Silver Screen Riot - Matt

Tatum Shines as a Lovable Scoundrel in Cianfrance’s Surprisingly Warm ‘ROOFMAN’ A film review of 'Roofman' directed by Derek Cianfrance and starring Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, and Peter Dinklage.

Channing Tatum and Derek Cianfrance team up to tell the true story of a good-natured criminal who hides out in Toys "R" Us in "Roofman". silverscreenriot.com/tatum-shines...

‘TRON: ARES’ Is a Pretty Husk Wishing It Were a Real Boy - Silver Screen Riot A movie review of 'Tron: Ares' directed by Joachim Rønning and starring Jared Leto, Greta Lee, and Evan Peters.

Sure, 'TRON: Ares' looks and sounds pretty cool (that NIN score is 🔥) but it's accompanied by a story that fails to make you feel anything at all. A real algorithmic uncanny valley of a movie-going experience.
silverscreenriot.com/tron-ares-is...

Kathryn Bigelow’s ‘A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE’ Certainly Provokes A Response - Silver Screen Riot A film review of 'House of Dynamite' directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring Anthony Ramos, Rebecca Ferguson, and Idris Elba.

Kathryn Bigelow enlists an A-list cast to tell the story of a rogue nuclear mission barreling towards the United States. A movie about stakes and nuclear holocaust, it succeeds as a detail-rich procedural but doesn't really land as a compelling whole.

silverscreenriot.com/kathryn-bige...

‘THE SMASHING MACHINE’ is a Shockingly Flat Affair - Silver Screen Riot A film review of 'The Smashing Machine' directed by Benny Safdie and starring Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt and Ryan Bader.

'The Smashing Machine' sees Dwayne (“Don’t Call Him The Rock Anymore”) Johnson actually turn in a serious, actorly performance but this UFC biopic is shockingly flat and fails at the most basic aspects of filmmaking. It's quite bad.
silverscreenriot.com/the-smashing...

‘ANEMONE’ Flows Into Something Poignant, Eventually - Silver Screen Riot A film review of 'Anemone' directed by Roman Day-Lewis and starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean, and Samantha Morton.

The dark Irish drama 'Anemone' features the return of legendary performer Daniel Day-Lewis in a movie written and directed by his own son. It's not a movie that will likely connect with mass audiences but there's something eerily mystifying about the union. silverscreenriot.com/anemone-flow...

‘ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER’ Vives la Révolution In PTA Style - Silver Screen Riot A film review of 'One Battle After Another' written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn.

'One Battle After Another’ is another masterwork from American auteur Paul Thomas Anderson, who turns his incisive storytelling toward contemporary America and uses it as a battle-bound backdrop for a story about fighting for what matters.
silverscreenriot.com/one-battle-a...

‘THE CONJURING: LAST RITES’ Drops the Sinister For a Saccharine Sendoff - Silver Screen Riot A film review of 'The Conjuring: Last Rites' directed by Michael Chaves and starring Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, and Mia Tomlinson.

‘The Conjuring: Last Rites‘ wraps up Ed and Lorraine’s story with a disappointingly flat coda. Not scary, way too long, and rather rote in terms of its filmmaking, this is a series that’s now only haunted by its past success. silverscreenriot.com/the-conjurin...

August SSR Recap: The Summer Endeth With A Strong Slate From Liam Neeson’s slapstick reboot to Zach Cregger’s horror masterpiece 'Weapons', August had range. Usually thought of as a dumping ground, it was actually the best month of the summer season...

August SSR Recap: The Summer Endeth With A Strong Slate
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'CAUGHT STEALING' An Over-the-Plate Crime Saga from Aronofsky - Silver Screen Riot A movie review of 'Caught Stealing' directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Austin Butler, Zoe Kravitz, and Regina King.

'Caught Stealing' is a different kind of movie from Darren Aronofsky. A plot-driven crime thriller that has more in common with Guy Ritchie's filmography than anything he's made before. Austin Butler is solid but he's not winning any Oscars.

silverscreenriot.com/caught-steal...

Sundance ’25: Disquieting Stalker Thriller ‘LURKER’ Lets a Fox into the Henhouse - Silver Screen Riot A review of 'Lurker' directed

'Lurker' is the best movie of 2025 that you haven't heard of. This creepy Sundance thriller about an obsessive fan who infiltrates the inner circle of a rising pop star is a must watch.

Fortunately, it's in limited release as of tomorrow.
silverscreenriot.com/sundance-25-...

Exhilarating ‘WEAPONS’ Unloads a Doozy of a Horror Story - Silver Screen Riot A film review of 'Weapons' written and directed by Zach Cregger and starring Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Benedict Wong, and Alden Ehrenreich.

After it being my most anticipated movie of the summer, I finally had a chance to see 'Weapons' (thanks @warnerbrospictures.bsky.social for not screening for critics).

Believe the hype. This is one of the best movies of 2025. Don't miss it in theaters. silverscreenriot.com/exhilarating...

‘HIGHEST 2 LOWEST’ a Campy Epic of Urban Success and Crime - Silver Screen Riot A film review of 'Highest 2 Lowest' directed by Spike Lee and starring Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, and A$AP Rocky.

One of Spike Lee’s best films of late, 'Highest 2 Lowest' is pure cinema. A soapy, campy, bombastically performed meditation on morality, success, legacy, and loyalty, Lee’s joint relishes the simple pleasures of moviemaking and its most potent forces.
silverscreenriot.com/highest-2-lo...

Bob Odenkirk is back as a not-so-mild-mannered family man assassin in Nobody 2, a fun but unnecessary entry in the action genre. There isn’t much to it, but this giddy beat-em-up has the good sense to deliver exactly what you’d expect...in a Hawaiian shirt. silverscreenriot.com/unnecessary-...

Competent Live-Action 'HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON' Is a Shot-for-Shot Remake Absent Its Own Merit - Silver Screen Riot A movie review of 'How to Train Your Dragon' directed by Dean DeBlois and starring Mason Thames, Nico Parker, and Gerard Butler.

The live action 'How to Train Your Dragon' isn't bad in the traditional sense of the word, it's just so utterly without anything new to add to this story. A painfully literal beat for beat, shot for shot remake but with CGI instead of animation. It's on 4K today.
silverscreenriot.com/competent-li...

Ari Aster’s ‘EDDINGTON’ Sloppily Relitigates Pandemic Woes - Silver Screen Riot A film review of 'Eddington' written and directed by Ari Aster and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and Emma Stone.

Ari Aster's fourth feature film 'Eddington' is a major letdown after the highs of 'Hereditary', 'Midsommar', and even the flawed but wholly compelling 'Beau is Afraid'.

It hit VOD today if you want to be transported back to peak pandemic anxieties circa 2020.

silverscreenriot.com/ari-asters-e...

'FREAKIER FRIDAY' Escapes the Content Mines of Disney+ to Pollute the Theater - Silver Screen Riot A film review of 'Freakier Friday' directed by Nisha Ganatra and starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan.

I don't know what I expected with 'Freakier Friday'. Maybe a little bit of effort? The cast, esp. Jamie Lee Curtis, tries their best to make this a worthwhile return but it's a grating, limp 110 minutes. Wait for Disney+ if you must see this. silverscreenriot.com/freakier-fri...

Eva Victor on Turning Trauma into Auteur Filmmaking with Festival Darling 'SORRY, BABY' - Silver Screen Riot An interview with 'Sorry, Baby' writer, director, and star Eva Victor about their triumphant debut feature.

'Sorry Baby' hit VOD today. It's one of the most talked about movies of 2025. If you haven't seen it yet, what are you waiting for? #EvaVictor #SorryBaby
silverscreenriot.com/eva-victor-s...

'JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH' Another Careless, Lumbering Corpse of IP Resurrection - Silver Screen Riot A movie review of 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' directed by Gareth Edwards and starring Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey, and Mahershala Ali.

'Jurassic World: Rebirth' is now on VOD. It's one of the worst of the franchise, which is saying somehing considering they keep making movies that fit the bill of "one of the worst of the franchise." silverscreenriot.com/jurassic-wor...

‘Khaki Fever’: Trailer Drops For Showmax’s Raunchy Game Rangers Comedy Showmax's raunchy game rangers comedy 'Khaki Fever' has dropped a trailer ahead of its Silwerskerm debut.

My step-bro and his husband wrote, directed, and produced this upcoming South African comedy about dirty park rangers. Check it out!
deadline.com/2025/08/khak...

‘THE NAKED GUN’ Sees Liam Neeson Wield a Very Particular Set of Punchlines A movie review of 'The Naked Gun' written and directed by Akiva Schaffer and starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson.

'The Naked Gun' is a return to the kind of joke-dense comedy that hasn't reared its head in a good long while. Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson are comic perfection. See this in a theater and howl alongside your fellow man, woman, and child.
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Did The Naked Gun reboot just resurrect spoof comedy? Somehow, yes. Liam Neeson, Pamela Anderson, and Akiva Schaffer deliver a gloriously dumb, joke-stuffed throwback that actually works. I laughed. A lot. #TheNakedGun

25 Best Movies of the 2020's You Probably Haven't Seen - Silver Screen Riot Halfway through the 2020s and some of the best films have flown under the radar. Here are 25 hidden gems you probably missed but shouldn’t have.

My work as a film critic exposes me to a lot of great movies that fly under the radar. Since we're halfway through the 2020s (!!!!), thought I'd take some time to revisit my favorite movies that most moviegoers probably didn't see. Or maybe never even heard of! silverscreenriot.com/25-best-movi...

Fantastically Dull ‘THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS’ Miscalculates Introduction to First Family A movie review of 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' directed by Matt Shankman and starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, and Ebon Moss‑Bachrach.

The First Family have struck out in every onscreen appearance and 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' is no exception. Boring, weirdly low-energy, and poorly paced, Marvel's latest outing has them struggling to connect again.
silverscreenriot.com/the-fantasti...

Fantastically Dull ‘THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS’ Miscalculates Introduction to First Family A movie review of 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' directed by Matt Shankman and starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, and Ebon Moss‑Bachrach.

Wow that sucked. At least Vanessa Kirby is solid. #FantasticFour #FantasticFourFirstSteps

Sundance '25: 'OH HI! – A Rom-Com with a Body Count? - Silver Screen Riot A film review of 'Oh Hi!' directed byu Sophie Brooks and starring Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman as part of our Sundance 2025 coverage.

A madcap comedy about commitment in the f*ck boy age of app-based relationships, 'Oh Hi!' features a pair of comedic performances from Logan Lerman and Molly Gordon. I had a lot of fun with this one during its Sundance run. silverscreenriot.com/sundance-25-...

Being ‘TOGETHER’ Becomes the Ultimate Act of Codependency A film review of 'Together' written and directed by Michael Shanks and starring Alison Brie and Dave Franco.

Alison Brie and Dave Franco are stuck together, quite literally, in the body horror/relationship satire 'Together'. This effective two-hander features strong performances from the IRL couple, making it not just the best horror movie of 2025 but one of its finest films. silverscreenriot.com/together/

All These Years Later, 'I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER' Is Still Copying 'Scream' - Silver Screen Riot A movie review of 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and starring Madelyn Cline and Chase Sui Wonders.

Just as the 1997 ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ rode the coattails of ‘Scream’ (1996), the 2025 installment follow the legacy sequel blueprint of ‘Scream’ (2022). Generic in most departments, good humor and a solid twist almost make this worthwhile. silverscreenriot.com/i-know-what-...

Why is Ari Aster out here making such a New York Times ass movie

Ari Aster’s ‘EDDINGTON’ Sloppily Relitigates Pandemic Woes - Silver Screen Riot A film review of 'Eddington' written and directed by Ari Aster and starring Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, and Emma Stone.

Ari Aster is one of my favorite working directors so it's a shame that 'Eddington' doesn't work at all. A shambling screed about American division, seen through the lens of the 2020 pandemic, it features far too much unconvincing writing and unlikable characters.
silverscreenriot.com/ari-asters-e...

‘SUPERMAN’ Makes CBMs Fun Again - Silver Screen Riot A movie review of 'Superman' directed by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Edi Gathegi.

Colorful, chaotic, and blessedly un-Snyderized, 'Superman' is the rare comic book movie that remembers these can be fun. David Corenswet brings sincerity and James Gunn manages the near-impossible: launching a DCU that doesn’t feel like a teaser reel.