Rating: R for Disturbing Content That’s Often Funny But Also Occasionally Trauma-Inducing
Release Date: October 24, 2025 (Theaters)
Regretting You
Starring: Allison Williams, McKenna Grace, Dave Franco, Mason Thames, Willa Fitzgerald, Scott Eastwood, Clancy Brown, Sam Morelos, Ethan Costanilla
Director: Josh Boone
Running Time: 116 Minutes
Rating: PG-13 for Mild But Frank Sexuality and Drug Use
Release Date: October 24, 2025 (Theaters)
When you see as many movies as I do, whether out of critical obligation or personal fulfillment or both, you tend to experience a lot of tonal whiplash. And it doesn’t get much more whiplash-inducing than the one-two punch of the semi-lighthearted satirical conspiracy thriller Bugonia and Regretting You, a tragedy-tinged romance based on a Colleen Hoover novel. Both are arriving in theaters on October 24 (Regretting You in wide release, while Bugonia will begin limited and then expand on the 31st). One of them is perfect for Spooky Season in an oddball sort of way, while the other would seem more at home around Valentine’s Day. With all that in mind, I’ll structure this two-for-one review around the question of whether or not they could possibly make for a successful date night double feature.
Rating: R for The Typical Party Vices, Including a Little Bit of Skin
Release Date: October 22, 2025 (Select Theaters)/October 29, 2025 (Amazon Prime Video)
What’s It About?: By all outward appearances, Hedda Gabler (Tessa Thompson) seems to have a pretty charmed life. She’s got a decent husband (Tom Bateman), she lives in a massive house, and she gets to host some wild shindigs. But there’s a powder keg just waiting to be lit. And it all goes kaboom over the course of one of those bacchanals. That’s because on that night, a couple of ladies with their own agendas (Nina Hoss and Imogen Poots) return to force Hedda to reap what she’s been sowing. And so, forbidden romance, professional jealousies, and general pettiness all converge for a deadly disaster that none of the guests will soon forget.
What Made an Impression?: The Scandinavia of It All: 2025’s Hedda is just the latest in a long line of adaptations of the 1891 Henrik Ibsen play Hedda Gabler. Before watching this version, I only knew it by name and was totally unfamiliar with the plot. But I have encountered Ibsen’s most famous work (A Doll’s House), so I had some idea of what he’s all about. Writer-director Nia DaCosta has fully queered up the story, although I wouldn’t have been surprised if that element were already present in the original. Which is to say, it’s a natural fit. We’re All Trapped: If I had to select one word to sum up Hedda, it would be … “claustrophobic.” There’s no escaping this party! Or maybe there is, though it would probably require these characters to totally redefine their perspectives of their current life situations. As the viewer, I felt similarly boxed in. If you find yourself in the same boat as me, you could always walk out of the theater or press stop on your remote. That is, unless you relish anxiety-inducing moviegoing experiences. She’s So Petty: Tessa Thompson is a pretty dang great actor, and Hedda only reinforces that truth. But her version of the titular scamp (and perhaps most versions) is not a very pleasant person to be around. In fact, I would even go so far as to call her a sociopath. Maybe if I had prepared myself a bit more before going to know what I would be getting into, I might have been entertained by all of her manipulative behavior. But only to a point. Ultimately, this is one of those movies that I found kind of middling, even though I got the sense that the people making it probably did exactly what they wanted to do.
Hedda is Recommended If You Like: Hot messes throughout the decade
Give ’em the ball, because they’re going to dunk it! (CREDIT: NBC Sports/Screenshot)
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–Black Phone 2 (Theaters)
–Blue Moon (Theaters)
–Frankenstein (Theaters; On Netflix November 7) – Directed by Guillermo del Toro.
–Good Fortune (Theaters)
–The Mastermind (Theaters)
TV
–Downey Wrote That (October 17 on Peacock) – Documentary about a notable SNL writer.
Music
-Chrissie Hynde, Duets Special
-The Last Dinner Party, From the Pyre
-Steve Martin and Alison Brown, Safe, Sensible and Sane
-Of Monsters and Men, All is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade
-Boz Scaggs, Detour
-Tame Impala, Deadbeat
Sports
-NBA on NBC Season Premiere (October 21 on NBC and Peacock) – Coming home.
The lines are back open! (CREDIT: Robin Cymbaly/Universal Pictures and Blumhouse)
Starring: Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Ethan Hawke, Demián Bichir, Jeremy Davies, Miguel Mora, Arianna Rivas, Anna Lore, Graham Abbey, Maev Beaty
Director: Scott Derrickson
Running Time: 114 Minutes
Rating: R for Creative Gore, Fascinatingly Disturbing Images, and Teenage Potty Mouths
Release Date: October 17, 2025 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: After defeating the serial killer known as the Grabber (Ethan Hawke), young Finney (Mason Thames) is adjusting to the new status quo in 1982 Colorado. But even with the Grabber in Hell, all is not so calm in the Centennial State, especially when his younger sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) starts sleepwalking while having some gnarly nightmares. It turns out that her psychic powers are kicking into high gear as she has visions of burned and mutilated children while receiving out-of-time phone calls from someone very close to her. These foreboding messages lead the siblings to investigate a sleepaway camp to discover the truth, but alas, a certain handsy villain may have figured out how to reach out beyond the grave while laying in wait on their quest.
What Made an Impression?: Good Thing They Hit Record: You can always tell when we’re watching one of Gwen’s dreams based on the graininess of the picture. It’s like her subconscious is being recorded on an old Super 8 tape. I wish my dreams were retro-cool like that! Snow Camp is Better Than No Camp?: One thing I didn’t mention in my little synopsis is that Finney and Gwen immediately become snowed in when they arrive at the camp, thanks to one of the biggest blizzards the area has ever seen. Which leads me to the question: aren’t most camps like this open in the summer? You know, when the weather is nice and kids are off from school. Maybe there are in fact getaways like this in the real world during winter breaks, despite the obvious weather-related risks. But even if this were a totally fictional creation, I could accept it, thanks to the feeling of otherworldliness that being snowed in can create. Keepin’ It Rough and Latchkey: I didn’t re-watch the first Black Phone to prep for the sequel, but one thing that stuck with me that is still very much present in Number 2 is just how gritty life is for these young protagonists (even when a killer isn’t lurking nearby). This outing opens with Finney beating one of his classmates to a bloody pulp, for which he faces absolutely zero consequences. The adults are a little bit more present and helpful this time around, including Finney and Gwen’s father Terrence (Jeremy Davies) and a thoughtful Demián Bichir as the camp’s supervisor. But they also let them get away with a lot, despite some feints towards authority. Although considering everything that the kids have been through, that might actually be fair and sensible. Which brings me to my last point… Chill Out!: Since surviving the Grabber’s clutches, Finney has developed a habit of indulging in the devil’s lettuce, and Gwen eventually calls him out for that as a way to avoid his pain. To which I have to say: come on, let him relax! Now, I know attitudes about marijuana weren’t exactly as progressive 40 years ago as they are now. But this movie is being released in 2025, so we can retroactively acknowledge that as long as you don’t overdo it, it’s a relatively safe way to deal with trauma, especially compared to Terrence’s habit of hitting the bottle since his wife died. In conclusion, Black Phone 2 is just as arrestingly grimy as the original, with the supernatural factor turned way up, while Ethan Hawke is enjoying a free rein to go as wild as usual.
Black Phone 2 is Recommended If You Like: A Nightmare on Elm Street, Camp-y 80s Slashers, The Shining and its descendants
Is the Roofman on fire? You’ll have to watch the movie to find out! (CREDIT: Paramount Pictures)
Starring: Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Peter Dinklage, Lakeith Stanfield, Ben Mendelsohn, Uzo Aduba, Juno Temple, Emory Cohen, Melonie Diaz, Molly Price, Lily Collias, Kennedy Moyer, Tony Revolori, Jimmy O. Yang
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Running Time: 126 Minutes
Rating: R for A Brief Sex Scene and a Goofy Nude Scene (Not During the Sex)
Release Date: October 10, 2025 (Theaters)
What’s It About?:Roofman presents Channing Tatum embodying the true story of Jeffrey Manchester, whose nom de criminality serves as the title of this film. We meet Jeffrey as a restless Army veteran who wants to be a better provider for his kids. So he resorts to robbing a series of McDonald’s in the Charlotte, North Carolina area by cutting through their roofs during their unoccupied hours. Eventually he’s caught and charged for his spree, but soon enough he escapes prison and hides out in a local Toys “R” Us store to plan his next big move. He somehow manages to evade capture long enough to assume a new identity and start dating a single mother named Leigh (Kirsten Dunst) that he meets after wandering into a church one day. As his wild story presses on apace, we’re left to wonder: maybe he’ll decide to settle down and live an honest life. Or perhaps instead, all his misdeeds will actually finally catch up to him.
What Made an Impression?: I’m going to do this review a little differently than my usual style by starting off with the question: Should YOU want to be the Roofman? I won’t keep you in suspense, though. The answer is: no, you should not.
So is that the end of the review? Well, let’s get a little more nuanced. By most accounts that I’ve come across, the real Jeffrey Manchester is fantastically charming, and Tatum certainly plays him that way. I found myself instinctively rooting for everything to work out in his favor, but then I caught myself enough to recognize that that’s not exactly the most defensible position. Jeffrey doesn’t just break the letter of the law, he also breaks the spirit. And while he does his best to eschew violence in the course of his misdeeds, some people do get hurt. Plus, he’s not exactly a Robin Hood where only Billionaire Big Business is getting hurt. So if you do find yourself rooting for him, I’d recommend redirecting that energy towards hoping that he’s given the opportunity to atone for his schemes and put his talents to better use.
And the Roofman does indeed have some considerable talents. He’s observant, thoughtful, and fun to be around. The trouble is, of course, that he too often utilizes those qualities in service of some very combustible misconduct. This is a tricky movie to watch, partly because it’s also a very easy movie to watch. On the surface level, it’s charming and exciting, which could lure you into a trap of glamorizing some bad behavior. Now, it’s not terribly difficult to avoid that trap, but what’s perhaps a little more challenging is finding the right balance when sorting out the admirable and the heinous within someone like Jeffrey Manchester. It makes sense that he found his way to a house of worship, because he’s clearly a sinner who also has some amount of desire to be better. You don’t have to be religious yourself to be inspired by this movie, but whatever your preferred belief system (or lack thereof), I think one of the biggest takeaways from this story is the eternal power of grace, even when (or perhaps especially when) things get out of hand.
You’re gonna want to sit down for this (CREDIT: HBO/Screenshot)
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–After the Hunt (Theaters)
–A House of Dynamite (Theaters; On Netflix October 24)
–If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (Theaters)
–Kiss of the Spider Woman (Theaters)
–Roofman (Theaters)
–TRON: Ares (Theaters)
TV
–The Chair Company Series Premiere (October 12 on HBO) – From the mind of Tim Robinson.
–Elsbeth Season 3 Premiere (October 12 on CBS) – Premiering on Sunday before moving to its regular Thursday timeslot.
–Matlock Season 2 Premiere (October 12 on CBS) – Premiering on Sunday before moving to its regular Thursday timeslot.
–DMV Series Premiere (October 13 on CBS) – A sitcom set at a Department of Motor Vehicles.
–Solar Opposites Season 6 (October 13 on Hulu) – Final Season Alert!
–Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Season 2 Premiere (October 16 on CBS)
–Ghosts Season 5 Premiere (October 16 on CBS)
Music
-Richard Ashcroft, Lovin’ You
-Brian Eno and Beatie Wolfe, Liminal
-Mobb Deep, Infinite
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten
Director: Benny Safdie
Running Time: 123 Minutes
Rating: R for Combat and Addiction
Release Date: October 3, 2025 (Theaters)
What’s It About?: What we’ve got here is a biopic about retired mixed martial artist Mark Kerr, played by Dwayne Johnson, a veteran of athletic combat himself. Kerr was active in the ring before MMA became one of the most popular sports in the world, so if you’re an obsessive UFC historian, perhaps you’re already familiar with his story. But on the other hand, if you’ve only become a fan within the past ten years or so, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve never heard of him before. The Smashing Machine focuses on a few of Kerr’s fights in Japan during the end of the last century, and otherwise we get a close view at Mark’s chaotic home life in Arizona with his girlfriend Dawn (Emily Blunt). And it must be mentioned that we also get to spend plenty of time with Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader), Mark’s fellow grappler and close confidant.
What Made an Impression?: What’s It All About, Smashy?:The Smashing Machine is not exactly your typical sports biopic. I don’t say that as praise, nor criticism, but merely observation. Oh sure, it’s got training sequences and behind-the-scenes struggles, but it doesn’t exactly build to the sort of climax you’re probably expecting. Occasionally, it feels like its reason for existing is to unveil the untold truth of MMA. Elsewhere, it’s something else entirely: a stark portrait of addiction, as Mark becomes dangerously hooked on painkillers and Dawn’s alcoholism brings her to the edge of utter destruction. Of course, there’s no reason it can’t be both of those things, but this particular case is an oddly shaped assemblage that I’ve never quite encountered before. Letting Us In: This movie raises the question: why Mark Kerr in particular? He doesn’t seem like the most influential or most successful figure in his sport’s history, though he certainly made a noticeable impact. As far as I can tell, The Smashing Machine happened because Johnson and writer/director Benny Safdie were fans, and they had the pull to make it happen. And on top of that, the real Kerr was remarkably willing to let his unvarnished story go on the screen. That vulnerability certainly comes through via the unflinching portrayal of Mark and Dawn’s chaotic relationship, as well as the remarkably supportive friendship between the two Marks. This Would Have Played Out Very Differently with Instant Replay: One more observation before I wrap things up: this movie contains a lot of nitpicking, mostly in terms of Mark and Dawn getting on each other’s nerves. But a very different type of pedantry really stood out as something unusual. Early on, Mark loses a fight, but he’s convinced that his opponent has used an illegal move on him. So he marches right out of the stadium to immediately plead his case to the guy in charge of everything while he’s still a sweaty mess in his grappling skivvies. What struck me most about this scene was how much it was devoted to a procedural matter. It also serves a thematic purpose regarding Mark’s journey, but from my vantage point, it mainly underscored how much rules and their interpretation matter in sports, which can be both kind of fun and also kind of infuriating.
The Smashing Machine is Recommended If You Like: It When a Really Gritty Movie Also Features a Trip to the Local Fair for Some Reason
Happy Halloween, and also with you! (CREDIT: Hulu)
Every week, I list all the upcoming (or recently released) movies, TV shows, albums, podcasts, etc. that I believe are worth checking out.
Movies
–Anemone (Theaters)
–Bone Lake (Theaters)
–Good Boy (Theaters)
–Orwell 2+2=5 (Theaters)
–The Smashing Machine (Theaters)
TV
–Saturday Night Live Season 51 Premiere (October 4 on NBC) – Kicking it off with Bad Bunny and Doja Cat.
-Family Guy: “A Little Fright Music” (October 6 on Hulu) – Another holiday special.
Music
-AFI, Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…
-Sparks, MADDER!
-Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl
Sports
-WNBA Finals (Begins October 3, on ESPN and ABC)
People are Strangers, when Eleanor is Great (CREDIT: Sony Pictures Classics/Screenshot; Lionsgate)
Eleanor the Great
Starring: June Squibb, Erin Kellyman, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jessica Hecht, Rita Zohar, Will Price
Director: Scarlett Johansson
Running Time: 98 Minutes
Rating: PG-13
Release Date: September 26, 2025 (Theaters)
The Strangers – Chapter 2
Starring: Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath, Rachel Shenton
Director: Renny Harlin
Running Time: 98 Minutes
Rating: R
Release Date: September 26, 2025 (Theaters)
Sometimes when I watch two very different movies in quick succession, I like to ask which one of them feels more like home. First up we have Eleanor the Great, in which June Squibb plays a woman who moves in with her daughter and grandson and then befriends a young journalism student in the course of pretending that her recently deceased friend’s experience of surviving the Holocaust is her own story. Meanwhile, The Strangers – Chapter 2 (which is of course the fourth film in the Strangers franchise) is just the latest misadventure of masked killers delivering their lethal blows to ostensibly random targets.
Stay! (CREDIT: Ben Leonberg/Independent Film Company and Shudder)
They keep making new movies, and some of them are even worth watching. Here’s what’s at the top of the slate for [MONTH YEAR]:
Good Boy: I love dogs, and I love horror movies. Good Boy combines these two great passions of mine. There have been other canine-based scary flicks before, but I’m hearing that this one is among the best.
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