Tag: movies

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc “Review”

Release date: October 24, 2025 (USA)

Director: Tatsuya Yoshihara

MPAA rating: R

Running time: 1h 40m

Story by: Tatsuki Fujimoto

Adapted from: Chainsaw Man

Waited to watch with my wife, but as she’s busy went to check it out tonight!

It’s been a while since I’ve seen season 1. That being said, I loved the intro and was solidly back in with Denji and the crew. This includes some new faces also. Yea the trailer showed off the enemy so my rage goes on against trailers! We only need 1 at this rate studios. Why reveal so much in your trailers!

Anywho, that aside. Loved the relationship between Denji and this new cutie! Fan of the show – You’re going to watch this, I’m sure. But for those with little ones. This is R-rated. There’s a lot of adult material in this one. Demon Slayer may go with blood and demons. This is raunchy AF. As a heads up ;).

Combat was cool, but I was falling asleep by this point and missed a few lines. So another viewing is in order with my wife at some point before season 2 drops. (Yeah, I need to rest and stop watching so many movies haha. I also have to re-watch episodes for the same reason of falling asleep while watching at night).

It’s a pretty short movie at an hour and 40minutes. Had a lot of fun and going with the 8/10 great movie for Chainsaw Man. Love the 9’s on social media but this isn’t as good as Demon Slayer. Sorry Denji.

Stick around for a cute end scene of him though, after the credits roll have wrapped up.

Thanks for coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. Played catch up a bit on this weeks batch. However next week is looking mighty promising. Christy & Predator: Badlands should do well with some supporting movies I’m going in blind – Die My Love | Sarah’s Oil (Saw Trailer) | Unexpected Christmas | Maybe… Nuremberg.

Week after has Keepers | Now You See Me: Now You Don’t | The Running Man.

Then the 2 week double whammy – Wicked for Good & Zootopia. Supported by Rental Family | Sisu 2 & Eternity.

See you all there in the next batch as we enter the two final months and prepare for Oscar Nominations of 2025 :O.

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Bugonia “Review”

Release date: October 31, 2025 (USA)

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Running time: 2 hours

Producers: Emma Stone, Yorgos Lanthimos, Ari Aster · See more

MPAA rating: R

Distributed by: Universal Pictures, Focus Features, CJ ENM

Loved the trailer & Poor Things – Had to check this feature out!

Quick “Review” – Loved the second half. The trailer was pretty much the first hour extended. 7.5/10 Looking forward to checking this out again with my wife. Go in watching nothing if possible. It’s not quite the same as Abigail, but….

Longer “Review” – Watching the trailer may impact your first hour experience. It builds more than the trailer shows, obviously. But certain scenes are shown which reveal the direction of the first hour during your viewing experience. Emma Stone as Michelle Fuller – Jesse Plemons as Teddy & Aidan Delbis as Don are your trio cast for this feature.

Solid movie which I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and that second hour I can’t wait to revisit either on streaming or in theatres if time allows.

Spoilerish? – Alien or not? Find out within this two-hour feature between a CEO & Two conspiracy-obsessed men who kidnap her!.

Crazy? Insane! Messed up? Wild! – You decide on this one. Enjoy Bugonia and appreciate all that has come by Popped for this “Review”. – Last one to wrap the batch up? Finally caught up on last week’s release of Chainsaw Man. – Let’s get into it!

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Anniversary “Review”

Initial release: October 29, 2025

Director: Jan Komasa

Producers: Paula Mae Schwartz, Steve Schwartz, Kate Churchill, Nick Wechsler

Running time: 1h 51m

MPAA rating: R

Distributed by: Lionsgate Films

Got busy this weekend, so catching back up – Ready for this week’s batch?

When re-uniting with your siblings for your parents Anniversary. Tension gets high when new partner Liz (Played by Phoebe Dynevor) to Josh (Played by Dylan O’Brien) meet with Josh’s parents. His mother, Ellen (Played by Diane Lane) remembers Liz from a heated school political debate which also causes ripples in the family along with her husband Paul (Played by Kyle Chandler).

This feels in the realm of The Handmaid’s Tale. Which is perfect because one of the three daughters Anna (Played by Madeline Brewer) is incredible in her role of Anniversary. Supporting Birdie (Played by the incredible Mckenna Grace) & Cynthia (Played by Zoey Deutch).

This is a slow-roasting turkey that requires time to build. Awesome ending but sure takes awhile to get there. I’ll leave you there with this awesome cast with a Popped score of 6.5/10.

It’s a fine movie. Has some good content within, but its an investment to get there. Did you check it out? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Thanks for coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. October wasn’t the best month. But we had some fun times with a few films. November is sure to turn up the heat for Oscar nominations. So with that said. Let’s roll forth with Bugonia up next.

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Shelby Oaks “Review”

Release date: October 24, 2025 (USA)

Director: Chris Stuckmann

Producers: Chris Stuckmann, Ashleigh Snead, Cameron Burns, Aaron B. Koontz

Screenplay: Chris Stuckmann

MPAA rating: R

Running time: 1h 42m

Trailer intrigued me – Then found out who wrote & directed this movie – Chris Stuckman!

The film starts off almost like a mockumentary style – the Last footage of Riley (Played by Sarah Durn) being alive. One of 4 members of a paranormal show called Paranormal Paranoid. As they’ve all gone missing and news spreads across the area around Shelby Oaks. We get introduced to Riley’s sister Mia (Played by Camille Sullivan) being interviewed by the news before this style of intro gets flipped on its head and enters an actual cinematography film. Done superbly, mind you. Both from the intro to the switch, this movie had captivated me from here on out. (Despite being mega tired from a close open shift, I forced myself to stay awake to not miss a second.)

I made big praise to Chris Stuckman as I used to watch his movie reviews on youtube awhile back. Now I’m a returned subscriber but also a fan of his movies from here on out :D.

As usual, I won’t get into spoilers. So with the above, and with Mia going to find out what happened to her sister Riley. I will let you know this movie creates tension. Scares across several layers of depth. Not just jump, sound, presence etc. This is a well executed and produced movie which I’d watch again if asked. I can see this being huge on streaming.

Thoroughly enjoyed the movie with some slight weakness for the last act. Ending saves it? You decide. But honestly a well worth watching movie at a Popped score of 7.5/10.

Appreciate you coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. A triple dose batch of worthy watches for someone across the board. Sadly holding out to watch Chainsaw Man on Monday for a sub version. Local theatres near me has majority Dub which I’m not a fan of to be honest.

If spoilers are something to avoid with Chainsaw Man and the Dubs are not bad, then let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, though, fellow moviegoers. Happy movie watching 😀

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Regretting You “Review”

Release date: October 24, 2025 (USA)

Director: Josh Boone

Story by: Colleen Hoover

Producers: Anna Todd, Robert Kulzer, Brunson Green, Flavia Viotti

MPAA rating: PG-13

Running time: 1h 56m

Loved the trailer stayed for McKenna Grace & Mason Thames… let’s discuss!

Won’t get into spoilers, as I didn’t know this occurred after watching the trailer (Unless I missed it). Quick “Review” – As mentioned above. Love those above for playing characters Clara Grant & Miller Adams. Their relationship was beautiful and so sweet. Honestly got my rating from a 6.5 to a 7/10.

Longer “Review’ – Morgan Grant (Played by Allison Williams) with her partner Chris Grant (Played by Scott Eastwood) find themselves expecting a little one. Forward 17 years, we have Clara. Sister to Morgan is Jenny (Played by Willa Fitzgerald), who has a child with Jonah Sullivan (Played by Dave Franco) which have an interesting relationship that we get to peel back throughout the movie.

I’m not sure if it’s the writing of the novel or the movie for Dave Franco’s character, but he was in and out of his scenes so fast I wasn’t able to really connect/learn about his character until much, much later on. This made the movie feel long, but totally saved by the younger couple. I did enjoy Allison Williams playing the mother and totally got behind her feelings & emotions throughout this feature.

It’s a touching watch worth checking out. As mentioned at the top. It’s mostly a fine movie with lots of good scenes/moments. If you’re connected, you’ll be in the 7’s. Otherwise, probably in the 6’s. I have no idea what the critics were smoking when scoring it in the 30%’s over on RT.

Did you read the book or check out the feature? Love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. With that, let’s head to our 3rd title of the batch – Shelby Oaks.

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Blue Moon “Review”

Release date: October 24, 2025 (USA)

Director: Richard Linklater

Screenplay: Robert Kaplow

Producers: Richard Linklater, John Sloss, Mike Blizzard

Running time: 1h 40m

Distributed by: Sony Pictures Classics, Sony Pictures

Trailer had me intrigued. That intrigued was not ready for this unique experience, let’s discuss!

First things first – If you’re not digging this movie 20/25 minutes in. This probably isn’t a movie for you. It doesn’t pickup. Move scenes or do some crazy action scene, chase, etc. You’re enjoying a conversation between…leads..extras? You decide, within a bar for an hour and a half.

It’s a bloody good conversation. Enjoyable and had several tonal changes, undertones, and inflections. But you’re not leaving that bar without a drink or two…or three :D.

Ethan Hawke has taken a moment away from Black Phone to play Lorenz Hart. Set in 1943, Hart confronts his shattered self-confidence in a bar as his former collaborator, Richard Rodgers (Played by Andrew Scott, whom I know mainly from Sherlock), celebrates the opening night of his groundbreaking hit musical “Oklahoma!”.

Stella performances across the board. Loved Eddie (Played by Bobby Cannavale, who, from the trailer, I thought was Robert from Everybody Loves Raymond) & Elizabeth Weiland (Played by Margaret Qualley).

Personally a Popped score of 6.5/10 it’s a fine movie. I can see why others are giving high praise looking at other scores of 72% up to 88%.

Appreciate you taking the time to come by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. This is the first of 3 within this week’s batch. Stay tuned for the next “Review” – Regretting You :D.

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Black Phone 2 “Review”

Release date: October 17, 2025 (USA)

Director: Scott Derrickson

MPAA rating: R

Prequel: The Black Phone

Running time: 1h 54m

Distributed by: Universal Pictures

My most anticipated movie of 2025…. so how’d it go? Let’s Discuss!

Loved the first title back in 2021. Some big shoes to fill, that’s for certain.

Mason Thames is back after training a dragon earlier this year as Finney. Grown up and haunted by Ethan Hawke as The Grabber he’s the tough kid in school that now smokes cigarettes :O.

Madeleine McGraw, playing Finney’s sister Gwen, has also grown up but now has more severe and extreme dreams than before. These dreams share a connection with their mother, which sends them on a path to a religious campground to do battle with The Grabber once again.

Followed Popped since the first review (Night Swim). You’ll see that I mentioned the Blum house Universe being supposedly created after the events of this movie…. well, I have my theories if this is the path being taken still.

*Spoilers* – I think focusing on the daughter Gwen, could align with the next movie of Blum House, FNAF… let me know what you think? *Spoilers*.

Popped score of 6.5/10, some good scenes, but don’t let it fool you into thinking this was actually a good movie. It’s a solid streamer. The bar was set way too high for it to come anywhere near the first film. Sadly, we may have the M3GAN effect. Changing the tonal shift and psychological aspects to more paranormal may have lost what many like myself, thoroughly enjoyed about its origins.

Thank you all for taking the time to come by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. Next week we have a very nice feast of all sorts. :D.

From Chainsaw Man, Regretting You, Shelby Oaks (Maybe Springsteen) & Bugonia…. all going well, we have a good time. Potentially a solid week, but only time will tell. Wondering about the Oscar noms yet? Me too!

Let’s discuss that the end of October as we near Halloween and the winter movie slate cooks for release! 😀 See you next batch & happy movie going everyone.

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After the Hunt & Good Fortune “Reviews’

Release date: October 10, 2025 (USA)

Director: Luca Guadagnino

Cinematography: Malik Hassan Sayeed

Producers: Luca Guadagnino, Brian Grazer, Allan Mandelbaum, Jeb Brody

Screenplay: Nora Garrett

Running time: 2h 19m

Double batch “Review”…. you know what that means :(…. let’s a go!

Rapid Fire – Watch the trailer then watch last 30-40minutes of a 2 Hour 20minute film. Nothing really gets developed until then and the pacing never really picks up. It’s just long, feels long and to top it off. Adds a ticking sound track multiple times through the movie adding to the feeling of feeling long. It’s not bad but it’s not good. Above Average at best. A good background movie streamed at home.

*Spoiler Rapid Fire?* – Movie will show the consequences for 4 different accounts. When a rape is real – How it affects the victim & the predator. When rape is made up for revenge / to hurt someone – How it affects the victim & the saboteur.

6/10 Popped Score.

Release date: October 17, 2025 (USA)

Director: Aziz Ansari

Producers: Aziz Ansari, Alan Yang, Anthony Katagas

MPAA rating: R

Running time: 1h 38m

Genres: Comedy, Action

Fantastic cast. Great trailer. So why’s the film edited/written this way? Where’d it go so wrong?

Rapid Fire – Was looking forward to this one. While it had good moments, the majority of the good stuff is from the trailer. Not only was it in the trailer, but the trailer also had the scene in its entirety. Scenes shifted in & out so casually the film felt extremely dry. Not really all that funny sadly. Mostly Seth Rogen & Keanu were doing all the heavy lifting. Other actors did fine but the material provided was not good.

At best 6.5, but a Popped score of 6/10.

With that rapid-fire double “Review” – Stick around for Black Phone 2 with a little bit of everything before I hit the hay at 3 am: D.

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Soul on Fire “Review”

Release date: October 10, 2025 (USA)

Director: Sean McNamara

Executive producers: John O’Leary, Gregory Poirier, Terry Schnuck

Producers: Sean McNamara, David Brookwell, J. Todd Harris, Margaret French-Isaac

Running time: 1h 51m

Distributed by: Sony Pictures Releasing

Trailer had my interest, but the 99% RT had my curiosity that I couldn’t pass up. Let’s Discuss!

Didn’t catch prior to entering that this was based on a true story. So many movies recently based on a true story is insane! But I love the inclusion of adding real life footage of the people and moments that their re-creating and capturing on screen for the movies retelling.

So from the top, you see it’s a 99% on RT (Now 98%). What’s this movie even about? We start with John O’Leary (Played by Joel Courtney) I believe in the year 2003 being asked to speak at a girl scout group with his inspirational story. This leads John being asked the question “If you could go back to the moment he burnt his families house down, would he?”

The movie takes you on a gut-wrenching journey of emotions through the childhood of this young boy, reliving the moments leading up to being caught on literal fire, all the way through to current-day moments. The movie has some jarring scenes of awful CGI graphics but insanely makes up for it with so much heart and emotion.

Without spoiling, describing the scene of his sister running back into a burning building to save his life had me in tears. So many moments of love and triumph had me in the feels. It’s a great watch despite some awful CGI and 1 jarring scene that took me out of the movie. I get the context and it lead to a beautiful ending without going into spoilers.

For a non-religious person, this movie had me in the feels. Solidly told and with some fantastic characters and actors doing stellar performances in their roles.

Popped score between an 8.5 or 9 but honestly, I think it has the Last Breath effect, being that it’s a true story, brings it to a 9 for me personally, but not enough to get into my top 10 list.

Did you check out Soul on Fire? On the fence? Love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. Appreciate you all for coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews” :D.

Until the next batch, happy movie going all 😀

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Kiss of the Spider Woman “Review”

Release date: October 10, 2025 (USA)

Director: Bill Condon

Story by: Manuel Puig, Fred Ebb, Terrence McNally

Producers: Tom Kirdahy, Barry Josephson, Greg Yolen

Adapted from: Kiss of the Spider Woman

Running time: 2h 8m

Went in giving it a chance as a musical – Came out pleasantly surprised – Let’s discuss!

Maybe it’s the lower expectation of an older style looking musical, but I went in thinking LA LA Land, which I loved. When I discuss musicals, I often get told I enjoy new musicals over older ones. I just enjoy a musical that the song drives the plot of, tells a story, and it’s just a random scene to sing. Maybe I came to appreciate them more as an adult, but Sweeney Todd is probably my first musical that I thoroughly loved.

All that to say is…this is a musical. But there’s way less singing than I imagined. Even when the songs are being beautifully played out, I loved the scenes. They kind of reminded me of Wicked.

So what’s Kiss of the Spider Woman about? The movie is centered around a gay man, Luis Molina (Tonatiuh), and a political prisoner, Valentín Arregui (Diego Luna), who are cellmates. While in prison, Molina discusses a fictional movie star, Ingrid Luna (Played by Jennifer Lopez), who plays in the movie (Kiss of the Spider Woman), which also happens to have her play a Spider Woman character. Through these interactions, the two men form an unlikely bond.

I loved how they weaved the story from the Prison to the movie while having fun interactive settings to include Tonatiuh & Diego Luna within the play, which was a beautiful symmetry displayed between the two stories.

This movie was based on the 1976 novel by Manuel Puig. It was also originally an adapted movie back in 1985. The movie takes place in 1983 Argentina during a period of resistance. I won’t get into spoilers and let you enjoy from here :D.

Using Better Man as my 9, I was back and forth for a Popped score, ultimately going with an 8.5/10. I was extremely entertained. Love the story. The music and the actors. Didn’t quite get to my heart strings like a Better Man did earlier this year, all the way back in January, believe it or not :D.

Going to give this feature a go? Or checked it out? Let us know in the comments below. Love to hear your thoughts on this one. Thank you as always for coming by Popped for your movie “Reviews”. Let me know if I should check out Soul on Fire? Otherwise, stay tuned for the next batch next week with 3 upcoming movies :D.

Until then, happy movie-going going everyone! 😀

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