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Black Phone 2 review
BLACK PHONE 2:
THE GRABBER GOES FREDDY KRUEGER IN FUN HORROR FOLLOW-UP!
By Nico Beland
Movie Review: *** out of 4
UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Mason Thames and Ethan Hawke in Black Phone 2
Ethan Hawke (Before Sunrise trilogy, Sinister, Boyhood) is back as The Grabber in Black Phone 2, the new horror film from Blumhouse and director Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister, Doctor Strange) and follow-up to his 2021/22 hit, The Black Phone. I really, really liked the first Black Phone movie and thought it was a genuinely frightening and gripping horror film about a kid trying to escape from an abductor’s basement.
I don’t usually get scared of horror movies that much, but anything involving child abduction is legitimately terrifying to me and while the movie does have a supernatural element to it via ghosts of the kidnapped/murdered children communicating through a broken phone on the wall, it is a realistic situation that can happen and has happened. Plus a memorable performance by Ethan Hawke as child abductor and killer, The Grabber who crafted a new horror icon out of this character.
It’s a solid movie that stood on its own…not sure why it needed a sequel though outside of the fact it was successful. I was also taken a back seat when the trailers revealed that The Grabber was going to be a ghost or demonic entity a-la Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street in this one which I felt ironically made him less scary than when he was alive.
Despite my initial skepticism, I was going to see this movie regardless and give my thoughts on it and…Black Phone 2 is fun. It’s nowhere near as frightening as its predecessor, but those looking to have a creepy good time at the movies for Halloween surely won’t be disappointed.
The film is set four years after Finney Blake (Mason Thames-How to Train Your Dragon (2025), Regretting You) killed The Grabber and follows him and his sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw-American Sniper, Toy Story 4, The Mandela Effect) who after the latter begins to have nightmares involving murders at a youth camp in the 1950s venture out to the camp during a snowstorm in order to figure out what happened. This all turns out to be a trap concocted by none other than The Grabber (Hawke) who is now a ghost and hellbent on causing as much pain to Finney as possible as revenge for killing him.
Finney, Gwen, and their friend Ernesto (Miguel Mora who previously portrayed The Grabber’s victim, Robin in the first film) uncover a secret regarding this camp and their family history as they face off against a killer who has grown more powerful in death.
The film also stars Demián Bichir (Alien: Covenant, The Nun, Godzilla VS Kong) as Armando, Jeremy Davies (Twister, Saving Private Ryan, Justice League Dark) reprising his role as Finney and Gwen’s father Terrence Blake, Arianna Rivas (Danger Force, Prom Dates, A Working Man) as Mustang, and Graham Abbey (Degrassi: The Next Generation, King John, Stay the Night) as Kenneth.
Overall, Black Phone 2 leans more into fun horror compared to its predecessor and doesn’t really have that blood pumping energy from the first, but it’s still a solid sequel and an enjoyable time at the movies. I personally preferred the tension of the first as that was like the ultimate “Stranger Danger” movie with Ethan Hawke’s Grabber being very unsettling in it, but I was entertained while watching this one.
The sequel definitely utilizes the supernatural element more with the sister who has all the dreams/visions, Gwen essentially being the protagonist while Finney is a supporting character. Basically the Nancy Thompson from A Nightmare on Elm Street of this movie and it works well enough.
It especially helps that Madeleine McGraw is excellent in the film, I thought she was a standout in the first, but this really is her movie. She has the snarky remarks, vulgarities, and tough as nails attitude that she had in the first while also selling the heartfelt and dramatic moments.
Mason Thames is also very good reprising his role as Finney though he’s not as focused on this time around and I like that Jeremy Davies is given more to do as Finney and Gwen’s father and actually plays a part in helping them stop The Grabber. Speaking of which, even in death (I’m talking about the character FYI!), Ethan Hawke is still great as The Grabber and has plenty of creepy moments throughout the film, but like I said, I thought he was much scarier when he was alive than when he became a Freddy Krueger clone.
I do really like how Gwen’s dreams are depicted with a very grainy, shot on film look (The movie even starts with the 70s-80s Universal logo in the beginning) which makes it easy to differentiate between the dream world and the real world. Honestly, it makes the dreams feel rawer and grittier, I thought that was a clever way of handling them.
The kills are bloody and fun, but a lot of the time they felt too reminiscent of A Nightmare on Elm Streetcomplete with a “If you get hurt/die in your dream, you get hurt/die in real life” sequence. We’ve seen ghosts/entities moving people around, tossing them, slamming them, and killing/wounding them in bloody ways many times before and while they’re done well here, there really isn’t anything special about them.
Black Phone 2 is a flawed but fun horror sequel that pales in comparison to its predecessor, but it offers enough thrills and mystery to make it an entertaining watch for the Halloween season. Pick up the phone and see for yourself.
Good Fortune review
GOOD FORTUNE:
KEANU REEVES TRULY IS AN ANGEL IN UPROARIOUSLY FUNNY COMEDY!
By Nico Beland
Movie Review: **** out of 4
LIONSGATE
Seth Rogen, Keanu Reeves, and Aziz Ansari in Good Fortune
Aziz Ansari (Parks and Recreation, Get Him to the Greek, Bob’s Burgers) befriends a Guardian Angel played by Keanu Reeves (The Matrix franchise, John Wick franchise, Sonic the Hedgehog 3) who turns his life…into absolute perfection…and doesn’t get turned upside down in the new supernatural comedy film, Good Fortune. This film marks Ansari’s official directorial debut after 2022’s Being Mortal was scrapped by Searchlight Pictures.
I was sold on this movie just by the premise alone when I saw the trailer for it in front of the John Wick spinoff, Ballerina earlier this year. Keanu Reeves, hot off the John Wick movies and voicing the edgy, Shadow the Hedgehog in the recent Sonic movie as a bumbling angel trying to help a lost soul played by Ansari and an It’s a Wonderful Lifemeets Freaky Friday-ish plot where Ansari switches lives with a successful Seth Rogen (Superbad, This is the End, The Studio).
The film is essentially a social satire on the rich VS the poor, but not in a way where it constantly hammers the message into your head. It remembers to be a comedy first and My God (No pun intended), this movie is really, REALLY funny!
I laughed quite a bit during this movie and all of it comes from the performances by Reeves, Ansari, and Rogen. I literally could have just watched them sitting in a room, talking to each other, and cracking jokes for 90 minutes and come out happy.
The film follows Arj (Ansari), a down on his luck man struggling to make ends meet through various odd jobs (One of which is standing in line for 2 hours at a cinnamon bun shop for another person) and sleeps in his car. His life suddenly changes when he meets a well-meaning but rather inept Guardian Angel named Gabriel (Reeves) with small wings and mostly just stops people from texting and driving.
Gabriel proposes a one-week experiment where Arj switches lives with wealthy venture capitalist, Jeff (Rogen) in order for him to see how good he actually had it all along. That’s not at all what happens as Arj loves the life of luxury and doesn’t want to go back to the way things were thus leaving all three of them stuck in this alternate reality.
The film also stars Keke Palmer (Hustlers, Nope, One of Them Days) as Elena, Sandra Oh (Sideways, Grey’s Anatomy, Turning Red) as Martha, Stephen McKinley Henderson (Lincoln, Dune (2021), Civil War) as Azrael, and Sherry Cola (Turning Red, Shortcomings, Joy Ride) as Linda.
Overall, Good Fortune is an incredibly funny comedy that delivers plenty of laughs while also having a fascinating premise and an equally bold message. The movie takes the “Money can’t buy happiness” moral and twists it around where it’s like money can’t buy happiness, but it can help you live comfortably in a miserable life which I think is a really clever take on that message we’ve heard a million times.
On top of that, Seth Rogen’s character learns the lesson of hardship when he’s switched with Ansari’s life and how the lower class people working their asses off for long shifts and barely making enough money to survive affect the wealthy. Honestly, it makes me wish more investors, moguls, and businessmen in real life would learn the exact same lesson as Rogen in this film.
The performances by the three leads are all hysterical and just the team-up alone of Keanu Reeves, Aziz Ansari, and Seth Rogen has so much comedic potential. Reeves is perfectly cast as a well-meaning but bumbling angel as if Ted from Bill and Ted died and became an angel, in an age where people know him best for Neo from The Matrix and John Wick, it’s great to see him in a movie where he can showcase his comedic talents again in the most Keanu Reeves way possible.
Aziz Ansari and Seth Rogen are also very funny though that’s kind of a given, but they work very well off each other and easily the best aspect of the movie are the scenes where they’re interacting with Keanu. Like I said, these three are so funny that when you put them together in a room, comedy magic is created.
One thing I found very interesting about the film is that the first half focuses on Aziz Ansari and Keanu Reeves, but then after Ansari switches places with Seth Rogen the second half revolves around Rogen and Reeves struggling to get by. The marketing really makes it seem like Ansari is the main character throughout, but in actuality it’s about Ansari and Rogen and you get to see the story from both their perspectives.
Good Fortune is a hilarious and downright smart comedy with relatable characters and equally relatable situations. It brings the belly laughs and a clever insight on the workplace world that’ll make you laugh your way up to Heaven.
Thursday, October 9, 2025
Roofman review
ROOFMAN:
CHANNING TATUM TOYS R US CRIME COMEDY IS ILLEGAL FUN!
By Nico Beland
Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4
PARAMOUNT PICTURES AND MIRAMAX
Channing Tatum in Roofman
A criminal hides out inside a Toys R Us store in Roofman, a crime comedy from director Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond the Pines, The Light Between Oceans) based on the true story of real-life spree robber Jeffrey Manchester. Yeah, I was onboard for this movie when I heard the premise and saw the trailer though I know nothing about what actually went down.
It looked like a fun, quirky comedy with a silly albeit fact-based plot with Channing Tatum (21/22 Jump Street,Magic Mike trilogy, Deadpool & Wolverine) as a charismatic robber with a heart of gold and forming a relationship with Kirsten Dunst (Bring It On, Spider-Man trilogy, Marie Antoinette). That’s pretty much what I got and I quite enjoyed my time with this film.
It’s not really a movie that’s filled with twists and turns and you can easily figure out what kind of film this is just by the trailer. Nevertheless, I found this to be a very entertaining, funny, and heartfelt look at one of the craziest true stories you could possibly imagine.
The film follows Jeffrey Manchester/The Roofman (Tatum), a struggling father turned criminal who robs from various businesses and establishments (e.g. McDonalds…oh, and one Burger King too!) for the sake of providing for his children and ex-wife. But after a daring escape from prison, Jeffrey hides in a Toys R Us store for six months, disables the security cameras, and sets up a hiding spot inside the store where no one will find him.
However, Jeffrey begins to form a strong bond with one of the employees and single mother, Leigh Wainscott (Dunst) who is drawn to his charms and completely unaware that he is actually the criminal hiding in the store. Little does Jeffrey know that his double life is about to be turned upside down in a chaotic game of cat and mouse.
The film also stars Ben Mendelsohn (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Ready Player One, Captain Marvel) as pastor Ron Smith, Peter Dinklage (Elf, Game of Thrones, Avengers: Infinity War) as Mitch, Uzo Aduba (Orange Is the New Black, Steven Universe, Lightyear) as Eileen, Juno Temple (Black Mass, Unsane, Venom: The Last Dance) as Michelle, Emory Cohen (The Place Beyond the Pines, Brooklyn, The Bikeriders) as Otis, LaKeith Stanfield (Sorry to Bother You, Uncut Gems, Judas and the Black Messiah) as Steve, and Melonie Diaz (Lords of Dogtown, Fruitvale Station, The First Purge) as Jeffrey’s ex-wife Talana.
Overall, Roofman is a funny and surprisingly heartfelt heist that shows Derek Cianfrance’s talents as a comedic director without sacrificing his dramatic flair. This is a significantly lighter film than Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines, but it doesn’t shy away from heavy subject matter like divorce and desperately trying to provide for your family.
One of the things this movie does incredibly well is humanize the titular Roofman and despite him robbing people, the film doesn’t portray him like the “Bad Guy”, he’s just doing what he feels he needs to do for the sake of his family and Dunst and her kids later. Also, the guy is just so polite when he’s robbing businesses, doesn’t try to get violent, and calls 911 himself to get everyone out after his heist is finished, why can’t more criminals be like the Roofman? That’s a sentence!
Channing Tatum is perfectly cast in this role as he naturally has a ton of charm and charisma in almost everything he’s in. So, him portraying like a Robin Hood-ish burglar hiding in a Toys R Us seems like something he can do in his sleep.
Kirsten Dunst is also very likable as Leigh, the employee who Tatum befriends and falls for, not gonna lie, despite the circumstances, Tatum and Dunst have really great chemistry here. I love seeing them interact with each other and Tatum bonding with Dunst’s kids, it’s just so wholesome and adds to the film’s heart.
Peter Dinklage is funny too as the store manager who’s also a complete dick, typical miserable retail manager stereotype that I feel like a lot of people can relate to. He gets some laughs as a higher-up that you just want to punch in the fucking face when he says or does something douchey.
If you grew up in the 2000s or are nostalgic for Toys R Us, this movie is practically covered in “Member Berries” which honestly adds to the fun. Seeing old video games like The Simpsons: Hit & Run and The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures, the Tickle Me Elmo doll, Spider-Man merchandise (That totally wasn’t there because Kirsten Dunst was in the original Spider-Man movies!), plushies of Stitch and Sonic the Hedgehog on the shelves, etc. I felt like I was a kid again watching this film every time they showed the store merchandise…who secretly watched this R-rated movie while his parents were sleeping…or snuck into a movie theater.
Roofman is a very enjoyable film that delivers on laughs and feels, it’s certainly an unexpected movie from Derek Cianfrance, but it shows his talents in new ways we’ve never seen before. This is one gloriously crazy heist that’s worth coming back to and I most definitely will come back to it again soon.
A House of Dynamite review
A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE:
KATHRYN BIGELOW CRAFTS AN EXPLOSIVE THRILLER!
By Nico Beland
Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4
NETFLIX
Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson in A House of Dynamite
It’s a race against time as the U.S. government fight to stop a nuclear missile from an unknown enemy in A House of Dynamite, the new film from director Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty) and her first feature film since 2017’s Detroit. I’m always excited and intrigued to see what Kathryn Bigelow brings to the screen, I loved The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty (Both of which were among my best films from 2009 and 2012) and I thought Detroit was a solid crime drama that touched upon relevant subject matter in an effective way.
Naturally, I was curious to see what she would do next which brings us to this movie released in limited theaters followed by a Netflix release soon after. Not sure why this film needed to be a Netflix project given that Bigelow is a pretty big name in the film industry, but I digress.
I went to one of the few theaters in my area that was showing it and…yeah, this is a damn good film. Do I like it as much as Hurt Locker or Zero Dark Thirty? No, but I was on the edge of my seat and invested in what was happening onscreen.
The film follows Captain Olivia Walker (Rebecca Ferguson-Mission: Impossible franchise, Doctor Sleep, Dune: Parts 1 and 2), a senior officer in the White House Situation Room and monitors threats in her country. But when an unidentified nuclear missile is launched by an unknown enemy at the United States, the race is on to determine who is responsible and how to respond.
The film also stars Idris Elba (Marvel Cinematic Universe, Pacific Rim, Molly’s Game) as POTUS (President of the United States), Gabriel Basso (Super 8, The Kings of Summer, Hillbilly Elegy) as Deputy National Security Advisor Jake Baerington, Jared Harris (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Lincoln) as Secretary of Defense Reid Baker, Tracy Letts (The Big Short, Lady Bird, Ford v. Ferrari) as General Anthony Brady, Anthony Ramos (In the Heights, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Twisters) as Major Daniel Gonzalez, Moses Ingram (The Tragedy of Macbeth, Ambulance, Obi-Wan Kenobi) as Cathy Rogers, Jonah Hauer-King (A Dog’s Way Home, The Little Mermaid (2023), I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)) as Lieutenant Commander Robert Reeves, Greta Lee (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Past Lives, Tron: Ares) as Ana Park, and Jason Clarke (Zero Dark Thirty, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Oppenheimer) as Admiral Mark Miller.
Overall, A House of Dynamite is a tense and riveting thriller that takes a nightmarish situation and makes it frighteningly plausible. Sure, it’s nowhere near as bombastic as The Hurt Locker and is more tension-filled, but it is a masterfully crafted movie that is very effective from the start to its bleak conclusion.
I’m not usually scared of horror movies, but seeing a film with this sort of premise and knowing that events like this can happen and has happened in real life is terrifying to me. Bigelow understands the urgency of current events and events that could happen if we’re not careful and crafts gripping, nail-biting stories centered around them with this being no exception.
I was captivated, horrified, and on the edge of my seat throughout my viewing of the film and by the end, I was practically speechless and took a long time mentally processing it on my way home. This is a Netflix movie, but if you can, I strongly urge you to see this in a theater to get the full experience, not just because of seeing and hearing missiles flying on the big screen, but the collected audience reactions to things that occur.
The performances are great all across the board though the film jumps around between actors and characters spontaneously, but everyone brings their A-game. Wouldn’t expect anything less from a movie with Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Anthony Ramos, and Greta Lee (In the much better movie released this past weekend) among others in the leads.
The movie is also shot incredibly well with a lot of intense camera movements to better show how heavy the situations in the film are. Yes, Bigelow did this sort of thing with The Hurt Locker, but it worked well for that movie and it also does here too. Take notes, Michael Bay!
A House of Dynamite is a tense, gripping political thriller with an explosive blast that absolutely deserves your attention. It is a frightening and compelling experience that has a ton of relevance to today’s politics and I’m happy to report that with her first directing effort since 2017, Kathryn Bigelow hasn’t lost her golden touch.
Tron: Ares review
TRON: ARES:
A VISUALLY DAZZLING, NEON-FILLED LIGHT SHOW WITH A VERY AVERAGE THREEQUEL SURROUNDING IT!
By Nico Beland
Movie Review: ** ½ out of 4
DISNEY
The programs enter our world in Tron: Ares
The digital world of the Grid is back in Tron: Ares, the third installment of the Tron film series after the groundbreaking 1982 original which revolutionized computer animation and its 2010 sequel, Tron: Legacy. I really like the first Tron movie and will gladly call it a game-changer in visual effects especially for the time it was made with a unique look, fascinating themes and ideas that still hit home today, and decent characters, not a perfect film but rightfully deserves to be considered a landmark in filmmaking.
The 2010 sequel, Tron: Legacy I also enjoyed a lot though it’s nowhere near as groundbreaking as its predecessor. It’s a fun popcorn movie with dazzling and flashy action scenes, a plot that does expand upon the world and ideas of Tron, and Jeff Bridges going up against himself, great 3D movie experience (This was also around the same time James Cameron’s Avatar was all the rage).
Now we have this third film with Joachim Rønning (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Young Woman and the Sea) in the director’s chair and starring the Hollywood punchline himself, Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club, Blade Runner 2049, Morbius). It’s no surprise that I’m not a Jared Leto fan as I personally think he’s too full of himself and often gets carried away with his method acting so, I wasn’t exactly onboard for him leading a Tron movie especially when I was hoping for a direct continuation of Legacy.
But the trailers looked promising and I really dig the idea of the Tron world entering ours which had a lot of potential given today’s obsession with AI. Even with Leto’s involvement, I was able to excuse that because I thought this was a solid premise for a Tron movie and even if it pales in comparison to the other two, I just love this franchise’s world.
The good news is Tron: Ares is a visually stunning movie to watch on the big screen and the ideas it does explore are interesting…the film itself however is a mess! I’m not calling this movie terrible or anything, but this third adventure on the Grid left me feeling rather empty and indifferent by the end.
The film is set 15 years after the events of Tron: Legacy and follows a program named Ares (Leto) who is brought from the Grid and into the real world (For only 29 minutes at a time) by Dillinger Systems CEO, Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters-Invasion, Kick-Ass, X-Men franchise) to retrieve a permanence code (A code that will allow Ares to stay in the real world longer than 29 minutes without facing deresolution) created by programmer, Kevin Flynn with his only lead being ENCOM CEO, Eve Kim (Greta Lee-Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Past Lives, A House of Dynamite). However, Ares begins to evolve and grows a conscious as he and Eve team up to find Kevin’s permanence code and stop Julian’s plan while another destructive program named Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith-The Last Ship, Queen & Slim, Murder Mystery 2) enters the real world to hunt Ares so, they have to stop her too.
The film also stars Hasan Minhaj (The Spy Who Dumped Me, No Hard Feelings, It Ends with Us) as Ajay Patel, Arturo Castro (Broad City, Narcos, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story) as Seth Flores, Gillian Anderson (The X-Files, The House of Mirth, Sex Education) as Elisabeth Dillinger, and Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski, Iron Man, True Grit (2010)) reprising his role from the previous films as Kevin Flynn.
Overall, Tron: Ares is absolutely impressive on a technical level and does deserve to be seen on the big screen, but the film itself leaves a lot to be desired. The setup is great and lends itself to a lot of possibilities, the programs and machines from the Grid entering the real world and showing how the two worlds interact with one another, unfortunately the movie doesn’t really do much with this premise.
Usually when a program, light-cycle, or one of those flying ships from Tron enters the real world, it’s mainly just an excuse for an action sequence which are spectacular, but for a film with this kind of premise, it pains me to see them barely scratch the surface with this. The world we live in now has AI as both an exciting and terrifying invention and compared to other movies like Ex-Machina, Companion, or the first M3GAN where they did something really clever and creative with a premise revolving around artificial intelligence and how far we should go with it, Tron’s take on it was disappointing.
Leto and Lee to their credit aren’t phoning in their performances nor is the former being an obnoxious schmuckhead, but their characters aren’t that endearing unfortunately and the dialogue is bad. Sure, Tron: Legacy had some cheesy dialogue, but the charm of characters like Sam, Quorra, and Kevin carried through the silly moments, this is bad MCU-level dialogue where side characters are annoying and constantly trying to make jokes or quips and none of it lands.
The soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails is freaking awesome and even though I wasn’t exactly invested in the story or characters, their music accompanying these neon-filled visuals was almost hypnotizing. It works in a similar way Daft Punk did with Tron: Legacy and just like that movie, I went and got the soundtrack on iTunes after seeing it, it’s good stuff.
Aside from stunning visuals, a kickass score, and a few interesting ideas being explored, Tron: Ares is a pretty disappointing third adventure on the Grid that wastes its fascinating premise on action scenes, obnoxious humor, and dull characters. It is still worth seeing in theaters and especially IMAX but coming off of the 1982 Tron and Tron: Legacy, we have a long way for these artificial programs to gain a human touch.
Thursday, October 2, 2025
The Smashing Machine review
THE SMASHING MACHINE:
SORRY HULK, BUT DWAYNE JOHNSON’S THE NEW SMASHING MACHINE IN TOWN!
By Nico Beland
Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4
A24
Dwayne Johnson in The Smashing Machine
ROCK SMASH! Okay, got that out of the way…anyway, Dwayne Johnson (The Scorpion King, Fast & Furious franchise, Jumanji 2 and 3) transforms himself into MMA fighter, Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, the new film from A24 and director Benny Safdie (Heaven Knows What, Good Time, Uncut Gems). I’m no mega-expert on the Safdie Brothers’ work, but I loved their movie, Uncut Gems and hailed it as one of the best films I saw in 2019 so naturally I was curious to see what they would do next and in this year’s case we’re getting two movies from each of them with Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme coming out this holiday season.
I don’t know anything about the real Mark Kerr or UFC in general, but what really drew me to this film aside from the director was that this was if I’m not mistaken, Dwayne Johnson’s first time giving a dramatic performance which I’m not against. Of course, I enjoy him as the Scorpion King or as Hobbs in the Fast & Furious movies, but actors usually known for lighthearted and goofy roles can go beyond what their audiences expect from them like when Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler transitioned from comedy to drama.
I had plenty of confidence in Johnson’s transition to drama as he seemed very passionate about this project when it was being made so, I gave him the benefit of the doubt, watched the film, and…wow! This is a really, really good movie though I don’t like it as much as Uncut Gems, but I was captivated throughout and mesmerized by Johnson’s uncanny performance as Kerr.
The film is set between 1997-2000 and follows mixed martial artist, Mark Kerr (Johnson) reaching the peak of his career, but soon faces several challenges along the way. He has a complicated relationship with his girlfriend, Dawn (Emily Blunt-Looper, Edge of Tomorrow, Oppenheimer; who had previously worked with Johnson on 2021’s Jungle Cruise), he’s addicted to opioid and goes through rehab, and faces all the physical and mental pains of preparing for the fight of his lifetime at the 2000 Pride Grand Prix.
The film also stars Ryan Bader as Mark Coleman, Bas Rutten as himself, Oleksandr Usyk as Igor Vovchanchyn, Satoshi Ishii as Enson Inoue, James Moontasri as Akira Shoji, Stephen Quadros as himself, Cyborg Abreu as Fábio Gurgel, Andre Tricoteux (Once Upon a Time, Deadpool, Warcraft) as Paul Varelans, and Marcus Auréllo as Mestre Hulk.
Overall, The Smashing Machine is a compelling and gritty sports biopic and a tour de force for Dwayne Johnson in the same boat as Brendan Fraser from The Whale (I just realized I went with another Mummy actor right there). I should make this clear, don’t expect this movie to focus entirely on the matches, they are in there, but the film focuses more on the domestic issues between Kerr and his girlfriend.
It’s less like a sports biopic and more of a relationship drama which might throw people off if they only saw the trailers. The lack of fighting in the ring didn’t bother me too much as the relationship aspect of the film is interesting and both Johnson and Blunt are powerhouses here.
Dwayne Johnson is incredible in this movie as he’s almost unrecognizable with the hair and prosthetics on, sure he is playing a mixed martial artist given his wrestling background and portrays the charismatic sports star aspect well. But he is scaringly good in the dramatic and heavy moments whether it’s a conflict with Emily Blunt or his character’s struggles with addiction and rehab, he is simply fascinating to watch here in a very against-type performance.
Emily Blunt is also a standout as Dawn who constantly goes back and forth between loving and hating Mark, she’s there for emotional support while also not having any of Mark’s shit at the same time. Again, I don’t know anything about the real person, but I thought Blunt did a magnificent job as usual in this.
For the most part, I was invested in what I was watching, but I will admit there are times where the film drags not to the point where it became a complete slog, but I did start to check out a bit when there wasn’t any relationship tension or fighting in the ring going on. Definitely not like Uncut Gems which was a tension-filled rush from start to finish with absolutely zero low points during that film, but the occasionally slow pacing didn’t ruin the movie for me.
Despite a few punches to the face, The Smashing Machine is a solid sports biopic and relationship drama with a remarkable Dwayne Johnson performance that hopefully will lead to more acting roles like this from him. Honestly, whether you follow MMA or not, this film is worth checking out at least once on Johnson’s performance alone because he really is what makes the movie.
Sorry, Bruce Banner, but The Rock stole your thunder as the Smashing Machine!
Thursday, September 25, 2025
One Battle After Another review
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER:
PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON’S EPIC AND RELEVANT SCREWBALL ADVENTURE!
By Nico Beland
Movie Review: **** out of 4
WARNER BROS. PICTURES
Leonardo DiCaprio and Chase Infiniti in One Battle After Another
An ex-revolutionary must rescue his daughter from a corrupt military official in One Battle After Another, the new film from director Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights, Phantom Thread, Licorice Pizza) inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel, Vineyard. This was one of my most anticipated films all year, I love Anderson’s work with 2017’s Phantom Thread being IMO a near perfect movie though there’s been plenty of projects of his over the years that I absolutely loved.
So, a buddy action-comedy thriller that takes place on the U.S./Mexican border with Leonardo DiCaprio (Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Sean Penn (I Am Sam, Mystic River, The Interpreter), and Benicio Del Toro (Sin City, Sicario 1 and 2, The Phoenician Scheme) directed by him was a no-brainer, of course, I’ll end up seeing it. Not sure if I’m overhyping it, but this not only may be one of my all-time favorite Anderson movies, but one of the best films of the whole year, One Battle After Another is fucking great!
I was on the edge of my seat, captivated, and laughing all throughout the movie while also getting roped into its bold themes and subject matter. It’s easily Anderson’s most consistently entertaining movie clocking in at 2 hours and 41 minutes without any time wasted.
The film Bob Ferguson (DiCaprio), a washed up and paranoid ex-revolutionary who was an avid member of the radical group, the French 75 and now survives off-grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti-Presumed Innocent). But when Bob’s old nemesis and corrupt military official Col. Steven J. Lockjaw (Penn) resurfaces and Willa goes missing, the former radical scrambles in order to find her as both father and daughter battle the consequences of their pasts.
The film also stars Del Toro as Sergio St. Carlos, Regina Hall (Scary Movie franchise, Barbershop: The Next Cut, Girls Trip) as Deandra, and Teyana Taylor (Coming 2 America, The Book of Clarence, Straw) as Willa’s mother and radical Perfidia Beverly Hills.
Overall, One Battle After Another is a riveting, beautifully filmed, and timely addition to Paul Thomas Anderson's filmography and a gripping theatrical experience. See this movie in theaters on the largest screen you have because it looks and sounds spectacular, I was marveling at how Anderson filmed this movie from first-person shots of cars driving on the road to large-scale shots of the desert and long shots of military officials walking through detention centers, if this movie doesn’t get a Best Cinematography or Production Design Oscar nomination, I will scream!
The movie doesn’t just work on a technical level; it also works incredibly well on a storytelling one also especially with its themes and subject matter it’s trying to get across. Sure, you can draw parallels between this and the horrible things that have been going on with ICE lately and that element certainly is there, but I also saw a story about an overprotective father looking out for his daughter while also learning that she’s growing up and needs to be free.
Hard to say if that was Anderson’s intention when making it, but if you’re a parent and/or follow current events, it’s easy to make connections to this movie and what’s going on in the world. I’m sure film lovers will certainly be discussing this movie for a long time and analyzing its themes.
Given the cast, it’s no surprise that the performances are spectacular across the board in this movie, Leonardo DiCaprio as a washed up ex-revolutionary and widowed father finds the perfect balance between being funny, serious, and heartfelt, he works…as usual. The big standout for me though was Sean Penn as a ruthless, white supremacist military colonel, for some reason I thought that was perfect casting, I don’t follow Penn’s personal life, but I am aware of how intense he can be both onscreen and behind the scenes and he brings that intensity to this character perfectly as someone you just want to punch in the fucking face.
Everyone else is great too, Benicio Del Toro gets some laughs though he’s not as prominent as what the trailers probably made you believe, Chase Infiniti I’m not super familiar with but I thought she was excellent as Bob’s daughter, and Regina Hall was a straight-up wild card as Willa’s mother. Stellar cast with equally stellar material to carry them through the film.
The action scenes are intense and leave you on the edge of your seat, Paul Thomas Anderson usually isn’t well-known for action, but seeing car chases, Leo running through shootouts and riots to escape the police, and standoffs in the desert with his direction was incredible. With the camera work, editing, and sound design, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the director of Phantom Thread and Punch-Drunk Love could be a prominent action director if he so desires.
One Battle After Another is a gripping movie that deserves to be seen on the big screen with thrills, suspense, and a witty but also thematically rich story with compelling characters. Everything that makes a great movie in this genre, Anderson delivered!
Thursday, September 18, 2025
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey review
A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY:
ROMANTIC FANTASY DOESN’T REALLY LIVE UP TO ITS TITLE!
By Nico Beland
Movie Review: ** out of 4
COLUMBIA PICTURES
Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie in A Big Bold Beautiful Journey
Margot Robbie (DC Extended Universe, I, Tonya, Barbie) and Colin Farrell (In Bruges, The Banshees of Inisherin, The Penguin) embark on A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, a romantic fantasy film from director Kogonada (Columbus, After Yang). The movie looked interesting from the trailers though I’ve had plenty of instances where I thought that and the film ended up being a huge letdown after seeing it like with Robert Zemeckis’ Here last year.
But I love these two actors a lot and one of which was just in the biggest comedy movie of all time a couple years ago so putting them together in a film seemed perfect. Well, I’m glad to say that they were at least incredibly charming in this…because man, this movie squandered a legitimately fascinating premise especially for a romance film.
A movie where two people find magical doors that lead to places/moments from their pasts and they discover more about each other through them, this sounds great and could have been a fresh, unique film in this genre. Unfortunately, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey relies on the laziest of genre tropes and clichés so it never reaches its full potential that I and likely many other moviegoers had hoped for.
The film follows David (Farrell) and Sarah (Robbie), two complete strangers who find themselves on a fantastical journey after discovering several mysterious doors that allow them to relive moments from their pasts and maybe also change the future. During their grand adventure, David and Sarah learn that some doors bring you to the past, some lead you to your future, and some doors change everything.
The film also stars Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda, In & Out, Bob’s Burgers) as The Mechanic, Phoebe Waller-Bridge (The Iron Lady, Solo: A Star Wars Story, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) as Female Cashier, Lily Rabe (All Good Things, American Horror Story, Vice) as Sarah’s mother, Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim, The Last Ship, Bad Monkey) as the voice of the GPS, Billy Magnussen (Bridge of Spies, Aladdin (2019), No Time to Die) as The Man, Sarah Gadon (A Dangerous Method, Enemy, Belle (2013)) as The Woman, Brandon Perea (The OA, Nope, Twisters) as Mike, Chloe East (Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, The Fabelmans, Heretic) as Cheryl, Hamish Linklater (The New Adventures of Old Christine, The Big Short, Legion) as David’s father, Calahan Skogman (Shadow and Bone) as Sarah’s Groomsman, Jacqueline Novak (Inside Amy Schumer, Animals, Soft Focus with Jena Friedman) as Stacy Dunn, Jennifer Grant (Beverly Hills, 90210, Movie Stars, Babylon) as David’s mother, and Shelby Simmons (Bunk’d, Stargirl, Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rides Again) as Stage Manager.
Overall, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey could have lived up to its name as a very imaginative and heartfelt romance film, sadly it wastes its premise on tired clichés and at times awkward moments despite two very likable leads in the spotlight. I didn’t hate this movie nor did it make me angry during my viewing (Then again, I hardly felt any emotions as I was watching it), but aside from some occasionally creative scenes and Robbie and Farrell’s chemistry, this was a dull slog.
When Farrell and Robbie aren’t in one of their past events through a magic door, they’re driving around in bleak and visually dull environments for long stretches of time with dialogue that sometimes works and other times is just made up of clichéd romance movie quotes (“I haven’t found the right one yet!”, “Stay away from me, I ruin men’s lives!”, etc.). I’m grateful that Farrell and Robbie are such naturally likable leads and do have decent chemistry with each other amidst the lackluster material, but anything good about them does not come from the script.
The movie just feels so artificial with its storytelling, star-crossed lovers conveniently meet up at fancy event because yes, misunderstanding where the characters mope and dope that drags on at the end of the second act when you know they’re going to get back together because yes, ending scene where the man and the woman are sitting on an apartment building porch because clearly the Venom movie handled that so well so it’s perfect for this. Had the movie spent more time on its high-concept premise and explored the themes surrounding it, I think we could have had something on par with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or Spike Jonze’s Her, unfortunately they dropped the ball.
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is the most nothing movie I’ve seen all year and completely wastes Farrell and Robbie’s talents as well as an interesting premise and focuses more on tropes we’ve seen a million times in other, better romance films. It did, however, give me the strangest scene set in a car rental agency that feels like it’s from a stage show…I certainly wasn’t high while watching it yet it still felt odd, I guess that’s something.
Go find something else for date night, couples! Also, worst Burger King product placement since Men in Black II!
Him review
HIM:
HORROR-SPORTS MOVIE TURNS FOOTBALL INTO A SATANIC RITUAL…AND FUMBLES AT IT!
By Nico Beland
Movie Review: ** ½ out of 4
UNIVERSAL PICTURES
Tyriq Withers in Him
A promising football player gets the training from Hell in Him, the new horror film produced by Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us, Nope) and directed by Justin Tipping (Kicks). This was one of my most anticipated films of the year, I think Jordan Peele is one of the most exciting people in the film industry given his directing credentials and I quite enjoyed the Candyman movie he produced in 2021.
Now we have a new movie he’s producing which instantly got my attention when I first saw the teaser trailer in theaters in front of Sinners. The film seemed like Whiplash except for football and somehow even more nightmarish, I had to know what this movie was all about after seeing the trailers and ads for it constantly.
Well, now that I’ve seen the film and after all the hype, Him is pretty disappointing sadly despite the talents in front of and behind the camera. The movie’s not terrible and I saw aspects of a great, clever movie in here, but coming off of other horror films released this year like Sinners, Weapons, and Together which did crazy things and elevated the genre, this was a big fumble, pun intended.
The film follows Cameron “Cam” Cade (Tyriq Withers-The Game, Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead(2024), I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)), a young football player destined for greatness until an attack by an obsessed fan threatened to end his career before it even started. Just when all hope is lost, his idol and legendary quarterback, Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans-Scary Movie franchise, White Chicks, Air) invites Cam to train at his isolated, private compound.
But what starts off as the ultimate childhood dream descends into a nightmare as Cam must ask himself “What is he willing to sacrifice?”.
The film also stars Julia Fox (Uncut Gems, No Sudden Move, Presence) as Elsie White, Tim Heidecker (Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!, Bridesmaids, Us) as Tom, Jim Jefferies (Legit, The Jim Jefferies Show, The 1% Club) as Marco, Naomi Grossman (American Horror Story) as Marjorie, GiGi Erneta (Veronica Mars, Roswell, New Mexico, Love and Death) as Ayn, and Norman Towns (The Gambler, Insecure) as Willis.
Overall, Him certainly has a lot going for it and there are some genuinely creepy and unsettling scenes, but the film’s stilted execution makes it never truly live up to its full potential. During its production, I’m convinced the idea was much scarier and cleverer in concept, but in the finished product, it seems off.
The biggest problem is that I don’t know what the film is trying to say, getting drafted in football is like a satanic ritual? Maybe it’s because I don’t know much about football (or sports in general) so I might be missing something about this, but because of this half-baked supernatural element, it took me out of the film unfortunately.
Compared to 2019’s Ready or Not which also had a satanic ritual, it was a lot smarter and much more entertaining because it was better developed and you got what they were trying to say, a social satire on the wealthy and privileged. Had Him managed to do something like that with football and had the wit and intrigue of that film, maybe we could have had something here.
I personally felt it would have worked much better as a psychological thriller that shows how far someone would go to be the best at football. A psychological dive into madness over a sport with an unhinged mentor that has intense methods, keep the supernatural stuff out of this.
Marlon Wayans to his credit is excellent and hands down the best part of the movie, a rare departure from comedy for him as he creates this unhinged and frightening mentor character whose methods of training this young player could even make J.K. Simmons from Whiplash go “Jesus Christ, you’re going too far!”. While I may not have enjoyed the film all that much, I loved it when he was onscreen.
Honestly, everybody gives their all in this movie, but the material doesn’t really give them much to work with. I commend the cast for trying to make something out of this.
There are some creepy and disturbing imagery in this movie though it’s mostly just intense shots of needles, body parts/organs, and x-rays of skeletons. Actually, the sequence where Withers slams into another player and you see their skulls crash together; it reminded me a lot of a Mortal Kombat game so that was kind of neat to see (And hear, I saw the movie on IMAX).
Him seems like a movie that was heavily trimmed down in editing or Justin Tipping got too carried away with his vision because there are sparks of a clever and frightening film in here, but the film doesn’t do much with its premise. This is easily the biggest letdown of 2025 for me because the trailers did such a good job at making me intrigued and horrified by what I would experience, turns out I got a movie where I didn’t know what to feel at the end and not in a great way compared to other horror films.
It did, however, give me my favorite line of 2025 “Cock a Doodle Doo, Motherfucker!”. That and Marlon Wayans going crazy, those were the best things in this competent but misguided horror flick.
Thursday, September 11, 2025
The Long Walk review
THE LONG WALK:
FRANCIS LAWRENCE CRAFTS ONE OF THE BEST STEPHEN KING ADAPTATIONS SINCE…THE LIFE OF CHUCK EARLIER THIS YEAR!
By Nico Beland
Movie Review: **** out of 4
LIONSGATE
It’s walk or die in The Long Walk
The most intense, anxiety-filled walk since Joseph Gordon-Levitt walked across the Twin Towers in 2015’s The Walk begins in The Long Walk, the new film from director Francis Lawrence (Constantine, I Am Legend, The Hunger Games franchise) and based on the Stephen King novel of the same name. I’ve never read the book before so I don’t know how faithful this film is to it, but the movie certainly caught my interest when I first saw the trailer which seemed like a mix of Stand by Me, Squid Game, and The Hunger Games (Which is fitting given the director of this movie).
Of course, I jumped into the new Demon Slayer movie and Spinal Tap sequel first, but as soon as those films were watched and reviewed, The Long Walk was next on my agenda and…Wow! This is a really damn good movie and easily Francis Lawrence’s best film since The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in 2013 that also stands among the best Stephen King adaptations.
I was on the edge of my seat, invested, exhilarated, and captivated during my viewing, it managed to make a group of people walking non-stop the most tension-filled thing on the planet. To put it bluntly, it completely surpassed my expectations and I already thought the movie looked solid from the advertisements.
The film is set in a dystopian future where 50 randomly chosen teenage boys participate in an event known as the Long Walk. The boys are given water and rations and must walk without stopping along a preset route while being escorted by soldiers, if one of them stops for anything they are executed onsite.
So, Ray Garraty (Cooper Hoffman-Licorice Pizza, Saturday Night) and Peter McVries (David Jonsson-Industry, Alien: Romulus) and some new friends they made will need to walk to survive while asking themselves “How far would they go?”.
The film also stars Mark Hamill (Star Wars franchise, Batman: The Animated Series, Kingsman: The Secret Service) as The Major, Garrett Wareing (Boychoir, Independence Day: Resurgence, Perfect) as Billy Stebbins, Tut Nyuot (The Dumping Ground, Hetty Feather) as Arthur Baker, Charlie Plummer (All the Money in the World, Dark Was the Night, Moonfall) as Gary Barkovitch, Ben Wang (Mean Girls (2024), Karate Kid: Legends, The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping) as Hank Olson, Joshua Odjick (Wildhood, It: Welcome to Derry, Frontier Crucible) as Collie Parker, Roman Griffin Davis (Jojo Rabbit, Silent Night, The King of Kings) as Thomas Curley, Judy Greer (Jurassic World, Ant-Man 1 and 2, Halloween (2018) trilogy) as Ray’s mother Ginnie Garraty, and Josh Hamilton (Manchester by the Sea, Eighth Grade, Maestro) as Ray’s late father William Garraty.
Overall, The Long Walk is an adrenaline pumping, shocking, and suspenseful big screen experience with a gripping story, strong emotional drama, and very compelling characters to anchor this walk. This honestly felt like how I’d imagine a Hunger Games movie had it gotten an R rating where instead of it being dazzling and glamorous despite the circumstances, it’s hardcore and gritty which adds to the tension of the situation.
You will see these young boys die in horrific ways throughout the course of this movie and every time one of them barely avoids getting killed, you just feel this collective sigh of relief in the theater. It helps because the film makes the characters very likable even those who fall under the classic Stephen King tropes are still endearing in their own rights.
Cooper Hoffman is great as this young man who lost his father at the hands of The Major and participates in the Long Walk in order to obtain the cash reward for his mother and use his wish to kill The Major for shooting his dad. He is essentially the protagonist we follow throughout the movie, but there is a twist about him towards the end I dare not give away.
Aside from Alien: Romulus, I haven’t seen David Jonsson in many things, but he was also a standout as Ray’s friend during the Long Walk, he has great chemistry with Hoffman and adds a lot of emotional weight to the film, a great friend character who you don’t want to see bite the dust and have a bullet put in his head by the end.
Even the Stephen King bully characters, most notably Charlie Plummer is made interesting here who of course, starts off like a jackass, but over the course of the film you see that he is going through some mental health issues and expresses guilt over things he does during the early parts of the movie. The bullies from It (2017) are fun in how over-the-top they were, but in terms of making you give a shit about these types of characters, Long Walk wins by a mile, no pun intended!
Mark Hamill is a lot of fun as this scenery-chewing Major who’s in charge of the whole thing, classic over-the-top antagonist who’s in power and loves the horrible things he does. The kind of person you want to see get a bullet put in his head, but Hamill is having a ball onscreen.
It’s a very simple premise, but very effective and gripping and I appreciate that the movie doesn’t try to exposition dump the origins of the Long Walk or long scenes with characters explaining their motives. No, you’re just put into this situation, you quickly understand everything you need to know about it, and the characters give their motives and reasons through conversations during the walk.
I’m grateful the film doesn’t waste time nor does it drag, everything is perfectly paced, the energy and momentum is kept throughout the runtime, and you care about the people walking in some shape or form. I loved the new Demon Slayer that came out and it’s easily the big money-maker from this past weekend, but even that movie had moments where it dragged plus it was significantly longer than this.
Holy shit, The Long Walk is such a good movie and one of my new favorite Stephen King film adaptations. It’s an exhilarating, brutal movie that gets your blood pumping and is fueled on anxiety, add in some compelling characters and solid drama and you got yourself a truly remarkable survival thriller that you won’t soon forget.
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