Archives for : Drama
Sydney Sweeney gives a knockout performance in an unbalanced narrative.
Not knowing Christy Martin’s story and uncertain of how Sweeney would pull off this role, I approached this film with caution. To my surprise, Sweeney’s transformation and gripping performance salvages the spotty storyline.
At first glance, “Christy” appears to be a stereotypical female boxer biopic – Christy starts her career from the bottom, has to prove herself as a worthy woman fighter, and build up to her life-changing match. Well, that element is partly there. Christy does start from the bottom, but the film portrays her success as quick ladder climb. She wins almost all her matches and becomes the first female fighter to sign with legendary promoter, Don King (Chad L. Coleman). Her toughest fight, and the real challenge of the story, is what she faces outside of the ring. Martin struggles with prejudice of her sexuality and to feel safe to be with a woman she loves. Her parent’s pressure her to steer away from this “lifestyle”, which is why Martin submits to a marriage with her bum trainer, Jim Martin (Ben Foster), who quickly shows his true, dark colors as an abusive, controlling, and manipulative husband.
There is a lot to unpack with Christy’s story and sadly, the film fails to show the complexity of Christy’s story. The lack of development and backstory of Christy’s relationship with her parents makes her motive to please them a fairly weak. From an audience perspective, they are terrible, especially her mother. They do not help her in any way, so one wonders why she even bothers to suffer in this trapped life to please them.
Perhaps, the biggest downfall, are the lackluster matches. While, they are decently shot fights, they carry no weight or emotion. Christy wins and we move on. I’m not sure if that’s what we are intended to feel, as we are much more concerned for Christy’s safety and well-being in her personal life.
It is not lost on audiences the irony of Christy choosing a “safe” and “acceptable” spouse, ended up being a spouse that almost murdered her. That aspect to this story stays with you and is absolutely heartbreaking.
As whole, “Christy” is an intriguing tale and the entire cast, especially Sweeney (who is quite possibly at her best) and Foster are captivating, however, the misdirection in the screenplay might take away from those compelling performances.
Rating: C+
“Christy” opens in theaters November 7, 2025
Regretting You is based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel. While there is a lot less gossip surrounding this film adaptation, there is also less interest.
Director Josh Boone, who previously captured our hearts in the romantic drama, The Fault in Our Stars teams up with writer Susan McMartin to bring this novel to life. The film stars McKenna Grace, Allison Williams and Dave Franco. Without giving too much away, we begin meeting two sisters, Morgan and Jenny, who are complete opposites. Morgan is the responsible one, while Jenny is the free spirit. Morgan is married to Chris, with whom she got pregnant in High School. They have a 17-year-old daughter, Clara. Jenny is engaged to her High School boyfriend, with whom she has a baby. After a fatal accident, both family’s lives are turned upside down. Morgan and Clara struggle with their now strained relationship, which forces them to confront shocking secrets and betrayals. Read Full review here.
Rating: C
“Regretting You” is currently playing.
Based on the shocking true story; a charismatic criminal, on the run from the police, hides in a Toys”R”Us. There, he adopts a new identity and starts an unlikely relationship with an employee. This week I sit down with filmmaker Derek Cianfrance to discuss his new dark comedy, “Roofman”, starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst.
“Roofman” opens in theaters October 10, 2025.
Stephen King’s newest adaptation, The Long Walk is not for the faint of heart. It’s a chilling and intense thriller grounded by the emotional depth of its relatable characters and the choices they make.
Based on King’s first-written novel, the film is set in a dystopian future where a group of teenage boys compete to win a life-changing prize in an annual contest known as The Long Walk, where they must maintain a certain walking speed or get shot. It is as stressful as it sounds, pushing horror boundaries that are equally terrifying, thought-provoking and emotional. The film is directed by Francis Lawrence, who ironically enough directed several of the Hunger Games movies, which plot wise feel eerily related. Lawrence masterfully captures the tension and anxiety these boys are feeling with every step they take. As soon as the walk begins, audiences will be on edge waiting for the inevitable demise of 49 walkers.
It is a difficult watch but if you can power through the unsettling images, you will be blown away by some early Oscar-worthy performances by Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson. Read full review here.
Rating: A-
“The Long Walk” opens in theaters September 12, 2025.
“After leaving Silver Falls following Alex’s love confession and her kiss with Cole, Jackie Howard spent the summer in New York City. When Katherine convinces her to return to Colorado, Jackie is determined to make amends with Alex and set boundaries with Cole while finding her place within the Walter family. But fitting back in isn’t that easy.”
I had the opportunity to speak with the stars (Nikki Rodriguez, Ashby Gentry, & Noah LaLonde) of the popular Netflix series, “My Life with the Walter Boys”. We discuss the series, what film they turn to when they are having a bad and more!
Don’t miss the highly anticipated season 2, streaming on Netflix August 28, 2025.
“In TWINLESS, two young men meet in a twin support group and form an unlikely friendship. Roman (Dylan O’Brien) and Dennis (James Sweeney) both search for solace and an identity without their other halves and soon become inseparable outside the group. But when Roman meets Dennis’ ebullient co-worker, Marcie (Aisling Franciosi), all is revealed to be not what it seems, as each man harbors secrets that could unravel everything.”
I spoke with the filmmaker and stars (James Sweeney, Dylan O’ Brien, Lauren Graham, & Aisling Franciosi) of the fascinating new dark comedy to discuss the film, books from their childhood that have shaped them, and more!
“Twinless” opens in theaters September 5, 2025.
“The Map That Leads to You” follows Heather (Cline), a young woman setting off on an adventure across Europe with her best friends before settling into her perfectly planned life. When she crosses paths with Jack (Apa), a magnetic and mysterious stranger, their instant spark ignites an emotional journey neither of them expected.
I had the opportunity to speak with the talented stars (KJ Apa, Madelyn Cline, Madison Thompson & Sofia Wylie) of the new romantic drama about the film, a time when they felt most present, and more!
“The Map that Leads to You” streams on Prime August 20, 2025.
Materialists has officially revived the rom com genre with a modern take on a familiar story, and I for one, hope that this refreshing spin on love brings romantic comedies back to theaters. While the film is more of a romantic dramedy, it has all the makings of becoming one of my favorite films of the year.
Lucy is an ambitious young New York City matchmaker, who finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex. Starring Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans, the plot raises a lot of questions about dating in the world today. Read full review here.
Rating: A+
“Materialists” opens in theaters June 13, 2025.
SIRENS Interview: Julianne Moore, Meghann Fahy, Milly Alcock, Glenn Howerton, Felix Solis, Bill Camp
