none of it matters because they’re FIGHTING YOU GUYS FOR REAL OH MY GOD DID YOU SEE THAT?!
Watch It If: You just want to watch an old-fashioned monster slug fest where some people talk occasionally. Also, if you feel comfortable enjoying this in a theater, it is definitely a big screen experience.
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The Unholy (In Theaters)
Jeffrey Dean Morgan in ‘The Unholy’
Jeffrey Dean Morgan (‘The Walking Dead’) is a broke-down journalist who fell from grace for pushing fake news. But wouldn’t ya know, while on assignment to cook up a cheap hacky ghost story, he stumbles on a real one. Alice (played by newcomer Cricket Brown) is a hearing impaired teen living with her priest uncle (William Sadler). She is drawn to the twisted, lone tree on their property and claims to have heard the voice of The Virgin Mary. She begins healing Mary’s believers…but the question remains, who are they really praying to?
Watch It If: You need some Morgan without Lucille, his ‘Walking Dead’ barbwire bat, and if you want to see Cary Elwes in priest robes. Which, trust me, you totally do.
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Concrete Cowboy (Netflix)
Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin in ‘Concrete Cowboy’
In Philadelphia, there is an organization called The Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club that invites young people in the neighborhood to care for horses and learn responsibility and harmony with nature. In this drama, Harp (Idris Elba) is one of the adults doing great things in the neighborhood with the organization, but clashing with his own son Cole (Caleb McLaughlin of ‘Stranger Things’). Will the two men learn the same kind of harmony with each other?
Watch It If: You’d like to learn more about an amazing real-life organization you’ve never heard of (but should), and if father-son dramas get you right in the chest.
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Shiva Baby (In select theaters and VOD)
Rachel Sennott in ‘Shiva Baby’
Rachel Sennott plays Danielle, a complicated modern young woman. When she attends a Jewish funeral with her parents, she runs into not only her sugar daddy, but also her gorgeous Barbie doll-esque ex-girlfriend. It seems as though with each conversation, the situation gets deliciously more complicated and hilarious. You know, on top of the mourning.
Watch It If: You’ve ever felt trapped at a family function, desperately wanting to pay your respects and leave with a couple of hors d’oeuvres in your pocket.
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This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection (VOD)
Mary Twala in ‘This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection’
Lesotho, a South African country, declared independence 55 years ago and presented this film as its first-ever Oscar entry this year. It features an 80-year-old widow named Mantoa (Mary Twala, in her last film before her death) whose village is being resettled by the government, so they can flood the land and bring water to the landlocked nation. In a series of vivid images showing both Mantoa’s real life and her dreams, the film shares a mother’s rage and pain over the death of her son, and how far she will go to be buried with her family. As she feels ready to shuffle off this mortal coil, she has nothing left to lose.
Watch It If: You’re hungry for gorgeous cinematography and rich colors, as well as a performance from an actor you’re sure to remember for a long time coming.
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The upcoming film “Concrete Cowboys” has paired Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin as an onscreen father and son.
Elba and McLaughlin are starring in the drama, which has begun production in Philadelphia, Deadline reports. The young “Stranger Things” actor will play Cole, a teen who is estranged from his father, Harp (Elba), but is taken to live with him in north Philadelphia. There, he’ll be introduced to urban horsemanship. The film also stars Jharrel Jerome, Lorraine Toussaint, and Byron Bowers.
“Concrete Cowboys” is inspired by the Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club, a real-life club where inner-city kids learn about riding and caring for horses. It also draws inspiration from Greg Neri’s novel “Ghetto Cowboy.” Ricky Staub and Dan Walser wrote the script, and Staub is directing.
Elba’s most recent film, “Hobbs & Shaw,” opened last week. Other notable films he’s starred in include “Molly’s Game,” “Beasts of No Nation,” and “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.” Meanwhile, McLaughlin is best known for a series; he stars in “Stranger Things,” which released its third season in July.
Elba is one of the “Concrete Cowboys” producers via Green Door Pictures alongside Walser, Lee Daniels of Lee Daniels Entertainment, Tucker Tooley of Tucker Tooley Entertainment, Jeff Waxman, and Jennifer Madeloff. Neri, Greg Renker, Jason Barhydt, Sam Mercer, Tegan Jones, and Staci Hagenbaugh are all executive producing. The film is backed by Tucker Tooley Entertainment.
The Netflix series claimed Nov. 6 as its official day, and the cast definitely got the memo. The show’s stars made sure to wish fans a happy Stranger Things Day in multiple ways. Not only did they make a video, they also posted messages on social media.
Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson) and Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven/Jane Hopper) all made sure to post the video with a caption wishing everyone a happy Stranger Things Day. Brown also added that she can’t wait for fans to see Season 3.
Then there were a couple slightly different celebrations from the cast. McLaughlin also tweeted cryptically about the holiday, writing, “Stranger Things Day?” and adding the face with monocle emoji. We’re not sure exactly what he wanted to convey there, but we still like it.
