Archives for : Susan Kamyab Stephens
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.
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
Most of us have a moment from High School we wish we could redo. It’s a time when trivial things feel much bigger than they are. Though high school can hold cherished memories, for some, it is hard to let go of the past.
In the new comedy “Re-Election”, Jimmy Bauer (director-writer-producer ADAM SAUNDERS), is still haunted by the loss of his race for class president during his senior year back in 1995, which caused him to drop out of school. Now, he’s in his 40’s working in a memorabilia store owned by his dad (Tony Danza). Finally fed up with his mediocre life, Jimmy decides to go back to school for his missing class credits — and with the hopes of winning the Senior Class President election he believes will make his life right. But a lot has changed in 30 years, luckily with the help of his new friend Noa (Bex Taylor-Klaus) and former classmate-turned-girlfriend Ama (Nathalie Kelley), Jimmy will learn there are things more important in life than winning.
Saunders pulls details from his personal life into his feature debut. He grew up in Texas and went to Richardson High School where he was class president. While in some ways it is a story we have seen before, Saunders’ personal ties provide a nostalgic and authentic presentation to a familiar story.
“Re-Election” has some solid laughs especially from Saunders and his on-screen rival, Rizwan Manji. Personally, I could have been entertained just watching these to banter for an hour and half. Thankfully, you are treated to a hilarious video of Manji during the credits.
In addition to the film’s humor, there is a lot of heart. Jimmy has a sweet relationship with his sister (Patty Guggenheim), who encourages him to finish High School and believes he is capable of much more than he gives himself credit for. And there is a touching friendship with Jimmy and his new classmate, Noa (Taylor-Klaus).
Moviegoers can benefit from this light-hearted and easy watch. “Re-Election” is a short and sweet, fun stroll down memory lane with an inspiring future.
Rating: B-
Opens in New York on October 10, 2025
Opens in Dallas & Atlanta October 17, 2025
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.
“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.
“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.
