Stilettos and Shootouts: Ana de Armas Brings Lethal Grace to 'Ballerina'

Olivia Bennett, 6/17/2025Darlings, hold onto your opera glasses! Ana de Armas pirouettes through mayhem in "Ballerina," turning dinner plates into deadly props, while Natasha Lyonne shuffles back with "Poker Face's" star-studded second season. It's proof that Hollywood's sequels can still serve us diamonds, not cubic zirconia.

Let's be honest: franchise fatigue is real. But "Ballerina" (hitting theaters June 6, 2025) doesn't just maintain the franchise's signature choreographed mayhem — it cranks the absurdity dial to eleven and rips it clean off. De Armas transforms into vengeance-seeking Eve Macarro with such conviction that you'd swear she's been training at the Continental Hotel her entire career.

The action sequences? Pure poetry in motion, darling. Though perhaps "poetry" isn't quite the right word when you're watching someone turn a formal dining room into a deadly obstacle course. There's this absolutely magnificent scene where de Armas — trapped in what must be the world's most dangerous dinner party — transforms a stack of fine china into improvised weaponry. It's the kind of sequence that would make Buster Keaton drop his famous stone face and break into applause.

Director Len Wiseman hasn't simply created another entry in the Wick universe; he's crafted something that feels both familiar and startlingly fresh. Take the cleverly meta hotel fight sequence — you know the one that's been lighting up social media since the trailer dropped last week. While Eve battles through waves of assassins, a nearby TV flips between classic comedy scenes, each perfectly timed to mirror the chaos unfolding in the room. It's simultaneously a homage and something entirely new.

Speaking of fresh takes on familiar formats...

Peacock's "Poker Face" returns for its sophomore season on May 8th, and honey, the deck is stacked with talent. Natasha Lyonne's Charlie Cale — that delightfully rumpled human lie detector — hits the road again for what creators Rian Johnson and Lyonne are calling "twelve killer new episodes." After last season's shocking finale (no spoilers, but that twist with the carnival fortune teller still haunts), expectations couldn't be higher.

The upcoming season promises to drag Charlie through an deliciously eccentric array of locations — from the dugouts of minor league baseball to the fluorescent-lit aisles of big box retail. There's even an episode set at a grade school talent show that, sources whisper, might just be the series' finest hour yet.

The guest star roster reads like someone broke into CAA's contact list: Cynthia Erivo, Katie Holmes (making her first TV appearance since that stunning arc on "The Crown"), John Mulaney, and Awkwafina. It's the kind of lineup that makes other shows' casting directors wake up in cold sweats.

Between "Ballerina's" balletic brutality and "Poker Face's" clever modernization of the classic whodunit, we're witnessing something rather special in entertainment. These aren't just spin-offs or sequels desperately grasping at relevance — they're proof that sometimes the best way forward is to perfect the art of the familiar while adding your own signature flourish.

And isn't that what great entertainment is all about?

Hollywood's endless love affair with successful franchises takes an exhilarating new turn this summer. Ana de Armas — fresh off her stunning turn in last year's critically acclaimed "Ghost Protocol" — steps into the blood-soaked world of John Wick with "Ballerina," proving that sometimes the deadliest dance moves don't require a partner.Let's be honest: franchise fatigue is real. But "Ballerina" (hitting theaters June 6, 2025) doesn't just maintain the franchise's signature choreographed mayhem — it cranks the absurdity dial to eleven and rips it clean off. De Armas transforms into vengeance-seeking Eve Macarro with such conviction that you'd swear she's been training at the Continental Hotel her entire career.The action sequences? Pure poetry in motion, darling. Though perhaps "poetry" isn't quite the right word when you're watching someone turn a formal dining room into a deadly obstacle course. There's this absolutely magnificent scene where de Armas — trapped in what must be the world's most dangerous dinner party — transforms a stack of fine china into improvised weaponry. It's the kind of sequence that would make Buster Keaton drop his famous stone face and break into applause.Director Len Wiseman hasn't simply created another entry in the Wick universe; he's crafted something that feels both familiar and startlingly fresh. Take the cleverly meta hotel fight sequence — you know the one that's been lighting up social media since the trailer dropped last week. While Eve battles through waves of assassins, a nearby TV flips between classic comedy scenes, each perfectly timed to mirror the chaos unfolding in the room. It's simultaneously a homage and something entirely new.Speaking of fresh takes on familiar formats...Peacock's "Poker Face" returns for its sophomore season on May 8th, and honey, the deck is stacked with talent. Natasha Lyonne's Charlie Cale — that delightfully rumpled human lie detector — hits the road again for what creators Rian Johnson and Lyonne are calling "twelve killer new episodes." After last season's shocking finale (no spoilers, but that twist with the carnival fortune teller still haunts), expectations couldn't be higher.The upcoming season promises to drag Charlie through an deliciously eccentric array of locations — from the dugouts of minor league baseball to the fluorescent-lit aisles of big box retail. There's even an episode set at a grade school talent show that, sources whisper, might just be the series' finest hour yet.The guest star roster reads like someone broke into CAA's contact list: Cynthia Erivo, Katie Holmes (making her first TV appearance since that stunning arc on "The Crown"), John Mulaney, and Awkwafina. It's the kind of lineup that makes other shows' casting directors wake up in cold sweats.Between "Ballerina's" balletic brutality and "Poker Face's" clever modernization of the classic whodunit, we're witnessing something rather special in entertainment. These aren't just spin-offs or sequels desperately grasping at relevance — they're proof that sometimes the best way forward is to perfect the art of the familiar while adding your own signature flourish.And isn't that what great entertainment is all about?