The following article contains spoilers about the major events in Bring Her Back. So, read ahead WITH CAUTION!
Bring Her Back was one of the first of many horror films that premiered this summer. First reactions of the A24 movie being “fucked up” were on-point, because it’s full of unforgettable, disturbing moments of “Ollie”’s demonic behavior. After I saw the Philippou Brothers’ terrifying horror flick for the first time, though, what I really need to talk about is the disability representation in its visually impaired character, Piper.
During his interview with FilmUpdates, Danny Philippou said the inspiration for Bring Her Back came from their friend’s little sister, who is blind. After her parents wouldn’t let her catch a bus by herself, “she was trying to communicate that she needed to have her own independence.” This tragic element of the movie centers on the journey of trying to let go. As Piper navigated the world on her own terms, here’s how Bring Her Back powerfully represented visually impaired people.
2025 movie release, the typical narrative trope of a disabled character is flipped, where disability is not shown as a weakness or an inspirational moment. It just is. Piper’s limited sight didn’t hold her back as she found strength through her other senses. When she found Andy having a breakdown after “Ollie” was being disturbing to him, Piper was able to calm him down with her voice and touch. In that moment, it wasn’t about what she couldn’t see. It was about what she could sense.
Piper navigated Laura’s house by touching the walls, the floor, and objects, rather than relying on others to take her everywhere. Piper also refused to use a cane to get around, saying she didn’t want anyone to “baby” her. She relied on her instincts, memory, and hearing to move through unfamiliar environments. Her disability was never used as a crutch, with the words “I can’t” never coming out of her mouth.
top horror movies of 2016, Don’t Breathe, a blind war vet was the movie’s antagonist. His blindness reinforced the trope that disability can make someone violent. Piper was not a villain, and her disability didn’t bring out any monstrosity in her. She’s a human being who was no different than the sighted characters around her.Plus, disability should not make a person easily susceptible to danger. Strength can exist in someone that society underestimates.
(Image credit: A24)
Piper Didn’t Need To Be Saved
After Laura killed Piper’s brother, she was left alone in the house with her. Throughout the movie’s climax, Piper never allowed herself to be helpless or use her disability as a barrier. Through movement and sensory awareness, Piper saved herself.
As the movie’s antagonist was trying to drown Piper to bring her deceased daughter back to life, the girl was smart enough to yell out, “Mum!” This threw Laura off and gave her enough time to escape through the shed and past the grasp of “Ollie.” Compared to waiting to be rescued, she managed her own freedom by flagging down a passing car.
The disability representation in Bring Her Back is a standout quality that movies should strive for. Piper’s eyesight may have been limited, but her disability didn’t limit her.
Throughout, Sora Wong’s character aimed to be treated like everyone else and never made herself helpless. With strong representation like this, blind audiences can see themselves in the horror movie reflected with dignity, strength, and resilience. The Philippou Brothers’ new horror flick is available for rent on digital streaming platforms.
‘The Sandman’ Season 2 Volume 2 receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
Released on Netflix on July 24th, ‘The Sandman’s second season –– and the show itself –– wraps up with five final episodes (plus a stand-alone, adapting ‘Death: The High Cost of Living, which premieres on July 31st) focused on the moody, doomy character of Dream (Tom Sturridge, ‘On the Road’) as here he reckons with the fallout from his actions in the first part of the season.
Overseen by showrunner and executive producer Allan Heinberg (‘Wonder Woman’) the cast for the new season also includes Kirby (‘The Good Place’), Mason Alexander Park (‘National Anthem’), Esmé Creed-Miles (‘Hanna’), Adrian Lester (‘Mary Queen of Scots’) and Stephen Fry (‘Gosford Park’).
Related Article: ‘The Sandman’ Season 2: More Narrative Drive from the Lord of Dreams
And so we reach the end (for now, it remains valuable IP) of the road for the TV incarnation of ‘The Sandman’. With the second volume of the second season now on our screens, it’s time to find out if the series sticks the landing.
Perhaps the biggest issue with the new run of episodes (something that could be levelled at the show as a whole) is one of pacing. There are endless (no pun intended) scenes of characters having weighty, doom-landed conversations in different fantastical locales.
There are certainly big, dramatic moments that occur in this second part of the season, but we can’t reveal what they are (if you’ve read the source material, you’ll know), but the build up to it and the fallout are less dramatically satisfying as they might be.
The series continues to look impressive, with some beautifully realized settings –– and director Jamie Childs has a real eye for an well-crafted shot.
Tom Sturridge once more anchors the show as the stoic Dream, and he manages to make the character watchable and compelling.
There is memorable work from the rest of the Endless family, and the Fates (played by Nina Wadia, Souad Faress and Dinita Gohil) make for entertaining adversaries as they seek to see Dream answer for killing his own son.
While it is frustrating for the ‘Sandman’ adaptation to end with many stories left to consider –– the creative team’s claim that this was always the planned end point doesn’t totally fly, feeling more like PR spin following the fallout of creator Neil Gaiman’s misconduct and abuse allegations –– at least we got as much as we did.
Premium streaming TV was certainly a better choice of landing spot for this sprawling, complex tale than trying to squeeze chunks of it into a movie. And there remains much to recommended this show, however limited.
“Dream the world anew.”
What’s the plot of ‘The Sandman’ Season 2 Volume 2?
After a fateful reunion with his family, Dream of the Endless (Tom Sturridge) must face one impossible decision after another as he attempts to save himself, his kingdom, and the waking world from the epic fallout of his past misdeeds.
To make amends, Dream must confront longtime friends and foes, gods, monsters, and mortals. But the path to forgiveness is full of unexpected twists and turns, and true absolution may cost Dream everything.
Ghosts of the past start haunting Céline, played by Camille Cottin (Call My Agent!, House of Gucci), in Tamara Stepanyan‘s In the Land of Arto, which will open the 78th edition of the Locarno Film Festival on on the Swiss lakeside town’s Piazza Grande on Wednesday, Aug. 6.
“Céline arrives in Armenia to legalize the death of her husband Arto,” a plot description explains. But she discovers that he lied to her about his identity. “So begins a journey through Arto’s past, as she meets people left disabled by the battles of 2020, veterans from the 1990s, hauntings of a never-ending war” with Azerbaijan.
Zar Amir Ebrahimi also stars in the fiction feature from France-based Armenia-born Stepanyan (Embers, My Armenian Phantoms), who has so far been best known for her documentary work. Other cast members include Shant Hovhannisyan, Hovnatan Avédikian, Alexander Khachatryan, Babken Chobanyan, and Denis Lavant. Stepanyan wrote the screenplay with Jean-Christophe Ferrari, Jean Breschand, Romy Coccia di Ferro, and Jihane Chouaib.
“A woman chases a ghost, but how should she bury it?” asks the Locarno festival website. “Can the dead be saved?”
“I no longer live in Armenia, but it haunts me like an amputated limb, living inside me like a ghost,” Stepanyan shares in a director’s statement.
THR can exclusively share two clips from In the Land of Arto, which is a French-Armenian co-production. Be For Films is handling sales duties on the movie.
In the first clip, Céline is looking to track down Arto’s birth certificate – only to run into an unexpected challenge. Check out that scene below.
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In the second clip, Cottin and Amir Ebrahimi’s characters drive towards their next destination and share insights into their lives, with the latter discussing protecting family and motherland. Their exchange ends with thoughts on happiness.
There are still plenty of massive titles that have yet to premiere as part of the 2025 TV schedule, and Peacemaker Season 2 is one of them. It’s been some time since fans have seen John Cena’s Christopher Smith in action, but he and the 11th Street Kids are on their way back for new adventures. The first full trailer for the season was just released amid San Diego Comic-Con, and it teases some multiversal shenanigans for Chris. With that, there’s one wild and funny thing I’d love to see involving a major DCU character.
Christopher Smith’s Life In The Alternate Universe Should Have One Fun Component
Peacemaker Season 2 finds Chris trying to solidify himself as a legitimate hero, but he’s not having the best luck. As shown in the trailer above, with nothing going his way, Chris decides to use his father’s portal to a parallel world to start a brand-new life. The footage shows that in the alternate universe, Smith is not only a celebrated hero, but he’s also in a relationship with comrade Emilia Harcourt. There are so many possibilities to consider when it comes to the multiverse and, with this continuity, Smith could have a seriously powerful ally.
Considering that Smith is apparently a beloved hero in the other universe, it’s possible that he could be a member of the Justice Gang or at least on good terms with them. What I’d specifically love to see Chris be established as one of Superman’s best friends in that continuity. Even more, I don’t even want that just to be said – I’d love for Supes actor David Corenswet to cameo so that we can actually see some semblance of a bromance.
James Gunn is just quirky enough to add something like that into the narrative. Also, Gunn has been teasing some appearances from more than a few major DCU players – aside from the already-revealed Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn). So why not have the Man of Steel show up, albeit in a very unconventional way?
Peacemaker Season 2’s Trailer Teases Even More Chaos For The Character And His Allies
Frank Grillo is part of Peacemaker Season 2 reprising his Creature Commandos and Superman role as Rick Flag Sr. It’s been said that the Flag is out for revenge against Chris for killing his son, and the trailer shows the enraged father getting some licks in against the costumed vigilante. That won’t be the only issue Smith will have to face, as it seems he’ll also come to blows with his counterpart from the other universe.
All the while, the other characters will seemingly be in a position in which they’ll have to rescue Chris. It seems that, in doing so, they’ll also brush up with both new and old faces like Tim Meadows’ Langston Fleury of A.R.G.U.S. and Nhut Le’s Judomaster. Overall, it feels like viewers are in for a wild ride with this upcoming DC show.
Peacemaker Season 2 has definitely been a long time coming, and I’m eager to see what lies ahead for the character. Of course, I’m also curious as to how James Gunn will continue to expand on this mythology now that the show is canon with the DCU. Hopefully, that change in continuity will shine through in interesting ways. And, if possible, I’d really love to see the alternate version of Chris chop it up with Superman.
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
The new season of Peacemaker debuts on August 21 and will be available for HBO Max subscription holders. Ahead of the new episodes, stream the entire first season now.
Rebecca Romijn is sharing an update on her return as Mystique in the highly-anticipated Avengers: Doomsday.
At The Hollywood Reporter’s San Diego Comic-Con suite, the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds star admitted that she wasn’t sure if she’s finished filming for the forthcoming Marvel film because the script isn’t fully complete.
“[I’m] not quite sure,” she said when asked if she was done shooting her scenes. “The script hasn’t — they haven’t finished writing it. It’s been very, very fun, and we don’t know yet. They keep everything very close to the vest themselves in an effort to keep everything under wraps.”
Romijn kept her lips sealed when asked if she’s read the entire script, noting, “I cannot confirm nor deny that I have read the entire script.” She also admitted she “can’t say” who she’s filmed scenes alongside, but it was a “surreal” experience shooting with some of her original X-Men co-stars with a new, blended cast.
“It was very surreal to be with my old cast as well as a new cast. I had crazy dreams while I was there for a large chunk of shooting. Like, really kind of regressive dreams,” she shared. “It was very strange, my brain was really trying to organize. Like, wow, this is a character I played 25 years ago, 20 years ago. Yeah, [it was] very surreal.”
The actress also shared what it was like revisiting the role of Mystique after nearly 20 years since she last portrayed the character in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand. (Romijn made a brief cameo in 2011’s X-Men: First Class.)
“Oh, I know her very well. I went back in with full ownership of her. It was very nice to go back and play that character, ‘cause I had imposter syndrome in the very beginning,” she said. “I thought, maybe at the very beginning, I was just cast because I happened to be the model who was available to play Mystique at that moment. I mean, I auditioned and I got the role, because when you’re very young, you’re like, Do I deserve to be here? And I did not have that going back this time. It was a very different experience.”
Marvel revealed the Avengers: Doomsday cast in late March, which notably includes a string of actors from 20th Century Fox’s X-Men universe. Joining Romijn from the inaugural 2000 film include Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Ian McKellen as Magneto and James Marsden as Cyclops. The Traitors host Alan Cumming also returns as Nightcrawler, whom he played in X2: X-Men United, and Kelsey Grammer as Beast, from X-Men: The Last Stand.
