The Smashing Machine

My View:  The Smashing Machine  (2025)  R A look at three years (1997-2000) in the life of mixed-martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson). Supported by his girlfriend, Dawn (Emily Blunt), Mark struggles to overcome addiction and make a comeback in the UFC universe, when the sport was beginning to gain popularity at the time. After seeing this film, which runs at a little over two hours, I kept thinking about the old Peggy Lee song “Is That All There Is.” The Smashing Machine is the first film Benny Safdie has made without his brother, Josh, and I feel as if he created a sports bio film that breaks all the rules of that genre. Unfortunately, what we are left with is a film that feels as if the plot is stuck in neutral and can never gain any momentum. I came away thinking that Mark Kerr, played by a heavily prosthetic Dwayne Johnson, is neither the hero of the film nor the most interesting character in it. Instead, Mark Coleman, Mark’s best friend and sparring partner slash manager, played by real-life MMA fighter Ryan Bader, comes off as the hero of the story. We never really get to know Mark Kerr or his girlfriend Dawn. Both are annoying and one-dimensional in the film, characters who seem to stay in one lane throughout the entire film. Sure, we get Mark as a man who develops an addiction to pain pills, but his journey is too simple and quick in his addiction and his recovery. We gain almost nothing from what should have been an essential part of his character and life. Emily Blunt is given the job of being the bad guy of the film, and it’s a thankless job that Blunt gives her all, but Dawn comes across as just a nut job and not a real person. Is this a different performance by Johnson from his usual action roles? Sure, but Kerr is such a weird guy that I didn’t see the role as being challenging or groundbreaking for Johnson to take on, mainly because we never get to know what makes Mark Kerr tick, other than the high he gets from beating the crap out of other men in the ring. The fight sequences are brutal and may make some viewers look away, but the film does a poor job of conveying that the early days of MMA were incredibly brutal, to the point where it was almost outlawed in both the U.S. and Japan. I came away wanting to see a film about Mark Coleman, as I think his story was far more interesting and exciting than that of Kerr’s. Benny Safie picked the wrong man in this fight.  My Rating: Cable The Smashing Machine Website  Now playing in theaters everywhere 

Indiefest:  Anemone  (2025) R   Anemone centers on a man (Sean Bean) who ventures into the isolated woodlands of Northern England to find his estranged brother (Daniel Day-Lewis). They haven’t seen each other in 20 years, and the brother has been living alone in the forest. As they reconnect, they will confront the personal and political traumas that have long been buried between them. Anemone is a film where style and bravado attempt to compensate for a weak script that provides us with very little information until it is too late. With a lush and almost surreal look, cinematographer Ben Fordesman gives us the look and feel of a horror film set in the woods. Instead, we get two men who are trying to come to terms with their past while attempting to save the life of a young man who is making the same mistakes they did in their own lives. I loved the score by Bobby Krli, which adds tension and, at times, dread to the film. However, two great actors like Sean Bean and Daniel Day-Lewis can’t overcome a script that gives us only bits and pieces of their characters, who spend a lot of their time together not speaking at all. It takes too long on the journey to provide us with the vital information about a man who ran away from life because of who he had become. My Rating: Bargain Matinee Anemone Website   In limited release on Friday, October 3, 2025, and wide release on Friday, October 10, 2025

My View:  Good Boy  (2025)  PG-13 In Good Boy, a loyal dog named Indy and his owner, Todd (Shane Jensen), move to a rural family home. Soon, the dog learns supernatural forces are lurking in the shadows. Only Indy realizes the threat, and he must do everything he can to fight off the dark entities that threaten his human companion. For once, this is a horror film that lives up to the hype it has generated. Indy, the dog, comes across as a better actor than many working in big-budget blockbusters. While it is a horror film and quite scary at that, it’s also about facing fear and prioritizing others’ well-being over your own. The film does have a short runtime, but I think the novelty might have worn thin if it had gone on much longer. Instead, we get a tight horror film with plenty of scares and a hero who is brave, trustworthy, and ready to defend the household from all that is evil. Heck, even cat lovers will root for Indy to protect his owner. You should definitely see this in theaters, as there is a short feature included after the final credits that discusses how the film was made and explains why it took three years to shoot.  My Rating: Full Price  Good Boy Website Now playing in theaters

My View:  Bone Lake  (2024)  R  Bone Lake is about Sage (Maddie Hasson) and Diego (Marco Pigossi), who are on a romantic getaway to a secluded estate. Their romantic weekend is upended when they discover a mysterious couple (Alex Roe and Andra Nechita) have also rented the estate. The two couples decide to share the estate, and the retreat devolves into a world of deception, desire, and manipulation. Sage and Diego may never be the same loving couple they were before they arrived.  I’m sorry, but calling this a horror film is very misleading and inaccurate. It’s kind of a mild erotic thriller, but I didn’t find it very erotic, and there weren't many thrills. I didn’t like any of the characters, which is a problem when you are supposed to root for one couple over another, but I wanted them all to meet a gruesome end. There is a problem with a thriller when you figure out the twist way before any of the characters figure it out. I had hopes that there would be a “double twist,” but the big reveal barely registers as a single twist. To say that Bone Lake doesn’t stick the landing would be an understatement.  My Rating: Cable  Bone Lake Website Now playing in theaters

My View: Play Dirty  (2025) R  Play Dirty is about Parker (Mark Wahlberg), a thief who is on the hunt for a woman, Zen (Rosa Salazar), who he wants to find after a night of passion. It turns out that Zen is about to commit a major heist, and Parker wants in on it, with his fellow thief, Grofield (LaKeith Stanfield). The only problem is that to carry out the plan, they must outsmart a South American dictator, the New York mob, and the world’s richest man. I am a huge fan of two Shane Black films: The Nice Guys (2016) and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), which I included on my Top 25 Films of the First 25 Years AFCC ballot. So I was excited to see Black’s new film, Play Dirty. Sadly, this film is a tremendous disappointment. I am not a big Mark Wahlberg fan, and he is not right for the part of Parker, a character created by writer Donald E. Westlake. Wahlberg is the type of actor who always seems to be on the verge of breaking up or wanting to say a funny quip. Westlake’s Parker doesn’t have a sense of humor. Play Dirty is a film that I think wants to be a comedy with a twist, but I found it lacked both. The twists the film does are too simple and feel right out of a 60s detective show. The film attempts to cover up the lack of a worthy plot with lots of action and a ton of killing. I haven’t seen this many kill shots since a ‘90s Hong Kong action film. The cast, which includes LaKeith Stanfield and Keegan-Michael Key, is wasted with horrible throwaway lines that don’t work. And Tony Shalhoub looks uncomfortable playing a mob boss who hates Parker. Play Dirty is a film, like its star, that has no charisma, made by a filmmaker who has lost his bite, humor, and wit.   My Rating: You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again Play Dirty Website   Now streaming on Amazon Prime

Indiefest:  Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror (2025)  Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror is a documentary that explores how a London theater play evolved into the beloved and groundbreaking cult phenomenon that continues to thrive through midnight screenings worldwide. I’ve seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show probably five or six times over the years. It was always a fun experience being part of a group of people who love a film and want to express that love with toast, newspapers, and lines shouted to the screen as fans dressed as their favorite characters dance and mouth lines in front of the movie screen they are parroting. Strange Journey is a fascinating film that recounts the history of a film that refused to die, even when it seemed destined to be a bomb. The documentary is directed by Linus O’Brien, the son of Richard O’Brien, the creator of the musical, who also starred in the film as Riff Raff, best known for the Time Warp song. I learned a great deal about the film’s history, including the fact that it was a hit on stage in London and LA (at the infamous Roxy) long before it became a movie. Besides Richard O’Brien and musical director Richard Hartley, the film features interviews with stars of the film, including Tim Curry, Barry Bostwick, and Susan Sarandon. What I loved about this film is that it not only tells the story of how the film was made but also how it became a cult classic, highlighting the fans who made the movie the longest-running film in cinema history. Strange Journey is a film for fans of Rocky Horror and really shouldn’t be seen by “Virgins” (those who haven’t seen the film in a theater with an interactive crowd). Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror hit the right notes for me, who has always thought of The Rocky Horror Picture Show as a B-film with an A-crowd watching it.  My Rating: Full Price   Now playing in select theaters

My View: The Lost Bus  (2025)  R  The Lost Bus is about a bus driver, Kevin (Matthew McConaughey) who has to navigate a bus carrying children and their teacher (America Ferrera) through the 2018 Camp Fire, which was the deadliest fire in California history.The Lost Bus is a gripping and terrifying portrayal of a fire that devastated a community and killed 84 people. The film does an effective job of letting us into the life of Kevin, a man who is driving a bus to get by for another day. McConaughey teams up with the always brilliant America Ferrera, a teacher who is in charge of children whose parents are out of town. Together, they embark on a harrowing bus trip through danger, as most of the film's two-hour runtime unfolds on the bus, navigating their way out of peril while firefighters battle to contain the blaze. The film does a fantastic job of maintaining tension as Kevin tries to find a way out of the fire's path. The special effects are incredible, and the action sequences of the bus are worthy of any car chase in any film. The Lost Bus will keep you on the edge of your seat, leaving you breathless and in need of some water and fresh air after this thrilling journey through a hellish landscape filled with fire and smoke. My Rating: Full Price The Lost Bus Website  In select theaters and now streaming on Apple TV+

Forgotten Film:  Jane  (2017) Jane is a doocumentary about the life and work of primatologist Jane Goodall, who in the 1950s became world famous when, at 26 and untrained, she was sent by Louis Leakey to observe chimpanzees in the jungles of Tanzania. Jane spent five months observing a chimp compound and discovered something that no one had ever known. Chimps used tools. From there, she became a star with specials on TV through the National Geographic Society. The documentary, directed by Brett Morgen, was created from over 140 hours of footage and is an amazing and moving film about a woman who single-handedly changed our understanding and attitudes about chimpanzees in the wild. It is a remarkable story about an even more remarkable woman. The film was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards and won two, including Outstanding Directing for a Documentary or Nonfiction Program. RIP: One of my childhood heroes, Jane Goodall  My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again The film is available on most streaming platforms.

Weird Credits:  From the credits of The Smashing Machine:  Personal Groomer to Dwayne Johnson

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: Tron: Ares  (2025)   PG-13   Tron: Ares follows a highly sophisticated program named Ares (Jared Leto), who has been sent from the digital world into our real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind’s first encounter with A.I. beings. The film is the third installment in the Tron series and a sequel to Tron: Legacy (2010). In theaters nationwide, including IMAX, on Friday, October 10, 2025

Until Next Time!

The Long Walk

My View:  The Long Walk  (2025) R   The Long Walk is set in the near future, as a group of teenage boys compete in the annual contest known as “The Long Walk.” The winner is awarded whatever he wants for the rest of his life. The game is simple; maintain a pace of three miles per hour or you’re out - permanently.This film is incredibly difficult to watch. Bleak and heartbreaking, The Long Walk tells a story of desperation and how friendships can develop even when the world is falling apart, providing hope when it seems there is none. The two main characters on the walk are Raymond, #47, portrayed by Cooper Hoffman, and Peter, #23, portrayed by David Jonsson, who, to keep each other going, strike up a friendship and slowly learn about each other’s lives. Through their conversations, we learn why each boy is doing the walk and what they hope to gain from winning. The Long Walk, written by Stephen King during the height of the Vietnam War, is a bleak film that, despite being set in the late 1960s, still holds significant meaning and relevance to the issues facing our society today. As the film progresses, the stakes become higher, as boys are killed for not being able to keep up with the pace.This is a horror film in the sense of impending doom that can strike at any moment and often does, sometimes in shocking ways. Hoffman, showcasing his growth as a powerful and nuanced actor much like his late father, is the center of the film. His character, Raymond, tries to play peacemaker at the start and is willing to risk his own life to help others keep going. Raymond has a winning way about him that makes others want to be around him. However, as the grim task becomes harder as boys Raymond has gotten to know have fallen, he seems to take each death harder and harder. David Jonsson portrays Peter as a boy who has had a horrible life and is willing to go the distance to have a chance at a better one. Peter serves as the perfect companion for Raymond, always being the stronger one who keeps his and Raymond’s focus on the task ahead and not on what has happened in the past. I will warn you that this is a brutal watch and does not pull any punches in showing the violence. Watching this film can be challenging, especially in the last 30 minutes when you have become attached and vested in the characters, all of which, except one, are going to die. The Long Walk explores the themes of despair, loss of faith, and brutality, but it’s also tells a story about friendship, love, and family, even if it is fleeting. The Long Walk is one of the best films of the year, bolstered by performances from two brilliant actors who make us fall in love with their characters, even though we know that this love will be short-lived.  My Rating:  I Would Pay to See it Again  The Long Walk Website  Now playing in theaters nationwide. 

My View: Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale  (2025  PG  In Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, the household is on the brink of social disgrace with Mary (Michelle Dockery) in the middle of a very public divorce and the family facing financial ruin. The Crawleys will have to embrace change if Downton Abbey is to survive. While I did not watch the TV series, I have enjoyed my time with the Crawley family and their servants in the three films, including this one. I thought the first film, Downton Abbey (2019), did a brilliant job of letting fans of the series continue with the family, while letting us ‘newbies’ understand the dynamics of the family and who everyone was. I felt the 2nd film was a little too simple in its plot, but I am happy to say that this third and final (sniff) film in the series is a wonderful goodbye to the family (which I include with the servants) that we have all come to love. The film is filled with various plot-lines, including a scandal, the potential downfall of the family’s fortune, and the retirements of longtime servants. Throughout the story, we also experience a royal ball, a day at the races, a county fair, and a visit from a legendary writer, all of which keep us entertained.  What I loved is that we get to see the growth of the characters and how they have evolved over the years, though some continue to make a mistake or two along the way. For fans of the series and the movies, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale is an enjoyable sendoff and lets us take our time saying goodbye to characters that we have grown to love.  My Rating: Full Price  Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Website  Now playing in theaters. 

My View:  Spinal Tap II: The End Continues  (2025) R  In Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, the band reunites after 15 years for one final concert, and documentary filmmaker Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) is there to document it all. Will the band survive the rehearsal, let alone the concert? Rob Reiner brought us the hilarious mockumentary This is Spinal Tap back in 1984. While not a hit at upon its initial release, when the home video version hit the market, it found an audience, and a classic was born. The film introduced a pseudo-documentary style that was later used to great success in TV shows like The Office and Modern Family. Now, 40 years after that film, Reiner is back, giving us a glimpse into what the band members are up to, and it’s not much. Their endeavors include running a combination cheese and guitar shop, managing a glue museum, and creating hold music. I had fun watching the guys being idiots once again. There are some fantastic running gags and lots of cameos that allow us to revisit a few friends from the past. Of the new cameos, the extensive scenes with Paul McCartney and Elton John are particuarly enjoyable as both preform with the band. Still, the film overextends its welcome, even with the slim run time of eighty-three minutes. The subplot of a feud between Nigel (Christopher Guest) and David (Michael McKean) goes on way too long without a decent payoff. I also grew tired of Simon (Chris Addison), a concert promoter who can’t process music and seems to hate everything that the Tap boys stand for. That said, I did laugh quite a bit, and it was enjoyable seeing the band in all its glory during the reunion concert (the venue became available because a Stormy Daniels event fell through).  I believe that fans of the first film will have a good time with this sequel, but I wonder if those who haven't seen the original will find it as funny. It's unfortunate because the band could use the work, but perhaps a cruise ship gig will come their way. My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Spinal Tap II Website  Now playing in theaters.

My View:  Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle  (2025)  R Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Movie: Infinity Castle follows the Demon Slayer Corps as they launch an assault on Muzan’s Infinity Castle, the headquarters of the demon king. The slayers face off against the Upper Rank Demons and Muzan himself, striving to finally bring an end to the centuries-long battle. Unless you follow the TV series, have seen the other films (6, I think), or have read the manga series, you will be lost like I was (having never seen any of it). The film starts as one of our heroes is trying to run through the castle to find the head demon, someone named Muzan. It’s called a castle, but it seems like some sort of always-changing multi-dimensional maze to me. There are a bunch of other Demon Slayer Corps members also trying to find and kill Muzan, but they keep finding other demons to slay. Apparently, the demons are on some sort of ranking system, and some are harder to kill than others. There are a lot of Demon Slayers, and I had a hard time keeping up with who was who and who they were battling. All I know is that this film was 2 hours and forty-five minutes of Demon Slayers running (lots and lots of running), demons talking a lot, and some battles where no one seemed to win. To say I was confused and lost would be an understatement, though the crowd I saw it with was enthusiastic about the battle sequences and sad when a Demon Slayer died or passed out. I did enjoy the origin arc of a demon named Akaza, which reminded me a lot of some of the ‘50s/’60s samurai movies I have seen. The film ended on a cliffhanger, with a couple of our heroes passed out because of a battle, and Muzan bragging that he would never be defeated.The film feels like it tried to cram too much into the plot, with too many characters to keep up with and a main villain who talks a lot. Demon Slayer: Infinite Castle attempts to play on our emotions, but without the knowledge of the series backstory, those scenes felt hollow to an uninitiated filmgoer like me. Fans of the series will have fun with the battles, but for someone new to this series, it seemed like a lot of story with little outcome. Being thrown directly into the action without understanding the characters or the reasons for their conflict was quite challenging for me as an outsider. There will be two more of these films to complete the battle between the Demon Slayer Corps and Muzan. I have a headache just thinking about it.  My Rating: Cable  Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Website  Now playing in theaters

My View:  The Wrong Paris  (2025)  The Wrong Paris tells the story of Dawn (Miranda Cosgrove), who has been accepted to a Parisian cooking school but doesn’t have the money to fly there. To cover her expenses, Dawn enters a dating contest to win the heart of a bachelor (Pierson Fode), a contest that takes place in Paris. Unfortunately, the contest is in Paris, Texas. I like Miranda Cosgrove, primarily due to her starring in iCarly, but this lackluster rom-com never takes off. The first 20 minutes are promising, when we see Dawn on her grandmother's farm, and there is a chance encounter with Trey at a country dance bar. Had that storyline had continued, I would have enjoyed it, but we were soon off to Paris, Texas (which is in the northeast corner of the state above Dallas). The Wrong Paris could have been a humorous take on the romantic contests that occur seemingly every few months on TV and streaming, giving us an inside look at how they manipulate everything. Instead, the film relies on slapstick comedy that is never funny and misses the mark. The romance between Trey and Dawn seems forced, and we never get the feeling that the two are really meant to be together, other than that they both wear cowboy boots. By the end, I didn’t quite know how everything wrapped up, which sums up the film as a whole. My Rating: Cable  The Wrong Paris Info  The review of the film will be up Friday night. 

Indiefest:  Bang Bang  (2024) R  Bang Bang is about retired boxer Bernard “Bang Bang” Rozyski (Tim Blake Nelson), whose promising career was cut short by rumors of Bang Bang taking a dive. Now he has a chance for redemption when he starts training his grandson (Andrew Liner) to box. Tim Blake Nelson gives a tour de force performance of a man who is stuck living in the past. It’s a down and dirty performance of a man who only knows how to fight and sees his grandson as a ticket to get back into the game and get redemption. Bang Bang is a character study where you won’t like many of the people that inhabit its world, but you will be fascinated to find out what happens to them.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee Bang Bang Info Now in select theatres. 

Indiefest:  The Baltimorons  (2025) R  In The Baltimorons, Cliff (Michael Strassner) has a dental emergency on Christmas Eve and meets Didi (Liz Larsen), a dentist who treats him. Both of them realize they have nowhere to go for the holidays, and Cliff persuades Didi to explore Baltimore together. It’s an accident that brought them together, but it’s love that will keep them together.  I loved this romantic and funny movie, which is a joy to watch as we follow Didi and Cliff on a night of adventure, discovery, and a little trouble. Strassner and Larsen have sizzling chemistry, playing off each other to create both comedic and romantic moments. This isn’t a knee-slapping comedy, but one that brings plenty of smiles and a few chuckles while we watch two people find they enjoy each other's company and want to spend as much time together as possible. The Baltimorons is a film that cherishes its city and the people who inhabit it, especially Didi and Cliff. My only minor quibble is that I wished Cliff had been better and funnier at improv. He didn’t deliver the goods, as they say in improvland. However, that’s an insignificant problem in a film that has heart and is a delight to watch, as two people discover that maybe life is worth living when shared with someone who cares. My Rating: Full Price  The Baltimorons Website  Now playing in theaters

Indiefest:  Boys Go to Jupiter  (2024)  In the animated film Boys Go to Jupiter, a teenager who calls himself Billy 5000 (voiced by Jack Corbett), is trying to make money working for the food delivery agency Grubster and thinks he has figured out a way to play the system and make some big money. Boys Go to Jupiter is a delightful and funny film about a teen who is living in his sister’s garage and has set a goal for himself to make 5,000 dollars to pay her for letting him stay there after being abandoned by his mother. We watch as Billy makes deliveries (using his hoverboard) to a host of strange characters that inhabit his ocean-side city. Billy falls for the daughter of a local orange juice manufacturer. Her mother is an inventor whom we only see through her robot. The film is part sci-fi comedy, part manifesto on the evils of corporations and capitalism, while also having a heart and soul that highlights the importance of friends and family. It’s a bold adventure that uses animation to capture a strange combination of the ordinary and the weird to a delightful mix. So go root for Billy 5000 to meet his goal and maybe find a little romance and happiness along the way.  My Rating: Full Price  Boys Go to Jupiter Website  Now playing in select theaters. 

Forgotten Film:  Amateur  (1994)  R  Isabelle (Isabelle Huppert) is a virgin who lives in New York, was a nun for fifteen years, and now writes pornography for a living. She meets Thomas, who walks into the diner where Isabelle writes her pornography stories. Thomas has amnesia, and the Dutch money he has on him is the only clue to who he is. That’s how this wild, mystery/drama/comedy starts, which includes a prostitute and former porn actress (Elina Lowensohn) who used to be married to Thomas and is out to kill a businessman named Jacques, whom she blames for all her trouble. Amateur is a bizarre yet enjoyable movie, set in 1990s New York City, that is enjoyable to watch because of Isabelle Huppert, the former nun who is drawn to Thomas and decides to help him. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep it interesting. Hal Hartley, known for his award-winning films The Unbelievable Truth (1989) and Trust (1990), directs the film. Look for Parker Posey in a small role as a squatter and Currie Graham as a video store clerk.  My Rating: Bargain Matinee  Amateur Info  Available to rent/buy on Amazon.

Weird Credits: From the credits of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale:  Home Economist 

Coming Soon to a Screen Near You: The Smashing Machine  (2025)  R   A look at three years (1997-2000) in the life of mixed-martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson). Supported by his girlfriend, Dawn (Emily Blunt), Mark struggles to overcome addiction and make a comeback in the UFC universe, when the sport was just beginning to gain popularity at the time. The film has been the talk of the fall film festival circuit. When I first watched the trailer, I didn’t recognize Dwayne Johnson until near the end; I kept thinking, “Where did they find an actor with such a massive physique?” The Smashing Machine is the first solo film from writer-director Benny Safdie, who, with his brother Josh, brought us Good Time (2017) and Uncut Gems (2019).   The Smashing Machine Website  In theaters on Friday, October 2, 2025.

Until Next Time!