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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
While there are a few new horror flicks you can catch in theaters, “Stitch Head” is one you can take the whole family to see.
Based on the graphic novels by Guy Bass, the film follows Stitch Head (charmingly voiced by Asa Butterfield), a small creature who is awoken by a Mad Professor in his mountain lair, who is consumed by creating outrageous monsters he loses interest in as soon as he makes them. He assigns Stitch Head to protect his other creations from the townspeople of Grubbers Nubbin as he fears they will likely scare common folks and become the target of abolishment. While Stitch Head sticks to his duties, he suddenly finds joy by taking part in a travelling circus. His unconventional humor and unique personality add to the role he plays in the circus which initially scares attendees but then intrigues them to keep coming back. Read full review here.
Rating: B-
“Stitch Head” opens in theaters October 29, 2025
“A young woman (Miranda Cosgrove) joins a dating show thinking it’s in Paris, France, but it’s actually in Paris, Texas. She plots a way to get eliminated until her unexpected feelings for the bachelor (Pierson Fodé) complicate her plans.”
I spoke with the stars of the new Netflix rom-com, “Wrong Paris” about the personality trait they would want highlighted on a dating show, an opportunity in life that scared them, and more! Check out the fun chat and don’t miss the hilarious film!
“Wrong Paris” streams on Netflix on September 12, 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.
“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.
While I loved Superman, the same cannot be said about the newest superhero movie to hit the big screen. The Fantastic Four always struggles to make a successful adaptation. They seemingly find the right cast, but the wrong script. The Fantastic Four: First Steps heads in a better direction than its predecessors but lacks the charm that typically leaves audiences wanting more.
Like James Gunn’s Superman, First Steps avoids an origin story. Set during a retro-futuristic 1960’s, the Fantastic Four and all their merchandise is adored in this world. Early in the film we learn that Sue Storm is pregnant with her and Reed Richard’s first child, which they had given up trying to conceive. This happy news is briefly celebrated around the world until Earth receives a harrowing warning by the Silver Surfer. She leads the Fantastic Four to a greedy and evil space God named Galactus, who threatens to destroy the planet unless Sue gives up her possibly superpowered baby.
I really wanted to love this one. The cast, including Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss, and Joseph Quinn sounded so promising. But even their performances feel a little lackluster until the final act of the film. I do still have faith in them, but Marvel needs to figure out how to make audiences connect with their characters again. They had the right idea with Thunderbolts, but that may be because we already had established relationships with many of those characters. The only real attempt to feel anything here is Sue and Reed as first-time parents. Though we have empathy for them, what we know about those two, along with Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm is all surface level. And while the parenting storyline is sweet and I appreciate the simplicity of the plot, the embarrassingly poor CGI on their baby son is cringing and takes you out of the movie.
The biggest issue with First Steps is how it takes itself entirely too seriously. The jokes they attempt do not land, and with this group, you’d think there would be a few chuckles. The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the best out of the four adaptations so far, but that is not saying much. However, if you stick around for the end credit tease, they do leave audiences with something to look forward to. Giving a little bit of hope for these characters you so desperately want to root for.
Rating: C-
James Gunn tries his hand at a new Superman movie, and because of my love for the filmmaker, I went into this film cautiously optimistic, even though there hasn’t been a good Superman adaption since Smallville, no offense to Henry Cavill who did an amazing job with what he had to work with. And as I have said many times before, audiences are experiencing superhero fatigue, but I am happy to say this film blew me away. Gunn has revitalized the genre, especially for DC, and given us a Superman we can truly look up to.
Luckily for everyone, this is not an origin story. The film begins with him as an established superhero in Metropolis for 3 years, while, as many of us know, also working at the Daily Planet as Clark Kent. He is already dating Lois Lane and Lex Luthor is on a mission to destroy him. This is not a retelling of what we have seen a hundred times before, instead this story addresses real world issues, struggling with your identity and acceptance in world you’re not from, and, showing a vulnerable and humorous side to the man of steel, we haven’t seen before. Read full review here.
Rating: A+
“Superman” opens in theaters July 11, 2025.
The last two Jurassic World films were a convoluted mess: a disappointing misfire after such a promising start to the revived franchise. After nearly three years, director Gareth Edwards tries his hand at a new installment with a brand-new cast. And while it is miles better than “Fallen Kingdom” and “Dominion”, that may not be saying much about “Jurassic World Rebirth”.
The film is set five years after the events of “Jurassic World: Dominion”. Dinosaurs are on the brink of extinction again as our ecosystem is not built for them and they are struggling to survive. Those still alive have made a home for themselves in a more tropical environment similar to where they once thrived. Three of the most colossal creatures carry genetic material that could be the key to a life-saving drug that could benefit humankind. Read full review here.
Rating: C+