Cinemaholics

This week on Cinemaholics, Jon and Will review Marty Supreme, starring Timothée Chalamet and directed and co-written by Josh Safdie. They also play a game of Film Roulette, doing a rapid lightning round of reviews for some other recent (and not-so-recent) movies this past year. Show Notes: 00:00:00 – Film Roulette: Avatar: Fire and Ash, The Testament of Ann Lee, Stranger Things 5, Zootopia 2, The Ugly Stepsister, Ella McCay, Kpop Demon Hunters, Arco, The Mastermind, Sorry Baby, Companion, The Smashing Machine, Hedda, Lilo & Stitch, History of Sound 00:29:40 – Review: Marty Supreme Links: Email your feedback for the show to cinemaholicspodcast [at] gmail.com Join our Discord and chat with us! We have a Cinemaholics channel here. Check out our Cinemaholics Merch! Connect with Cinemaholics on Facebook and Instagram. Support our show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cinemaholicsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Show Notes: 00:00:00 – Tribute to Rob Reiner 00:26:55 – Review: Hamnet 01:00:00 – Review: Rental Family This week on Cinemaholics, Jon and Will review Hamnet, the new drama from Chloé Zhao, adapting Maggie O’Farrell’s novel of the same name and starring Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal. We then discuss Rental Family from director HIKARI, which stars Brendan Fraser and Akira Emoto. And we open the show with a tribute to Rob Reiner where we discuss his filmmaking career and specific contributions to cinema as both a director and actor over the decades. Links: Email your feedback for the show to cinemaholicspodcast [at] gmail.com Join our Discord and chat with us! We have a Cinemaholics channel here. Check out our Cinemaholics Merch! Connect with Cinemaholics on Facebook and Instagram. Support our show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cinemaholicsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Show Notes: 00:00:00 – CCA Nominations 00:08:00 – Film Roulette: Sirat, The Flintstones (1994), Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, Better Man, Blue Moon, The Running Man, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), Predator: Killer of Killers, Shelby Oaks, Speed Racer, Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair 00:29:30 – Review: The Voice of Hind Rajab 00:49:20 – Review: Jay Kelly 01:13:50 – Review: It Was Just an Accident This week on Cinemaholics, Jon and Will review The Voice of Hind Rajab, a harrowing new drama from Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania (Four Daughters). Afterward, we take a look at Jay Kelly, the latest comedy-drama from Noah Baumbach and starring a huge star-lit cast featuring George Clooney, Adam Sandler, and plenty more. And our last review is of It Was Just an Accident, the remarkable new thriller from Jafar Panahi that won the Palme d'Or at this years Cannes Film Festival and is topping plenty "best of the year

Show Notes: 00:00:00 – Film Roulette: Jay Kelly, Wicked: For Good, Bugonia, One Battle After Another, The Perfect Neighbor, After the Hunt, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, Eternity, Hamnet, Zootopia 2, Rental Family, Rebuilding, Peter Hujar's Day, Die My Love, Predator: Badlands, Avatar: Fire and Ash, The Baltimorons, The Testament of Ann Lee 00:23:25 – Review: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery 00:44:25 – Review: Train Dreams 01:04:40 – Review: Sentimental Value This week, Jon and Will review Wake Up Dead Man, the newest "Knives Out" mystery from Rian Johnson. They also take a look at Train Dreams, directed by Cliff Bentley and starring Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones. And then they finish out the show with a review of Sentimental Value, the latest from Joachim Trier and starring Renate Reinsve and Stellan Skarsgård. And that's not all. Because it's been quite some time since the Cinemaholics had a chance to talk film (sorry for the hiatus!) Jon introduced a brand new ga

Is film criticism dead? On this week’s episode of Cinemaholics, Jon Negroni and Will Ashton kick things off with a timely conversation about the state of movie reviews in a post-Twitter world. With major papers shedding critics and platforms like Substack taking their place, what does the future hold for film discourse? Then, the guys dig into Weapons, the sophomore horror feature from Barbarian director Zach Cregger. Starring Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, and Benedict Wong, Weapons is an ambitious suburban nightmare told in fragmented perspectives and genre-defying set pieces. Jon and Will unpack the film’s surprising themes, multi-chapter structure, and incredible practical effects. Is Weapons a worthy follow-up to Barbarian? Or does it get lost in its own metaphorical maze? Plus, we read some Letterboxd reviews, play the Rotten Tomatoes game, and share which August films we’re most excited to see next. Links: Email your feedback for the show to&

Marvel’s First Family is back for a fourth time. On this week’s episode of Cinemaholics, Jon Negroni and Will Ashton unpack The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the latest attempt to reboot Marvel’s unluckiest franchise. With Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach suiting up for a 60s-inspired, retro-futurist take, director Matt Shakman (WandaVision) brings serious style to a film that’s long on vibes but maybe short on soul. We break down the film’s visual direction, ensemble performances, and the Galactus-sized question at its core: what is the point of another reboot? Plus, we debate the movie’s oddly hollow emotional arc, its meta-commentary on Marvel fatigue, and how it stacks up against the previous iterations of the Fantastic Four. Is this a first step in the right direction or another cosmic trip into irrelevance? Tune in to find out! Links: Read Jon’s written review of the film here! Email your feedback f

Jon Negroni and Will Ashton break down Superman, the bold new reboot from DC Studios and director James Gunn. Starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, the film launches the first chapter of Gunn’s DCU with a surprising blend of warmth, wit, and world-building. Jon and Will unpack the movie’s heartfelt tone, its standout performances, and whether Gunn’s vision successfully updates Superman for a new generation. They debate the film’s commentary, its ambitious ensemble of DC characters, and how Superman balances sincerity with satire in a cinematic landscape that’s maybe forgotten how to hope. Links: Read Jon’s written review of the film here! Email your feedback for the show to cinemaholicspodcast [at] gmail.com Join our Discord and chat with us! We have a Cinemaholics channel here. Check out our Cinemaholics Merch! Connect with Cinemaholics on Facebook and Instagram. Support our show on Pa

Special guest Mike Overhulse of the Mad Men Men podcast joins Jon Negroni and Will Ashton to break down Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning, the latest (and possibly final?) installment in the long-running spy franchise starring Tom Cruise as the ever-unbreakable Ethan Hunt. Directed once again by Christopher McQuarrie, the film sends the IMF team on a high-octane collision course with a rogue AI known as The Entity, in what may be the most self-aware entry in the series to date. Jon, Will, and Mike unpack the film’s jaw-dropping action sequences, its tangled narrative web, and how Final Reckoning reflects a growing anxiety in Hollywood around digital threats both on and off the screen. They debate the movie’s emotional stakes, its increasingly meta commentary on Cruise’s career, and whether this half of the story sticks the landing as a standalone film.   Links: Read Jon's critic review of the film here! Email your feedback for the show to cinemaholicspodcast [

Will Ashton returns with a solo Instant Take on Another Simple Favor, the Amazon Prime sequel to Paul Feig’s 2018 suburban noir comedy-thriller A Simple Favor. With Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively reprising their roles, this follow-up heads to Italy for a destination wedding filled with secrets, frenemy tension, and stylish intrigue. Will breaks down what works—and what fizzles—in this second helping. Despite a few fun twists and an appealing setting in Capri, the film struggles to recapture the charm of the original. Kendrick’s character lacks clear evolution, while Lively’s return, though enjoyable, can’t quite carry the film through its sillier and more uneven second half. With vibes that feel more White Lotus than Gone Girl, Another Simple Favor tries to balance camp, crime, and couture. Will questions whether this sequel really needed to exist at all, comparing it to other lackluster follow-ups (The Whole Ten Yards, anyone?)

Will Ashton returns with another Instant Take, this time tackling The Amateur, a new action-thriller starring Rami Malek (Mr. Robot, Bohemian Rhapsody) as a surveillance tech expert turned reluctant vigilante. With a vibe that borrows from Death Wish and Jason Bourne, the film delivers slick set pieces, familiar genre beats, and a central performance that’s more restrained than revolutionary. Will explores how The Amateur flirts with deeper character nuance, particularly in its depiction of Malek’s potentially autistic-coded lead. Though the film never explicitly confirms it, the character’s traits raise questions about representation in action movies and whether the film embraces or falls back on tired tropes. Alongside Malek, the film features a solid supporting cast: Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Laurence Fishburne, John Bernthal, Holt McCallany (Mindhunter), and Julianne Nicholson. Some standout moments include inventive “trap

Will Ashton is back with a solo Instant Take on Novocaine, the action-comedy-romance hybrid starring Jack Quaid (The Boys) as a pain-insensitive bank employee who becomes an unlikely action hero. Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen (Villains), this film surprised Will with its surprising charm. But also its creative premise, and solid central performances, too. Based on the real-life condition CIP (congenital insensitivity to pain), Novocaine walks a tonal tightrope between over-the-top violence and sincere character development. Will shares why Jack Quaid’s “young Tom Hanks” energy works so well here. Especially alongside Amber Midthunder (Prey), and how the film balances disability representation with fun genre thrills. Will also unpacks some of the film’s weaknesses, including uneven comedy, some clunky reveals, and a few undercooked side characters. But overall, this one came in above expectations and might just be Jack Quaid’s best leading role to

In this spoiler-free instant take, Will Ashton jumps on the mic solo to give you his first impressions of Black Bag, the sleek and sizzling new spy thriller from director Steven Soderbergh. With a star-studded cast led by Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender, Black Bag is a taut, high-style espionage caper that calls back to the classy, grown-up thrillers of yesteryear. Will dives into what makes this film click.Iits sophisticated style, whip-smart screenplay (co-written by Soderbergh collaborator David Koepp), and a third act that actually sticks the landing. He compares it to classics like Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Out of Sight, highlighting how Soderbergh leans into his signature charm, sexiness, and cinematic craftsmanship. Other stars include Naomi Harris, Pierce Brosnan, Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, and Marisa Abela. All of whom get their moment to shine. Will also touches on Fassbender’s continued hot streak post-The Killer. Plus, why Blanchett is perf

In this week’s episode, Jon Negroni and Will Ashton take a deep dive into Nickel Boys, the latest film from director RaMell Ross (Hale County This Morning, This Evening). An adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, the film follows two Black teenagers trapped in the harrowing realities of Nickel Academy, a reform school in 1960s Florida that crushes hope as efficiently as it enforces silence. With Ethan Herisse and Brandon Wilson leading the cast and a uniquely immersive first-person perspective, Nickel Boys has drawn a lot of critical acclaim, but does it earn its accolades? Jon and Will unpack the film’s daring cinematography, its unconventional narrative structure, and Ross’s refusal to hold the audience’s hand. They debate the film’s Oscar prospects, its underwhelming box office reception, and why its use of silence might be its most powerful weapon. Plus, how does Nickel Boys fit into the tradition of documentary filmmaker

Today on Cinemaholics, we’re joined by two hilarious and incredibly talented filmmakers/actors, Harrison Xu and Ivan Leung, to talk about their new indie film, Extremely Unique Dynamic. This queer Asian meta stoner coming-of-age dramedy takes storytelling to a whole new level—it’s a movie about two guys making a movie about two guys making a movie. Yes, it’s as wonderfully chaotic as it sounds. Extremely Unique Dynamic has been making waves, playing at over 25 film festivals and breaking box office records during its LA theatrical run. In this episode, Harrison and Ivan share the wild journey of creating a deeply personal, yet entirely universal story that subverts stoner comedy tropes while addressing themes of representation, identity, and authenticity. We dive into everything—how they infused the film with their real-life personalities, their unexpected success at festivals, and even a bit of party bus pole-dancing backstory. Along the way, we also discuss pop-punk s

Today on Cinemaholics, we’re sitting down with director Tim Fehlbaum and actor John Magaro to talk about their new film, September 5. This gripping drama takes us behind the scenes of the 1972 Munich Olympics, where the ABC newsroom was thrust into the chaos of broadcasting one of the first live terrorist attacks. It’s a high-stakes story about media ethics, personal decisions, and the power of storytelling that feels just as relevant today as it was back then. With Tim’s sharp direction and John’s striking performance, September 5 premiered at Venice to rave reviews and has already sparked some big conversations about how we navigate the intersection of truth, accountability, and media. We’re diving into all of it—how they approached such a delicate story, the challenges they faced, and why this film resonates so deeply right now. You can also read or listen to our podcast review of the film with special guest Ema Sasic right here. Links: Email your feedbac

In this special spoiler-free instant take, host Will Ashton delves into Sonic the Hedgehog 3, the latest installment in the high-speed franchise. He explores the film's dynamic action sequences, the evolving camaraderie among Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, and the introduction of Shadow the Hedgehog. Will also examines the performances of returning cast members Ben Schwartz and Idris Elba, as well as the film's vibrant visual effects and engaging storyline. Additionally, he reflects on how Sonic the Hedgehog 3 contributes to the expanding Sonic cinematic universe and what fans and skeptics alike might expect. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 premiered in theaters on December 20, 2024, distributed by Paramount Pictures, with a runtime of 110 minutes. The film features a star-studded cast, including Jim Carrey, Ben Schwartz, Krysten Ritter, Natasha Rothwell, Shemar Moore, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Idris Elba, and Keanu Reeves. Links: Email your feedback for the show to cinemaholicspodcast [at] gmail.com Join our Disc

In this week's episode, Jon Negroni and Will Ashton dive deep into A Complete Unknown, the latest biopic from director James Mangold (Logan, Walk the Line). The film, starring Timothée Chalamet as the iconic Bob Dylan, chronicles the enigmatic artist’s rise to fame during the transformative folk scene of the 1960s. With Edward Norton and Monica Barbaro rounding out the cast, and a runtime of 140 minutes, the movie captures Dylan’s transition from a folk music darling to a rock 'n' roll revolutionary. Jon and Will discuss Mangold’s directorial approach, Chalamet’s performance as the elusive Dylan, and the narrative’s attempt to balance the artist’s enigmatic persona with a traditional biopic structure. They also highlight the supporting cast, including Norton’s standout role and Boyd Holbrook’s intriguing portrayal of Johnny Cash. Is A Complete Unknowna respectful ode to Dylan’s artistry, or does it play it too safe? Tune in as the hosts br

  In this special instant take, Will Ashton dives into Robert Eggers' latest film, Nosferatu, unpacking its deep ties to the 1922 horror classic and its fresh take on the Dracula mythos. He breaks down Eggers' distinct artistic style, highlights standout performances from Willem Dafoe and Bill Skarsgård, and praises the film's jaw-dropping production design and cinematography. Will also reflects on how Nosferatu fits into the modern horror landscape, sharing why it’s such an exciting year-end release that horror fans won’t want to miss. Nosferatu opened in theaters on December 25 through Focus Features and has a runtime of 132 minutes. The rest of the cast includes Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, and Simon McBurney. More about Nosferatu: Set in 19th-century Europe, Nosferatu follows Thomas Hutter, a real estate agent who heads to the eerie, isolated estate of Count Orlok to close a business deal. Sounds strai

Today on Cinemaholics, Will Ashton gives his spoiler-free instant take of A Complete Unknown, the latest biographical drama from director James Mangold. Starring Timothée Chalamet as a young Bob Dylan, the film chronicles Dylan's rise in the New York folk scene of the early 1960s, culminating in his revolutionary performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. With a screenplay co-written by Mangold and Jay Cocks, and a stellar supporting cast including Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, and Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown is already earning high praise as one of the best films of 2024. Tune in for Will’s thoughts on Chalamet’s portrayal of Dylan, the film’s nostalgic vibe, and if it'll be a must-watch this holiday season. Searchlight Pictures will release A Complete Unknown in select U.S. theaters on December 25, 2024. More about A Complete Unknown: New York, 1961. Against the backdrop of a vibrant music scene and tumultuous cultural upheaval, an enigmatic 19-year-old from Minnesota named Bob Dylan arrives wi

Breaking news! This week on Cinemaholics, Special guest Ema Sasic joins me (Jon Negroni) to dissect September 5, a gripping new thriller from director Tim Fehlbaum (The Colony). The film takes us back to the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, where sports coverage took an unprecedented turn into live, global news reporting during one of the most tragic and pivotal events in history. Together, we break down the film’s high-tension pacing and commentary on media ethics. Plus, we talk awards potential and about the standout performances from John Magaro, Peter Sarsgaard, Leonie Benesch, and more. You can also read an edited transcript of our conversation right here. Links: Email your feedback for the show to cinemaholicspodcast [at] gmail.com Join our Discord and chat with us! We have a Cinemaholics channel here. Check out our Cinemaholics Merch! Check out our Patreon to support Cinemaholics! Connect with Cinemaholics on Facebook and Instagram. Support our show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cinemaholicsSee omn