ARE WE GOOD? (2025) review
written by: Julie Seabaugh
produced by: Steven Feinartz, Ethan Goldman, and Julie Seabaugh
directed by: Steven Feinartz
rated: not rated
runtime: 97 min.
U.S. release date: October 3, 2025
“Are we good?” is a question actor/comedian Marc Maron often asks listeners during his “WTF with Marc Maron” podcast episodes. It’s one of his many uncanny ways of connecting with his audience. When he started it back in 2009, he had no idea the interview show conducted out of his garage would become such a lifeline for people or that he would be seen as a podcast trailblazer. His guests have been diverse, interviewing the likes of President Barack Obama, Robin Williams, Sir Paul McCartney, Anthony Bourdain, and a famously contentious chat with comedian Gallagher. Over 1,600 episodes, Maron has developed a knack for conversation that creates a disarming space, often allowing his guests to open up in an intimate, revealing, and frequently hilarious manner. Read more…
GOOD BOY (2025) review
written by: Alex Cannon and Ben Leonberg
produced by: Kari Fischer and Ben Leonberg
directed by: Ben Leonberg
rated: PG-13 (for terror, bloody images, and strong language)
runtime: 73 min.
U.S. release date: October 3, 2025
First of all, the dog doesn’t die in “Good Boy”. I usually wouldn’t start like that, but I know how stressful it is for dog lovers sensitive to the perils of canines in cinema. So, when a horror film revolves around a haunted house from the point of view of a confused loyal dog, concern for the dog’s safety and whether audiences can handle any peril the titular hero is subjected to is understandable. There’s even a website dedicated to warning viewers of dog deaths in movies. I had a hunch going into co-writer/director Ben Leonberg’s supernatural horror feature debut that the titular protagonist would be all good. That left me with many questions, among them how much this dog would endure and how much the audience could tolerate. Read more…
THE SMASHING MACHINE (2025) review
written by: Benny Safdie
produced by: Benny Safdie, Dwayne Johnson, Eli Bush, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia & David Koplan
directed by: Benny Safdie
rated: R (for language and some drug abuse)
runtime: 123 min.
U.S. release date: October 3, 2025
If you look closely at Dwayne Johnson’s filmography, you’ll see signs that he’s more than just an action hero or family comedy star. In fact, it should come as no surprise that Johnson’s latest film, “The Smashing Machine”, is the new A24 sports biopic edited, written, and directed by Benny Safdie, his first solo outing since his amicable split from his brother, Josh (both of them made “Good Times” and “Uncut Gems”). He’s played other real-life roles in the past, such as “Pain and Gain” and “The Gridiron Gang”, both of which were good examples of Johnson’s potential range as an actor. In his depiction of former amateur wrestler and MMA fighter Mark Kerr, Johnson presents his most remarkable instance of range yet. Read more…
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (2025) review
written by: Paul Thomas Anderson
produced by: Paul Thomas Anderson, Adam Somner, and Sara Murphy
directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
rated: R (for pervasive language, violence, sexual content, and drug use)
runtime: 162 min.
U.S. release date: September 26, 2025
Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film, “One Battle After Another,” may hit a little too close to home, especially for those who look to movies to escape the weight of reality. Indeed, watching a story that features an America that’s numbed by its own racism, bigotry, and hatred may be a frustrating viewing experience, one that can leave you more irritated than impressed. Not because you’ve just watched a story that holds a mirror up to our current situation, but because the writer/director is reminding us that what he’s showing could take place in America’s past, present, or future. Read more…
Superman 4K Blu-Ray review
Suppose you’ve been following what James Gunn and Peter Safran have been doing this year with their introduction of the DCU (DC Universe). In that case, you’ve seen a deliberately timed rollout of DC Comics characters in animated and live-action form as co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios, Gunn and Safran are overseeing a reimagining under the watchful eye of Warner Bros. Discovery. In July, “Superman” was released in theaters, written and directed by Gunn. It became the highest-grossing Superman movie in the U.S. and grossed $615.3 million worldwide. Following its digital release on August 15th, “Superman” dropped on HBO Max on September 19th, with the 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD releases scheduled for this week, on September 23rd. There’s a specific reason for those last two dates. Read more…
THE JESTER 2 (2025) review
written by: Colin Krawchuk
produced by: Patrick Ewald, Cole Payne and Jake Heineke
directed by: Colin Krawchuk
rated: Unrated (strong violent content and language, equivalent to R)
runtime: 87 min.
U.S. release date: September 15, 2025
“You’re only allowed what I decide to give you”
2025 has been the year in which I indulge in sequels to films where I haven’t seen the original like “Den of Thieves 2” and “The Accountant 2,” or in the case of “Final Destination: Bloodlines” and “Ballerina,” franchises with which I haven’t kept up. Colin Krawchuk‘s “The Jester 2” marked the fifth time this year I’ve watched a sequel film knowing next door to nothing about the original. The film is a sequel to 2023’s “The Jester,” which itself was based on a 2016 short film, to which Krawchuk also made two short-film sequels.
THE LONG WALK (2025) review
written by: JT Mollner
produced by: Roy Lee, Steven Schneider, Francis Lawrence, and Cameron MacConomy
directed by: Francis Lawrence
rating: R (for strong bloody violence, grisly images, suicide, pervasive language, and sexual references)
runtime: 108 min.
U.S. release date: September 12, 2025
Back in the mid-80s, I recall picking up a paperback called The Bachman Books, a collection of four short stories by Richard Bachman, to read during a family trip to Florida. Yeah, I was that kid. It was a daunting read, primarily due to its sheer thickness, but knowing there were four stories made it mentally manageable, as if I had an end in sight for each story. The only reason I picked it up is that Bachman was a pseudonym for Stephen King. Read more…
TWINLESS (2025) review
written by: James Sweeney
produced by: James Sweeney and David Permut
directed by: James Sweeney
rated: R (for sexual content/nudity and language)
runtime: 100 min.
U.S. release date: September 5, 2025
When I caught “Twinless” at a packed screening at the Music Box Theatre for the Chicago Critics Film Festival back in May, I had no idea what to expect, and I certainly didn’t anticipate that the film would be one of my favorites of the year. All I knew was that it premiered earlier this year at Sundance, and it won the Audience Award. To my delight, writer/director James Sweeney, who also co-headlines with Dylan O’Brien, has crafted a dark comedy that brims with confidence, one that explores grief, manipulation, and obsession in uncomfortable yet humorous ways, while deftly navigating some tricky tonal risks. Read more…
CAUGHT STEALING (2025) review
written by: Charlie Huston
produced by: Darren Aronofsky, Jeremy Dawson, Dylan Golden, Ari Handel
directed by: Darren Aronofsky
rated: R (strong violent content, pervasive language, some sexuality/nudity and brief drug use)
runtime: 107 min.
U.S. release date: August 29, 2025
“If you don’t fight, don’t show your teeth”
Among the least predictable filmmakers of his generation, Darren Aronofsky has worked in many genres. His best work seems to have a tight grip on tone: “Black Swan” was a cheeky homage to early De Palma psycho-sexual grand guignol. At the same time, “The Wrestler” channels the sincerity of a documentary, making its title character all the more tragic. The tone of “Requiem for a Dream” mimics the highs and lows of its drug-addicted characters. In my opinion, these are his three best films, and they’ve all solidly established their tone. Read more…
RIEFENSTAHL (2025) review
written by: Andres Veiel
produced by: Sandra Maischberger
directed by: Andres Veiel
rated: not rated
runtime: 115 min.
U.S. release date: September 5, 2025 (limited)
Leni Riefenstahl. You may have heard the name before. If not, you may have heard of her 1935 German propaganda film “Triumph of the Will”, which the German filmmaker directed after being commissioned by Hitler. If not, the somber documentary “Riefenstahl” will, for some, serve as a gateway to one of the most controversial filmmakers of all time. At the same time, those who knew her will likely gain a greater, albeit nauseating, understanding of the innovative artist. Read more…
