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mja33.bsky.social
@mja33.bsky.social
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mja33.bsky.social
My review of TRAIN DREAMS (2025), a new Netflix original movie starring Joel Edgerton. It's getting great reviews, and Joel Edgerton does give a superb performance, but I found this one dull throughout.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/12/01/t...
TRAIN DREAMS (2025) – Strong Performance by Joel Edgerton Doesn’t Lift Mundane Drama
Can you dislike a good movie? Sure. Especially if you’re not the target audience. On the other hand, shouldn’t a really good movie be able to transcend audiences, so people who may not …
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December 1, 2025 at 12:44 AM
mja33.bsky.social
My review of PLAYDATE (2025), a new action comedy from Prime Video starring Alan Ritchson and Kevin James. It's getting terrible reviews, but I thought this one was hilarious. I laughed throughout. A lot.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/11/29/p...
PLAYDATE (2025) – Mindless Action Comedy from Prime Video Surprisingly Very Funny
PLAYDATE (2025), a new Prime Video original movie released a couple of weeks ago, is getting absolutely destroyed by critics, but I still wanted to see it because I’m a big fan of actor Alan …
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November 29, 2025 at 6:16 PM
mja33.bsky.social
The new World War II drama, NUREMBERG (2025), boasts some terrific acting, led by Russell Crowe.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/11/27/n...
NUREMBERG (2025) – World War II Drama Propelled by Topnotch Acting Performances, Led by Russell Crowe as Narcissistic Nazi
The best part of the new World War II drama NUREMBERG (2025) is that it stays with you long after the end credits roll, and that’s because the story it tells is haunting, not only due to its …
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November 27, 2025 at 1:24 AM
mja33.bsky.social
I really enjoyed RENTAL FAMILY (2025), a new uplifting comedy drama, in which Brendan Fraser delivers a stellar performance.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/11/24/r...
RENTAL FAMILY (2025) – Brendan Fraser’s Sensitive Performance Leads Way in Touching Comedy Drama About Human Connections
RENTAL FAMILY (2025) is a new comedy drama that is both touching and emotional and showcases another really good performance by Brendan Fraser, providing him with a nice follow-up to his Oscar winn…
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November 24, 2025 at 1:03 AM
mja33.bsky.social
Today's PICTURE OF THE DAY is from the classic Hammer Films movie THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1959), starring Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/11/20/p...
PICTURE OF THE DAY: THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1959)
There are a lot of reasons to love Hammer Films’ production of the Sherlock Holmes adventure, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1959). It’s extremely well-directed by Terence Fisher, who p…
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November 20, 2025 at 1:09 AM
mja33.bsky.social
My review of Edgar Wright's remake of THE RUNNING MAN (2025) starring Glen Powell, Josh Brolin, and Colman Domingo.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/11/17/t...
THE RUNNING MAN (2025) – Edgar Wright’s Remake of Arnold Schwarzenegger Movie Loud, Angry, and Ugly
THE RUNNING MAN (2025) is writer/director Edgar Wright’s big budget remake of the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie of the same name, and it’s easy to forget that both movies are based o…
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November 17, 2025 at 12:56 AM
mja33.bsky.social
My review of PREDATOR: BADLANDS (2025), the latest movie in the PREDATOR franchise.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/11/14/p...
PREDATOR: BADLANDS (2025) – Latest PREDATOR Installment Fun Cinematic Experience
PREDATOR: BADLANDS (2025) is the latest in the PREDATOR movie franchise, which began a long time ago with the original film, PREDATOR (1987) which pitted Arnold Schwarzenegger and his military budd…
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November 14, 2025 at 2:06 AM
mja33.bsky.social
I liked the first scene, but after that, it's all downhill. Guillermo del Toro's FRANKENSTEIN (2025), a Netflix original movie, was a disappointment for me.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/11/10/f...
FRANKENSTEIN (2025) – Guillermo del Toro’s Vision of Mary Shelley’s Novel A Disappointment
I was eager to see the new Netflix original movie FRANKENSTEIN (2025), not because of its big-name writer/director Guillermo del Toro, of whom I’m not the biggest fan, admittedly, but because…
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November 10, 2025 at 1:06 AM
mja33.bsky.social
My review of the new Netflix original thriller, A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE (2025).

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A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE (2025) – Netflix Thriller Depicts No Win Scenario of Nuclear Attack
A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE (2025), a new Netflix original thriller by acclaimed director Kathryn Bigelow, is one tense movie. The premise? A country, we don’t know which one, launches a nuclear miss…
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November 7, 2025 at 1:01 AM
mja33.bsky.social
My review of BUGONIA (2025), Yorgos Lanthimos' latest movie, starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/11/03/b...
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November 3, 2025 at 1:05 AM
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I really enjoyed the new Netflix original thriller, SHE WALKS IN DARKNESS (2025), which hails from Spain and tells the suspenseful story of a woman working undercover to take down a terrorist organization.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/11/01/s...
SHE WALKS IN DARKNESS (2025) – Spanish Thriller from Netflix Riveting Tale of One Woman’s Undercover Mission to Take Down Terrorists
SHE WALKS IN DARKNESS (2025), a new Netflix original movie which hails from Spain, tells a tense tale of one woman’s undercover mission to infiltrate a terrorist organization. The general plo…
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November 1, 2025 at 4:19 PM
mja33.bsky.social
@bsky.app

If you're a dog person, and you love horror movies, you gotta see GOOD BOY (2025).

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/10/30/g...
GOOD BOY (2025) – Horror Movie About Dog That Sees Dead People Features Impressive Canine Performance
It’s a dog that see dead people. That’s all you really need to know about the new horror movie GOOD BOY (2025) which opened to a video on demand release this past weekend. It’s a …
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October 30, 2025 at 12:05 AM
mja33.bsky.social
BLACK PHONE 2 (2025) is a decent sequel, but I definitely enjoyed the first movie more.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/10/26/b...
BLACK PHONE 2 (2025) – Horror Movie Sequel Emphasizes Supernatural to Mixed Results
BLACK PHONE 2 (2025) is the sequel to THE BLACK PHONE (2021), a horror movie, based on a short story by Joe Hill, that I liked a lot, as it provided a good mix of real and supernatural horrors. It …
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October 26, 2025 at 11:37 PM
mja33.bsky.social
Remembering Diane Keaton, here's a brief look at her career in my latest LEADING LADIES column.

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LEADING LADIES: DIANE KEATON
Welcome back to LEADING LADIES, that column where I look at the careers of actresses in the movies, and as I always say, especially horror movies. But in this case, I am definitely making an except…
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October 22, 2025 at 11:57 PM
mja33.bsky.social
My review of the new horror movie, THE OVAL PORTRAIT (2025), a throwback to horror movies of yesteryear.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/10/19/t...
THE OVAL PORTRAIT (2025) – Edgar Allan Poe Adaptation Throwback to Horror Movies of Yesteryear
THE OVAL PORTRAIT (2025), a new horror movie which hails from Canada by writer/director Adrian Langley, based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe, is a throwback to the horror movies of yesteryea…
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October 19, 2025 at 11:59 PM
mja33.bsky.social
My review of the new documentary, JOHN CANDY: I LIKE ME (2025).

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JOHN CANDY: I LIKE ME (2025) – Documentary Gives Comprehensive Portrait of One of Cinema’s Great Comedians
The new documentary, JOHN CANDY: I LIKE ME (2025), didn’t tell me a whole lot that I didn’t know about Candy’s career, but it did tell me enough to make this movie a rewarding exp…
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October 15, 2025 at 11:51 PM
mja33.bsky.social
My review of the new Netflix original thriller THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10 (2025), starring Keira Knightley and Guy Pearce.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/10/12/t...
THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10 (2025) – Netflix Original Thriller Generic and Bland
With Netflix original movies, it’s often hit or miss. Most of the time as with last week’s movie, STEVE (2025) starring Cillian Murphy, it’s a hit. One thing is for certain, Netfl…
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October 12, 2025 at 11:35 PM
mja33.bsky.social
My review of the new Netflix original movie STEVE (2025), starring Cillian Murphy.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/10/09/s...
STEVE (2025) – Cillian Murphy Leads Way in Raw, Authentic Drama Which Captures Spirit of Teaching
The word is raw. The new drama STEVE (2025), a Netflix original movie directed by Tim Mielants with a screenplay by Max Porter, which he adapted from his novel Shy, and starring Cillian Murphy is s…
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October 9, 2025 at 11:37 PM
mja33.bsky.social
I enjoyed the new Matthew McConaughey thriller THE LOST BUS (2025), based on a true story about a school bus full of kids trapped in a California wildfire.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/10/05/t...
THE LOST BUS (2025) – True Story of School Bus Trapped in Wildfire Riveting and Exciting
THE LOST BUS (2025) is based on the true story of the deadly Camp Fire in Paradise, California, in 2018. It focuses largely on the specific story of a school bus full of kids that got trapped in th…
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October 5, 2025 at 11:56 PM
mja33.bsky.social
My latest IN THE SPOOKLIGHT column is on HOUSE OF THE WOLF MAN (2009), and extremely low budget and not-entirely successful homage to the Universal monster movies of old.

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IN THE SPOOKLIGHT: HOUSE OF THE WOLF MAN (2009)
One of the reasons I really enjoy the streaming service Tubi is they have a fabulous selection of classic horror movies. True, most are of the low budget variety, but they do have a strong line up …
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October 2, 2025 at 11:59 PM
mja33.bsky.social
It's getting glowing reviews, but I can't say I liked ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (2025) all that much, Paul Thomas Anderson's latest movie, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn.

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ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (2025) – Paul Thomas Anderson’s Latest in Spite of Powerhouse Performances by DiCaprio and Penn Three Hours of Chaotic Unpleasantness
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER (2025), acclaimed writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest movie, is a political action thriller that while speaking to our times, doesn’t quite do it just…
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September 28, 2025 at 11:57 PM
mja33.bsky.social
My review of RUTH RUN, the debut novel by Elizabeth Kaufman, and decent thriller and worthwhile read.

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What I’m Reading: RUTH RUN by Elizabeth Kaufman
Ruth Run is a debut novel by Elizabeth Kaufman, a rather quirky thriller about a young woman named Ruth who uses her digital knowledge and skills to rob banks and ultimately get very rich. Within t…
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September 24, 2025 at 11:42 PM
mja33.bsky.social
MOTHERLAND (2025), a new dystopian thriller, has an intriguing premise but isn't imaginative enough to pull it off.

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Movie Review: MOTHERLAND (2025) – Dystopian Thriller Dreary and Drab
MOTHERLAND (2025) is a new dystopian thriller that has an intriguing premise but fails to execute it with any degree of satisfaction. Which is too bad because this could have been a really hard-hit…
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September 21, 2025 at 11:56 PM
mja33.bsky.social
Not the original, but this SPINAL TAP sequel, SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES (2025) is still lighthearted fun.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/09/18/s...
SPINAL TAP II: THE END CONTINUES (2025) – Sequel to Groundbreaking Comedy Fun but Nothing New
I was fortunate enough to have seen the original THIS IS SPINAL TAP (1984) first run at the theater upon its initial release way back in the day. This Rob Reiner-directed “rockumentary”…
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September 18, 2025 at 11:44 PM
mja33.bsky.social
THE LONG WALK (2025), the new thriller based on Stephen King's 1979 novel, works better today here in 2025 than it did back then. It's easily the most disturbing movie of the year so far.

marruda3.wordpress.com/2025/09/14/t...
THE LONG WALK (2025) – Stephen King Thriller Most Intense, Disturbing Movie of the Year
THE LONG WALK (2025), the new thriller based on the 1979 novel by Stephen King, is the most intense, disturbing movie I’ve seen this year. The movie runs for one hour and 48 minutes, and I fe…
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September 15, 2025 at 12:05 AM