JOHN CANDY: I LIKE ME (2025) review
produced by: Colin Hanks, Johnny Pariseau, George Dewey, Shane Reid, Ryan Reynolds, Sean Stuart & Glen Zipper
directed by: Colin Hanks
rated: PG-13 (for smoking, some strong language, drug material and suggestive material)
runtime: 113 min.
U.S. release date: October 10, 2025 (Prime)
During the cold open of the documentary “John Candy: I Like Me”, Bill Murray fondly reflects on his dear friend and frequent costar, stating with a dry chuckle, “I wish I had some bad things to say about him.” That would indeed be a surprise to viewers, as well as the friends and family of the late Canadian actor/comedian, but what director Colin Hanks does is reinforce something that many of us already know: the gregarious talent was as kind and generous as he was sensitive and gentle. Sure, some people may have already had that idea, and those are the ones who grew up watching him in movies and on television. However, considering he died 31 years ago, it’s safe to say that there are generations out there who have missed out on his special, charismatic screen presence. Hanks has created an engaging and emotional tribute to Candy, inviting those who loved him a chance to share their memories of him and the impact he had on them. Read more…
LOVE, BROOKLYN (2025) review
written by: Paul Zimmerman
produced by: André Holland, Kate Sharp, Patrick Wengler, Maurice Anderson & Liza Zusman
directed by: Rachael Abigail Holder
rated: not rated
runtime: 97 min.
U.S. release date: September 5, 2025 (theatrical) & October 10, 2025 (digital)
Sometimes you watch a film with a solid cast and you wonder why you can’t get invested in the characters or their story. That’s what I experienced while watching “Love, Brooklyn”, which stars actors I’ve enjoyed before in a setting (it’s in the title) that should be more interesting than what is presented here. For the record, the actors are all good here, but the issue is the material they’re given. The problem isn’t in the directing either, considering Rachael Abigail Holder makes a solid feature-length debut here. Like every film, it all comes down to the writing. Read more…
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…
