August 29, 2025
As the calendar turns to September this holiday weekend and we reach the unofficial end of summer, I’m finalizing this month’s movie report from the great state of Washington. Yes, I’ve decided to take another trip out west to see my favorite band at The Gorge (aka “Heaven’s Amphitheater.”) That picture at the top of my website will be my view for the next three nights. As I wrote last year, I’ve been a fan of the Dave Matthews Band for over 25 years and have seen them dozens of times live in concert. Every year they play three shows at The Gorge over Labor Day weekend (dubbed Labor Dave Weekend by the fans). Last year, we finally made the trip out here and after hearing me say that it was a “once in a lifetime experience” over and over again that weekend, our son’s girlfriend commented, “Well, it could be twice in a lifetime….” When we saw the band again in Connecticut last November, I looked at them during the show and said, “OK, we’re going to The Gorge again.” And here we are.
Anyway, more on this fun adventure in a future post, but for now, a recap of some new films I saw this month starting on a low note. A very low note to this movie lover, recognizing I may be in the minority.
The Epitome of Lazy Netflix Slop – Happy Gilmore 2
I like to spend my time writing about movies that I like and recommend, but I couldn’t resist sharing my frustrated thoughts about one of the most popular films that was released on Netflix last month. Why bother? Well, because Happy Gilmore 2 stands in stark contrast to the next movie I will cover, which is also a silly comedy. Look, no one is going to take a sequel to the 1996 Adam Sandler comedy about a rage-filled hockey player turned professional golfer seriously. In fact, I found that movie mildly amusing, but wildly overrated. So, it’s not a surprise that I would not like the sequel, but I was pretty surprised just how bad it was. A lackluster story, a shameless number of cameos that pop up every 30 seconds, and an editing style that feels like you are just watching a social media feed. Oh, and it’s not funny. Sure, I chuckled a few times (mostly at the inside golf jokes), but this was a sad reminder that a streamer like Netflix will keep making slop like this because it generates millions of views on its site, regardless of the quality. Call me old, but this was straight up trash. Happy Gilmore 2 is now streaming on Netflix.
Now, That’s How You Make a Silly Movie – The Naked Gun
If you are a member of the MTV generation like me, then you no doubt are familiar with the comedic stylings of the Zucker brothers and Jim Abrams who created the Airplane films, the overlooked genius comedy Top Secret! starring an early Val Kilmer, and The Naked Gun franchise, which was an offshoot of the television series Police Squad. The filmmaking trio creatively demonstrated how to turn a serious premise (disaster movies, secret agent films, and police procedurals) into comedy spoofs. All of these movies featured deadpan dialogue, subtle jokes, and visual gags that forced you to pay attention in order to catch the joke. Was it silly? Absolutely, but if you can’t laugh at lines like, “Looks like I quit the wrong week to stop sniffing glue,” or “Don’t call me Shirley,” then you don’t like comedies. Those films were pretty big hits in the 1980s, but the world of movie comedies has changed dramatically and several times in the last forty years. It was a big bet to dust off The Naked Gun premise to reboot it for a theatrical release. But I’m happy to report that this one worked very well, recognizing what it is trying to be.
Liam Neeson is hysterical as Frank Drebin, Jr., an inept cop serving in the Police Squad that his father (played by Leslie Nielsen in the original films) also served. He is tasked with investigating a suspicious car accident, eventually leading him to a wealthy tech executive who may have sinister plans up his sleeves. Drebin works with the victim’s sister (Pamela Anderson) to help solve the crime, but the ultimate plot here is not the point. It’s the rapid fire jokes and gags that get thrown at the audience.
Paramount Pictures took a very smart approach with rebooting The Naked Gun by hiring Akiva Schaffer to direct the film. He is part of The Lonely Island comedy trio, along with Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. They cut their teeth making hysterical short films for Saturday Night Live and have gone on to play a role in several successful comedies over the last several years. Unlike Netflix’s approach of giving Adam Sandler a boatload of cash to make a lazy Happy Gilmore sequel, Paramount brought in a fresh voice in Schaffer to make a picture that keeps the spirit of the original Naked Gun films in a contemporary setting. Neeson and Anderson are excellent, delivering every line with the utmost seriousness, despite the ridiculousness of the situation. Do all of the jokes land? Of course not, but when you have 1,000 bits in a ninety minute film, not all of them will work, but I found the batting average to be pretty high. If you go into this one with the right mindset, you will more than likely find yourself with a smile on your face for most of the movie. The Naked Gun will be available to rent on demand on September 2nd
Co-Dependency (Literally) – Together
This might be the kind of movie that only a married couple could make, and based on its crazy premise, you can tell that Dave Franco and Alison Brie are a perfect match for each other. Together was written and directed by Michael Shanks and tells the story of a couple who are in the middle of a major funk in their marriage. He is a struggling musician. She is a teacher who just got a new job, leading the couple to a new house in a new town. While out hiking one day, they fall into a sunken cave and get exposed to a mysterious liquid. It appears to be some sort of adhesive as their legs get stuck together. As the days go on, they start to realize that there is something physical (or metaphysical) pulling them towards each other, and not just in an emotional way.
Together is the textbook definition of a body-horror movie. The two main characters’ bodies are literally at the center of the film’s premise. As the intensity of their predicament ratchets up, the gruesomeness gets increasingly disturbing. This is definitely the type of movie that will make you squeamish, especially in a couple of scenes, but there is a dark comedic element to the movie that I found quite enjoyable. Of course, the messaging here is not subtle – it’s about a couple who are literally dependent on each other as their bodies become conjoined and they struggle to stay separated. I did find the third act, where the cause of this phenomenon was revealed, to be a little half-baked. I would have preferred something a little more mysterious and not so literal. That being said, if you are into these kinds of horror films, Together is a good addition to your Scary Movie Month list for this Halloween. Together is now available to rent on demand.
A Clever Thriller – Relay
I can almost guarantee that you have not heard of this film, mostly because it was released by a small studio and received very little fanfare. I caught it at a Secret Movie screening at my local theater and was happy I saw it on the big screen. At the center of Relay is a mysterious fixer named Ash, who serves as an intermediary between whistleblowers and corrupt companies. He communicates with them through a relay service using equipment primarily made for the deaf. The parties never hear each other’s voices – their messages are communicated back and forth by the central relay service providers. Ash’s newest assignment is Sarah, who has incriminating information about her company and is looking for a way out of the danger she is facing.
I could tell shortly after this film began that it would be one for me. There are a lot of sneaky maneuvers made by the main parties involved in this thriller – Ash, Sarah, and the goons hired by the company looking to hide their secrets. With many twists and turns throughout the plot, it will keep you guessing as to where the story is going. The ultimate resolution was a little underwhelming to me, but overall I liked this movie a lot and I think its success is due to the pedigree involved.
Leading Relay as Ash is Riz Ahmed, one of the most underrated actors we have working today. He received a Best Actor nomination for his brilliant performance in 2020’s Sound of Metal, one of my favorite films of that year. He was also excellent in the HBO limited series The Night Of, and has had quality supporting roles in other big movies, like Rogue One. But he hasn’t had that breakout role that would make him a household name. Sadly, Relay won’t be that showcase, but I am still a huge fan of his work. In fact, while I was sitting in the theater watching his character navigate a world of corporate espionage, using creative methods to outsmart his adversaries, I kept thinking how much better The Amateur would have been had Ahmed been in the lead role instead of Rami Malek. I thought that film was pretty good, but I have a big allergy to Malek’s acting style, while Ahmed is so much more effective.
The other key component of this film’s success can be attributed to director David McKenzie, who brought us the outstanding western Hell or High Water in 2016. McKenzie perfectly captures the thrilling aspects of this story, while showcasing the terror of Sarah (played by Lilly James who is also excellent) and conflicting emotions Ash feels as he executes his missions. It’s not easy to convey emotions in a story where communications are delivered by intermediaries, but McKenzie delivered in a big way. If you like thrillers that will keep you guessing, I recommend checking out Relay, which should be available to rent on demand in late September.
An Interesting, If Undercooked, True Story – Eden
Twenty years ago, there is no way that a new film from Ron Howard featuring several big name stars would be buried in theaters in the dead of summer with little to no fanfare. Alas, that is what happened with his newest picture Eden, which premiered almost a year ago at the Toronto Film Festival. Reaction was muted, which led to a struggle for Howard’s studio to find a buyer. Eventually, it was released earlier this month. I was fortunate to see it in my local theater and it was actually a pretty good movie about a very interesting true story.
As the film opens, we learn about Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Jude Law) and his partner Dore (Vanessa Kirby) who have given up on civilized life and moved to a remote island off the South America coast. It’s the early 1930s and they have decided to leave their native Germany to create their own society. He is creating a manifesto about what is wrong with mankind and she is looking for a better environment to help with her multiple sclerosis. Things are going along fine until a new couple arrives with their son. Margaret (Sydney Sweeney) and Heinz (Daniel Brühl) have read about Ritter’s travels and feel like this is a perfect place to find their own paradise. Unfortunately, they discover that survival on a remote island with no infrastructure is next to impossible. Things don’t get any easier when a Baroness (Ana de Armas) arrives with a few assistants and plans to build a luxury hotel on the island. As resources become increasingly scarce among the group, tensions build and you can imagine what happens next.
This is a pretty wild story, considering it really happened – the film is based primarily on Margaret’s memoir. Howard does a nice job of bringing together the suspense and dark comedy of the characters’ interactions. It would be an understatement to describe this situation as a clash of cultures. And the cast is all terrific. Law and Kirby in particular are great as the pioneering couple who refuse to give into any doubts about their mission. Sweeney and Brühl are very good as the tormented couple and de Armas is having a lot of fun as the campy Baroness. The film kind of limps toward the finish line, but I suspect it’s because Howard wanted to stay true to the original facts of the story. If you decide to watch this one, be sure to keep watching through the closing credits, where we see home movie footage of the real-life inhabitants of the island, which I found fascinating. Eden is by no means perfect, but it’s a pretty interesting watch, and I’m just glad we still have Ron Howard making movies after over sixty years in the business.
Speaking of Howard, one note for fans of Apollo 13 (and c’mon, who’s not a fan of that movie?). The film will be re-released in IMAX theaters later in September to celebrate its 30th anniversary. I will be sure to check it out, assuming it plays my local theater (fingers crossed), so keep an eye out for that one. In the meantime, Eden is now playing in theaters and should be available to rent on demand in late September.
The Kings Are Back Together – Highest 2 Lowest
A new Spike Lee movie with Denzel Washington? Yes, please. As I covered in my look at Denzel’s career earlier this month, this is the fifth collaboration between these two legendary filmmakers. Lee has described Highest 2 Lowest as a reinterpretation (not a remake) of the excellent 1963 film High and Low, directed by Japanese legend Akira Kurosawa. Both pictures are based on the 1959 novel King’s Ransom.
Lee has moved the story from Japan to New York City for the story of a music mogul (Washington) who faces a moral crisis at the same time he is contemplating if he can somehow hang on to his company in a declining industry. David is trying to scrape together enough money to buy out his business partners and reboot his record label. But just as he is trying to finalize the deal, he receives a phone call informing him that his son has been kidnapped and he must pay a ransom of $17.5 million to secure his return. After several stressful hours, his son comes home and amidst the confusion, the family and police learn that the kidnappers mistakenly took their son’s friend. He is also the son of David’s best friend and driver Paul (the always brilliant Jeffrey Wright) and the kidnappers still want the money, even though they took the wrong kid.
It seems like a simple story, right? If you have the money, you pay it to save the life of your best friend’s son. But David is facing a personal financial crisis and is staring at the end of his business career, so he hesitates. When he finally comes to his senses, he sets out to meet the kidnappers for the exchange, with the help of the NY police department. What transpires is one of the best sequences of any film this year, as Spike keeps us on the edge of our seat while bringing us into the heart of New York City throughout the extended scene. Needless to say, things become more complicated and David has to figure out how to help rescue his friend’s son. Denzel plays this role to perfection, as he demonstrates that even in his early 70s there is virtually nothing that he cannot do on screen. I loved watching him seamlessly transition from a business icon, to a family man, to a devoted friend, to a badass trying to stop the criminals.
Highest 2 Lowest is a very good adaptation of this story, although I don’t know if I would say it’s better than Kurosawa’s version. That’s a pretty high bar – that movie is a masterpiece. But what I loved about Spike’s version is that he brings the story to a modern time, without trying to do a faithful remake. The beats of the story are similar, but this is a unique vision from the director, especially considering the filming of the picture in his beloved New York City, which comes alive throughout the entire movie. There were a few choices, particularly an extended epilogue, that didn’t quite work for me, but I reminded myself that Spike is going to put his signature style on every picture that he directs. And that’s what we love about his work. You can count on exceptional casting, production design and music to complement the story and that’s no different with his newest film.
I was fortunate to catch this one in a theater, but as I covered in my post about Denzel’s best movies, the studios that released Highest 2 Lowest (A24 in conjunction with Apple) only put it in a small number of theaters. That’s because Apple wants you to watch it on their streaming service. I hate that Apple and Netflix do this kind of thing, but they control the purse strings, so they make the decisions. The good news is you can watch it very soon. Highest 2 Lowest will be available to stream on Apple TV+ on September 5th.
We Have Another Masterpiece – Weapons
As an avid moviegoer, it’s so exciting to see a director’s debut film hit like a meteor and that was the case with Zach Cregger’s bonkers horror movie Barbarian in 2022. I recommended it to everyone I knew, emphasizing that it was messed up and even still, I sensed that those who watched it looked at me a little differently after seeing it. I could read their mind, thinking “What’s WRONG with him?” Anyway, after Barbarian became a critical and box-office hit, his next project was in hot demand, setting off a bidding war between different studios and production companies. There is a story out there (unconfirmed) that Jordan Peele fired his agents after his company lost out on the rights to the film. After seeing it earlier this month, I can understand why.
The stakes are high for a follow-up to a big-time debut. You get a bigger budget, more famous actors, and a spotlight on you to see if you can do it again. Well, Cregger showed he can with my second-favorite movie of 2025, only surpassed by the masterpiece Sinners. In fact, Cregger faced a bigger hurdle than most directors as he had to find new actors for the four main roles as the original choices had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts brought on by the industry strikes. That’s ok – his replacements were more than up to the task.
The premise of Weapons is right there on the poster and is laid out in the opening minutes, told to us by a child living in a small town in Pennsylvania. A few weeks earlier, at 2:17AM, seventeen children, all of whom were in the same class at school, got out of bed at the exact same time, ran out of their houses and were never seen again. The scene is played out in eerie fashion as we see the kids running through the streets toward an unknown destination while George Harrison’s Beware of Darkness plays, in what will likely be the needle drop of the year.
From there we see members of the town dealing with the aftermath of the disappearance in very different ways, told in a brilliant fashion by Cregger’s clever screenplay. We see the story from the perspectives of each character and how they interact with each other, allowing us to piece together what we previously saw to the next chapter of the story. They are all intertwined for different reasons, all connected by the disappearance of the children. Cregger has cited Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia as a clear influence in how he crafted this story, and you can definitely feel it.
Our main characters include Justine (Julia Garner) the teacher of the missing kids, Archer (Josh Brolin) the father of one of the children, Paul (Alden Ehrenreich) a local cop and Justine’s former lover, James (Austin Abrams) a local junkie, Malcolm (Benedict Wong) the school principal, and Alex (Cary Christopher) the only child who didn’t disappear. There is one other key cast member that I won’t spoil, except to say that if there is any justice, she will be in consideration for Best Supporting Actress come Oscar season. All of the leads were terrific, particularly Christopher in a pivotal role that if portrayed by a lesser actor could have undermined the last act of the movie.
As the story unfolds, we slowly begin to understand the mystery of what happened to the children, while seeing how the personal issues of each character influences their actions. Cregger perfectly melds together mystery, suspense, some pretty intense jump scares, a few gory scenes, and some serious laugh-out loud moments. Josh Brolin has the best “What the fuck?!?!?” line reading of the century. Now, the ending might seem a little pedestrian for some viewers, but I bought into it entirely and felt it was a great payoff for the mystery of the story. Not to mention, the climactic sequence is equal parts hysterical and grotesque, which is exactly what you want in a movie like this one. Welcome to the club of next great filmmakers, Zach Cregger – it’s great to have you aboard. Weapons is now playing in theaters.
One More Thing
If you’ve gotten this far, then you are clearly a movie fan and if that’s the case, you may be interested to know that Jaws is making a brief return to theaters this weekend to celebrate its 50th anniversary. It’s never a bad time to be thrilled and amazed at Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece, but the unofficial end of summer is as good of a time as any that I can think of. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to check it out in theaters as I will be singing and dancing my ass off at The Gorge celebrating the music and lyrics of my favorite band. Despite all the crazy shit going on in the world, I’m going to choose to enjoy the good things in life this weekend.
I’ll be back next month with a look at some more new releases. With the coming awards season, the movie calendar is heating up, so we have a lot to look forward to. Thanks for reading and if you’d like to be notified of future posts, you can subscribe below.