A Making Of Featurette for 'The Smashing Machine' from Benny Safdie

"The Smashing Machine is a love letter to relationships, to the grace of winning, and the lesson of loss." A24 has revealed a new behind-the-scenes promo featurette for The Smashing Machine, from director Benny Safdie. This time it's just Benny's project alone, he wrote & directed this without his brother Josh. It just premiered at the 2025 Venice Film Festival, where it won Best Director, and hits theaters in October in just a few weeks. In The Smashing Machine, the story is focused on the "trailblazing UFC, PRIDE, and VFC fighter" Mark Kerr during the peak of his career in 2000. Detailing the good, the bad, and the ugly of his rise to the top of the sport. MMA fighter Mark Kerr struggles with addiction, winning, and love during his peak in the UFC. Starring Dwayne Johnson with impressive facial prosthetics in a powerful lead role as Kerr. Also co-starring Emily Blunt as his girlfriend, and featuring Lyndsey Gavin, Oleksandr Usyk, Ryan Bader, Satoshi Ishii; plus Bas Rutten and Stephen Quadros as themselves. Featuring authentic matches, which they show a bit of in this making of look. They're really over-selling the "he was a tough guy that people didn't understand" aspect of this film, which I don't think will draw many to theaters. Thoughts? // Continue Reading ›

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Freaky Teaser Trailer for Horror Film 'Dolly' About a Monstrous Figure

"Whatchu think – you can just do whatever you want now?!" Blue Finch Films has unveiled the first look teaser trailer for a scary, unsettling new horror film playing at genre festivals this year. From director Rod Blackhurst (of Blood for Dust), Dolly is a freaky horror film about a "monstrous figure" that is screening at both Fantastic Fest & the Sitges Film Festival this fall. A young woman, Macy, fights for survival after being abducted by a deranged, monster-like figure who wants to raise Macy as their child. A daring blend of New French Extremity and 1970s American horror. This "chilling folk-horor tale" features Fabianne Therese, Seann William Scott, Ethan Suplee, Kate Cobb, and the "transmasc wrestler" Max the Impaler. FF adds this juicy tidbit: "Nothing is ever quite as it seems, except of course for the absolutely goopy practical effects in this lo-fi throwback to the isolated murder families of The Hills Have Eyes and the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Director Rod Blackhurst combines his clear inspiration with a uniquely demented point of view, building on his previous work." Sounds gnarly! And the footage is just as frightening & weird. // Continue Reading ›

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New Trailer for 'The Dark Crystal' - Returning to Theaters in October

"Which one of us will be the new Emperor?" Fathom Entertainment has unveiled a new trailer for the 2025 re-release of the 1980s fantasy classic movie The Dark Crystal, made by Frank Oz & Jim Henson and The Jim Henson Company. Featuring puppets and creatures galore, it's considered a favorite with many movie geeks who grew up in the 80s. This screening is part of The Jim Henson Company's 70th Anniversary celebration and features an introduction from Brian Henson, Jim Henson’s son & Chairman of the Board of The Henson Company. The Dark Crystal originally opened in 1982 and celebrated its 40th Anniversary back in 2022 (it's out on 4K Blu-ray). Jen and Kira, surviving members of the Gelfling tribe, set out to find the crystal’s missing shard and begin a dangerous journey that will bring them face to face with evil Skeksis and mysterious creatures at every turn. Jen and Kira will not back down as they race the clock to save their planet in this masterful live-action fantasy starring some of the most imaginative creatures ever put on film. Starring Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw, & Percy Edwards. After waiting decades, they finally made a new legacy sequel The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance which is also available on Netflix now. The OG 1982 classic will be back in theaters for two nights only this October - take the kids! Have fun. // Continue Reading ›

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Venice 2025 Recap - 8 Outstanding Films to Watch From the Festival

"What I want to test is not so complex..." Each year, I am lucky for the opportunity to return to the splendid city of Venice in Northern Italy to attend the Venice Film Festival and catch the latest films premiering there. This year's festival was much better than the previous year (my recap of 2024 here) and I've listed the 8 best films of the festival below. This was my ninth year returning to Venice, and I'm always glad to be back, no matter how many terrific films I get to see (or bad films I have to sit through anyway). In total, I watched around 30 films at Venice this year, with many of them ending up being pretty good (phew!). The finest films of the fest were two majestically cinematic works of art by female filmmakers: The Testament of Ann Lee and Silent Friend. I would've been so happy with either winning the Golden Lion, but instead they ended up giving it to Jarmusch's Father Mother Sister Brother - one of the worst films I have seen all year. Oh well, it happens. Instead, I want to highlight my favorites from Venice 2025. I always do my best to watch as many films as I can, hoping to find any hidden gems and breakout hits amidst the global selection. // Continue Reading ›

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Scary Full Trailer for 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story' with Charlie Hunnam

"You're the one who can't look away..." Netflix has revealed the full official trailer for the scary new horror series titled Monster: The Ed Gein Story, the third season of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's ongoing "Monster" series for Netflix. This time they're focusing on the infamous, iconic serial killer known as Ed Gein, the basis for Hitchcock's Psycho and Hooper's Texas Chain Saw Massacre (and many other horror stories). This is a fictionalized version of his real story, embellished to make into a Netflix series, not a true crime doc - starring Charlie Hunnam as Eddie Gein. Hunnam adds: "This is going to be the really human, tender, unflinching, no-holds-barred exploration of who Ed was and what he did. But who he was being at the center of it, rather than what he did." Murphy adds: "The thesis of every season is: are monsters born or are they made? I think in Ed's case, it's probably a little of both." Monster: The Ed Gein Story tells the story of how one simple man in Plainfield, WI became history's most singular ghoul. He revealed to the world the most horrific truth of all: monsters aren't born, they're made... by us. Also stars Tom Hollander, Laurie Metcalf, & Suzanna Son. Plus Vicky Krieps, Olivia Williams, Lesley Manville, Joey Pollari, Charlie Hall, Tyler Jacob Moore, Mimi Kennedy, Will Brill, Robin Weigert. This looks freaky! Hunnam looks quite scary... // Continue Reading ›

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Epic Official Trailer for 'The Luc Besson 9-Film Collection' 4K BR Set

"What exactly do you do for a living?" He makes movies! Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced that they're releasing a brand new Blu-ray box set this fall. It's called the Luc Besson 9-Film Collection, featuring for HD copies of the first 9 movies made by French filmmaker Luc Besson. All nine are on Blu-ray though only 6 of the films are 4K Ultra HD. Many of these are bonafide classics - The Fifth Element is one of my all-time favorites! Though I have to say, after these first nine I think his filmmaking took a downward turn and he hasn't made anything as incredible on this level again since 2005. The 9-film collection includes Luc Besson's: Le Dernier Combat, Subway, The Big Blue, La Femme Nikita, Atlantis, Léon: The Professional, The Fifth Element, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, and Angel-A. Many of his movies from this era were either sci-fi or fantastical or over-the-top with an action thriller premise. "Be one of the first to bring home this one-of-a-kind gift set honoring the visionary French filmmaker, Luc Besson. Including 9 of his most celebrated works, don’t miss out on this must-own collection." Sony also cut a trailer feature footage from these 9 movies and you know what – it is an thrilling recap. Take a look below. // Continue Reading ›

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Claire Danes & Matthew Rhys in New Series 'The Beast in Me' Teaser

"We are, all of us, drawn to monsters... We flirt with death to prove we're truly alive. And if we can't stop, then that small fire we lit might just burn the whole house down... with us still inside." One helluva quote to start with! Netflix has revealed a first look teaser trailer for a new series titled The Beast in Me, a crime thriller following a woman investigating her neighbor. This is set to launch on Netflix in November this fall. From the creators of "Homeland" comes another tricky new series. Author Aggie Wiggs, grieving her the loss of her son, finds new purpose unraveling the mystery behind neighbor Nile Sheldon's vanished wife and his suspicious dealings. At once horrified and fascinated by this man, Aggie finds herself compulsively hunting for the truth – chasing his demons while fleeing her own – in a game of cat & mouse that might turn deadly. Interesting... Starring Claire Danes, Matthew Rhys, Brittany Snow, & Natalie Morales. Also with Jonathan Banks, David Lyons, Tim Guinee, Hettienne Park, Deidre O’Connell, Aleyse Shannon, Will Brill, Kate Burton, Bill Irwin, Amir Arison, Julie Ann Emery. This looks compelling! Lots of secrets hidden within. // Continue Reading ›

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