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It’s a packed time at the movies with a slew of big releases in theaters and on streaming. Below is a look at the new movies I saw this week. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.

Among Neighbors (Theaters)
Synopsis: We have seen plenty of stories of suffering and heartbreak from World War II over the years. These stories—whether fictionalized or documentaries—show the courage and determination of those who survived unimaginable situations. They serve as a stark reminder of what humanity is capable of doing. That’s certainly the case with Among Neighbors, a new documentary that looks at a small town in Poland that has struggled with its past. It was a place where Polish people and Jews lived side-by-side until the Nazis invaded during WWII. The actions in the aftermath of that invasion revealed heroes and those not so heroic. But the country’s efforts to erase the past—and the role they played in the oppression and violence against Jews—has caused outsiders, survivors, and residents to struggle. It’s natural to want to erase things that make us feel ashamed or uncomfortable. But this new documentary seeks to get to the truth, interviewing those who survived and telling the story of people and a town grappling with its painful past. The film comes from director Yoav Potash. It started with a simple premise, following a family from America that went back to their ancestral hometown to learn more. It becomes something more, as he explores the area and questions survivors. That includes a man who, as a young Jewish boy, had a harrowing journey of survival. It also follows a woman, who as a young Polish girl was friends with a Jewish boy and always wondered what happened to him. To tell the stories of both, the film employs a mixture of interviews and animated recreations to drop you into the action. I won’t ruin it here, but these stories come connected in a fascinating and deeply emotional way. The entire exploration asks some hard questions but reveals some true heroes and villains who were caught in the war. It’s also a beautiful tribute to those who survived, those who were lost, and those who advocate for the truth. I thought the film was engaging and tells a powerful story. It’s deeply emotional at times and manages to find some beauty in a difficult situation. It’s a story worth seeking out. Among Neighbors is now playing in limited release.
Rating: NA
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five

Anniversary (Theaters)
Starring: Diane Lane, Kyle Chandler, Dylan O’Brien, and McKenna Grace
Synopsis: There are a few things that most people avoid discussing at family gatherings. A big one is politics. It’s a topic that can easily divide people, even close families. That’s part of what’s at the heart of a new film opening Wednesday. In Anniversary, we meet a family that is gathering for a special day. It’s the 25th Anniversary for Ellen (Lane) and Paul Taylor (Chandler). They are a close family. Ellen is a professor at Georgetown, while Paul runs a restaurant. They’re in love and hosting their family. Among those attending are their oldest, Anna (Madeline Brewer), a comedian. Their middle daughter, Cynthia (Zoey Deutsch), who arrives with husband Rob (Daryl McCormick) is a lawyer. Youngest daughter, Birdie (Grace), is a scientist. Meanwhile their son, Josh (O’Brien), is trying to establish himself as a writer. He’s brought his new girlfriend, Liz (Chloe Dynevor), a writer in her own right and Ellen’s former student. Liz and Ellen clashes as student and teacher thanks to Liz’s outlandish ideas. Ellen saw them as anti-democratic and made an example of her. She left school as a result. Ellen is none-too-pleased to see Liz back in their lives, threatening to derail everything. As the family continues to gather for special events and holidays over the next five years, Liz and her ideas take center stage. Her book, The Change, serves as inspiration for millions. And as the country turns in a radical new direction, it puts the Taylor family on opposite sides of a fiery political debate. This film comes from director Ana Komasa, who co-wrote the script with Lori Rosene-Gambino. It’s an ambitious effort, not only because of the subject but because it takes place over a series of events and a series of years. We see how all the members of this family seeming go through a rollercoaster of emotions and see their lives drastically change. It’s an interesting idea. It feels something like watching an average middle-class family react to a world becoming something like that in The Handmaid’s Tale. That’s an exciting idea. And this is a strong cast to build on. There are some truly harrowing and engaging moments. Unfortunately, the film can’t really sustain that pace or deliver on these ideas. Some of the jumping around through time is confusing. It’s also difficult to watch the film implode and not always clear how they’ve spun so far apart. It’s also not clear what brought some of them together in the first place. It would be tempting to view this as a form of long-term revenge for Liz. That is in fact where I thought we were going for a while. But it doesn’t quite work out to be that straightforward. Instead, it has some good moments and poses some good questions but isn’t ultimately satisfying. Anniversary opens nationwide on Wednesday, October 29.
Rating: Rated R for language throughout, some violent content, drug use and sexual references.
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five

A House of Dynamite (Netflix)
Starring: Rebecca Ferguson, Idris Elba, and Jared Harris
Synopsis: In his last outing as Superman, Christopher Reeve took on the threat of nuclear war. In the film A Quest For Peace, released in 1987, Superman sought to intervene and deescalate a world on the brink of Nuclear War. But in the real world, there is no Superman and there are plenty of factions sitting on enough munitions to send the world into ruin. What would happen if one of those weapons was unleashed? How would the United States respond? How would the world respond? Would any of us survive? It’s clear Noah Oppenheim, the writer behind the new Netflix film A House of Dynamite, has given that some thought. In the film, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, a weapon is fired. That leaves the military, state department, and the President of the United States scrambling. In less than 20 minutes, they have to weigh the evidence, discuss options, and be prepared to make the next move. All that creates a story with real weight and stakes. It’s a film with a decorated cast—including Elba, Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Harris, Greta Lee, Anthony Ramos, and Tracy Letts, among others. It’s a tense thought experiment that could be one of the most provocative films of the year. Bigelow is no stranger to making deep, thought-provoking films. She delivered the Best Picture winner in The Hurt Locker and a great exploration of larger ideas in Zero Dark Thirty. This is another film that is about big ideas and asks big questions. It doesn’t present an answer, but rather asks the audience to consider where we are in the world. The tension and power in the production is a credit to the organized chaos in the way the story unfolds. You feel the tension building in real time, looking at all the options. We see this story unfold from multiple perspectives, with overlapping narratives filling in the gaps and creating some beautiful moments and some incredible tension. It’s also a credit to the script. Oppenheim has looked at the United States and its response to an attack before, scripting the series Zero Day earlier this year. This presents another dire scenario and beautifully captures the tension and chaos that it provides. It is meant to provoke some deep thoughts and emotions, and it worked well for me. This is a well-crafted film. The performances are strong. The production keeps you rooted to the story and the story itself will have your attention from the jump. But there are aspects that might not work for all viewers. The story overlaps. We get the same incident—and the same 20 minutes of chaos—from several points of view. That may be a distraction for some viewers. Some may also be rankled by the ending. This isn’t about telling you something, it’s about asking you to ponder something. If that doesn’t work for you, there will be some frustration. It worked for me. This was an unexpectedly tense and emotional ride. It’s not a perfect film, but it’s incredibly engaging and one of the better film experiences so far in 2025. A House of Dynamite is now streaming on Netflix.
Rating: Rated R for language.
Verdict: Four stars out of five

Regretting You (Theaters)
Starring: Allison Williams, Dave Franco, McKenna Grace, and Mason Thames
Synopsis: There are moments in our life that define our future. Rarely do we get a chance to do it over again. But sometimes you get a chance to make a different decision. In Regretting You, the new film from director Josh Boone (The Fault in Our Stars) based on the book from Colleen Hoover, we get a story of love and grief, often intertwined. It focuses on a family in the midst of tragedy that is forced to re-examine everything they thought they knew about their lives and choices. As we open, we meet Morgan (Williams) and her sister, Jenny (Willa Fitzgerald). They are enjoying a summer evening with their boyfriends, Chris (Scott Eastwood) and Jonah (Franco). Morgan has just discovered she’s pregnant and it’s about to change her life. Flash-forward 17 years. Morgan and Chris are the parents of Clara (Grace). It’s Morgan’s birthday and they are hosting a dinner. After time apart, Jenny and Jonah reunited. They’ve just had a baby and they’re about to get married. Still, there’s some tension between Morgan and Jonah, once close friends. On her way home, Clara runs across Miller (Thames). Sparks fly and they have a potential connection. She continues home. The family enjoys a nice dinner. The next day, everything changes. Chris and Jenny are killed in a car crash. In the aftermath, Clara, Morgan, and Jonah are thrown into grief. And revelations about Chris and Jenny turn that grief into anger and threaten to turn their world upside down. Hoover is a talented and popular writer. Her book It Ends With Us was adapted last summer in a popular film, while two more book adaptations are due in 2026. She has a lot of fans, and her books tell deeply emotional and engaging stories. This is no different.  Boone has delivered these type of stories before. He does a nice job of building a film that has some strong performances and some engaging moments. While it’s a heavy subject with plenty of emotional sequences, there are also moments of humor to balance it out. I like the cast here. I was more drawn to the story of the adults—Williams and Franco—but all of the main actors do a nice job. Grace and Thames have good chemistry and their story arc provides more of the hopefulness in the story. But the work done by Williams and Franco rounds it out. Their story provides some of the most depth of emotion and catharsis. Overall, for fans of the genre this should be a welcome exploration. I thought this was an engaging story that delivers and a film that makes for a nice date night. It’s worth checking out in theaters for those looking for an engaging night out. Regretting You is now playing nationwide.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for sexual content, teen drug and alcohol use, and brief strong language.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five

Shelby Oaks (Theaters)
Starring: Camille Sullivan and Sarah Durn
Synopsis: A good supernatural mystery is a staple of the horror genre, especially this time of year. While this month has been light on horror movie options in theaters, this week we get an expansion of horror offerings with Shelby Oaks. It is a film that takes a unique approach that pays off well. In the film, we’re introduced to a group of YouTube sensations—the Paranormal Paranoids. Their leader, Riley (Durn), was a charismatic presence with something of a supernatural gift. In 2008, while shooting a new video, her co-stars are found murdered, while she disappears. Now, more than a decade later, her sister, Mia (Sullivan), is still looking for answers. She’s participating in a new documentary meant to shed light on the experience and keep the search for Riley alive. In process of that, a stranger arrives on her doorstep. He has a new piece of evidence that Mia keeps to herself. Mia is convinced there is more going on with Riley. She sets out on a personal mission to dig into Riley’s last video—set near the defunct town of Shelby Oaks—to discover what really happened. This film comes from writer/director Chris Stuckman, himself a YouTube creator. That’s how he got his start, with one of his early shorts inspiring this first feature-length film. It’s clear he understands that world and weaves it into this story. The first section of the film, in fact, is a fascinating documentary that provides context and backstory while pulling you into the central mystery. I like how the film all comes together. The front section—which easily could have been its own short—is a great entry to the world and the players. We’re left with a dramatic moment that sets the rest of the journey into motion. Using a combination of tense moments and some found footage, this one draws you in and ramps up the tension. I enjoyed Sullivan in the lead role. She does a nice job of carrying the main narrative and being the focal point of the story. I enjoyed her performance in this, especially during some of the tensest sequences. Stuckman does a nice job of building the story and tension. The third act has a few twists—that while somewhat predictable—still deliver thanks to the strong set up work. I also liked that this is a crisp 90-minute film that doesn’t overstay its welcome. It builds a solid premise, some tension, and delivers a resolution that will keep viewers engaged. If you’re looking for a little horror film in theaters this spooky season, Shelby Oaks is a great option. Shelby Oaks is now playing nationwide.
Rating: Rated R for violent content/gore, suicide and language.
Verdict: Three and a half stars out of five

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere (Theaters)
Starring: Jeremy Allen White and Jeremy Strong
Synopsis: The biopic of a musician has been a staple of films for decades. In recent years, we’ve gotten a number of stories of real-life musicians, often built around their music and key moments in their lives and careers. For some, these films are highlights of the year. For others, the genre seems to have grown stale. It’s doubtful that Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere will do much to change things for critics. And yet, for those who enjoy Springsteen and his music, this will likely be an entertaining outing. The film focuses on a narrow band of Springsteen’s (White) life and career. It’s 1981 and he’s just completed a successful tour. Now, he’s in a rental near his hometown in New Jersey and working on the next album. His manager, Jon Landau (Strong), is there to provide encouragement and support. But, on his own, Springsteen is struggling. What he’s creating is some beautiful art, but it marks a departure from his previous work. It’s also taking a serious mental toll on him. While he finds something of an outlet in a relationship with a waitress named Faye (Odessa Young), he feels the stress of not being present. As it comes closer to time for release of the new album, tensions build. Can Springsteen deliver on his vision before it causes him to crumble? This new film comes from writer/director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart). He has a feel for the artist and the material. This is a very personal story. While we get a few performance sequences that are well done, this is more about the internal struggles and the quieter creative process. That will work better for some than others. The film also focuses on Springsteen’s childhood—particularly his uneven relationship with his father (Stephen Graham)—and how that has ripples into his life and career. I enjoyed the exploration of the inspiration and the creative process. I also think the film makes a couple strong statements about mental health and seeking help, which is reinforced in the closing. But not all of it works. The character Faye is a composite for relationships Springsteen had during that period. Their back-and-forth doesn’t feel like it has good resolution, in part because it can’t. That leaves it feeling a bit incomplete. I like White as a performer, and he’s often quite good here. But the style of the story and character feels similar to the part he plays in The Bear. As such, sometimes it felt like watching Carmen in a music career. That’s not bad, but it feels like it does both White and the film a disservice at times. Overall, this is an enjoyable ride. For those who like Springsteen and his music, this will be well worth checking out. Even if you just enjoy a good film, this is an entertaining watch even if it doesn’t reach the heights of its potential. Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is now playing nationwide.
Rating: Rated PG-13 for thematic material, some sexuality, strong language, and smoking.
Verdict: Three stars out of five

Stitch Head (Theaters)
Starring: Asa Butterfield and Joel Fry
Synopsis: Halloween is a time for all kinds of films, from slashers and ghost tales to more family-friendly fare. On Wednesday, just in time for Halloween, we get a more family-friendly tale. This animated adventure about a stitched together boy and his monster family is good for the whole family. The film centers on Stitch Head (Butterfield), the first creature brought to life by The Professor (Steve Brydon) who likes to dabble with creative creations. He helps keep these creatures—who he fears the town would see as monsters—quiet and happy tucked away in the castle on the hill. The latest creation—which he dubs Creature (Fry)—is no exception. While Stitch Head has an organized life full of possibilities, he dreams of more. When a man from a circus arrives with an offer, Stitch Head sees a way out. But when he leaves to join the circus, it isn’t what he thought it would be. After befriending a young girl, Arabella (Tia Bannon), Stitch Head begins to see the world differently. When Creature leaves the safety of the castle to find him and save him, Stitch Head begins to realize he already had everything—and everyone—he needed. This film comes from director Steve Hudson, who wrote the script based on the children’s book from Guy Bass. This one has a nice, animated style and moves at a good pace. It runs just about 90 minutes, which makes it perfect for audiences of all ages. I liked the arc of the story, which felt like a more Halloween-style take on some different Disney fairytales. Stitch Head makes for a fun and affable lead character, with Butterfield doing a nice job as the voice. He’s a likeable lead that you can’t help but root for as the film goes toward its conclusion. The depiction of the monsters was creative, too. The whole story and look was creative and helps bring you into the world. It also has a nice resolution, providing something family-friendly for those looking to get into the Halloween spirit. It’s worth checking out. Stitch Head opens nationwide on Wednesday, October 29.
Rating: Rated PG for action, thematic elements and mild rude humor
Verdict: Two and a half stars out of five