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L.A. Film Reviews, Los Angeles, CA (2025)

10/15/2025

NOTHING TO ‘GEIN’ —

‘Monster: The Ed Gein Story’ debuted on Oct. 3, 2025, on Netflix.

This is the third season of the biographical crime drama anthology television series “Monster,” created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan for Netflix (although Murphy was not directly involved with this season).

This time the series takes a stab at telling the story of notorious grave robber and killer Ed Gein (Charlie Hunnam). The cast also includes Suzanna Son, Vicky Krieps, Laurie Metcalf, and Tom Hollander.

Addison Rae makes a guest appearance as Evelyn Hartley, an American teenager who mysteriously disappeared from La Crosse County, Wisconsin on Oct. 24, 1953.

The show incorporates commentary on our cultural obsession with true crime, and explores Gein's influence on Hollywood movies.

While it is true that films like Psycho (1960), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), and Silence of the Lambs (1991), were all inspired by Gien’s heinous acts, this show overdoes that connection to the point where those films are the ones inspiring this narrative.

While Dahmer, the first season in this series was morbidly facinating, anchored by a ‘monster’ performace by Evan Peters, the show started going off the rails by the Lyle and Erik Menendez story of season two, where fiction and stereotypes blurred what could have been a more nuanced exploration of the truth behind a monstrous crime.

Now here in season three, with co-creator Ryan Murphy no longer involved as showrunner, the series is no longer ‘off the chain’-saw.

Still, Season 3 debuted at No. 2 on Netflix's global weekly chart, garnering 12.2 million views (or 90.6 million hours viewed) within three days of its release.

Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy) is a fine actor, and seems sincere in his efforts at portraying Gein.

“I wanted to get as close as possible to who Ed was, to do him justice, and for this thing to feel authentic,” Hunnam told Tudum. “This is going to be the really human, tender, unflinching, no-holds-barred exploration of who Ed was and what he did. But who he was being at the center of it, rather than what he did.”

The season is well-produced cinematically, with Max Winkler directing most of the episodes, and the chilly, wintery depiction of rural Wisconson in the 1950’s being very good.

If you are looking for Hollywood horror movie thrills, this will do. But the real story of Ed Gein is far more chilling.

If the filmmakers would have stuck closer to the true story, rather than the movies it inspired, they would have had a far more effective and scary season.

My recommendation for Monster: The Ed Gein Story is the same as the best recommendation to anyone who ever encountered the real Ed Gein on a cold October night.

Stay away. Stay far away.

SOURCES:
Netflix
Wikipedia
TheWrap
The New York Times
The Guardian
IMDb
TUDUM

10/14/2025

Big Congrats to Naomi Watts who received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! ⭐️

The Oscar and Emmy-nominated British actress was all smiles at the ceremony here in Hollywood on October 13.

Watts has enjoyed a long and accomplished career that has spanned nearly 40 years. Her breakout film role was in David Lynch's L.A. neo-noir classic, Mulholland Drive (2001).

Her performances are marked by versatility and emotional vulnerability. Watts exudes old Hollywood, leading lady charm, but she has often taken risks in challenging and offbeat roles.

Some of the supporters at her ceremony were Edward Norton, her co-star from The Painted Veil (2006) and Birdman (2014), along with her King Kong (2005) co-star Jack Black, who made his presence known by stealing photo snaps in front of Naomi’s Star.

Ms. Watts excels in roles of all types, in everything from the horror classic The Ring (2002) to the dark comedy-drama Demolition (2015) opposite Jake Gyllenhaal.

Her most recent film was the drama The Friend (2024) starring alongside Bill Murray.

Other celebrities in attendance included Ryan Murphy, Sarah Paulson, Niecy Nash, and Kyle MacLachlan.

She was also joined by her husband, fellow actor Billy Crudup, and her children, Sasha Schreiber and Kai Schreiber. Cheers! 🎬

10/13/2025

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY FILM FAMILY!
🍿🎥🎬

This October L.A. Film Reviews is celebrating our 6th year on Facebook! Thank you all for your continuing support.

While I’m at it, please join me in recognizing our No. 1 engagers who made it to the top of our weekly engagement list! 🎉

Young Gil Hong, Emad El-Din Aysha, Antonio Manuel, Luciano Rosa Trindade, Janet Cho, Kathleen Jones Carrillo, Vincent Valente, Aurore Denoyelle

I am looking forward to the year ahead as we continue to grow as a community of fellow fans of all things film and TV.

Stay tuned for more great content coming soon.

Cheers! 🎉🥳🎈

10/13/2025

THE STRANGERS (2008) – A scary film, but too sadistic and hopeless to be fun.

With October well underway and Halloween approaching, in considering this forlorn fright flick from 2008, we find a very tense and scary movie, but one that is hard to watch.

'The Strangers' tells the story of Kristen McKay and James Hoyt (Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman), who arrive at a remote vacation home for what Hoyt hoped would be a romantic night in, after proposing to the girl of his dreams (McKay). Unfortunately, she turned him down and now the evening is ruined.

It does not help much that the only entertainment in this house is an old record player with nothing but those creepy, just-perfect-for-scary-movie, record albums on hand (where is that trusty Kool & the Gang LP collection when you need it?). Still, all this heartache is just the beginning of pain for the unhappy couple, when they receive a knock on the door late at night accompanied by a menacing voice which asks, “Is Tamara here?”

What follows is a violent struggle with three masked assailants who apparently have no motive for their actions. The film trailers would have you believe this movie is inspired by true events; but there is no singular case upon which the film is based. It does bear chilling resemblance to many real-life murder mysteries which have made national news over the years. And there is nothing much more frightening than a violent home invasion.

Most real-life murderers do not wear literal masks, of course. The masks in slasher films are a symbol for our collective fear of the faceless stranger. And these three jerks must certainly be the strangers our parents warned us about.

In terms of setting a mood, The Strangers works very well. A throwback at the time, away from the trend toward torture-porn, it is refreshing to watch a film which builds tension through technique and suspense rather than excessive gore. This is the Hitchcockian style where what you do not see scares you as much or maybe even more than what you do. And what you do see here is unsettling.

The way the masked assailants appear in frame is handled with unique style, a testament to first time writer-director Bryan Bertino and cinematographer Peter Sova (Lucky Number Slevin, Wicker Park). Bertino says he got the inspiration for the movie from a childhood memory in which a group of strangers knocked on his door late at night when his parents were away.

I had a similar experience in the early 2000s whenever someone came to my house in the middle of the night and began knocking loudly on the door and wildly turning the doorknob. Luckily, nothing happened in either my or his case. I think maybe mine was just some folks who tied one on and got a little lost trying to find home (I hope).

McKay and Hoyt are not so lucky. The lesson here: don’t answer the door in the middle of the night when strangers come calling. Better yet NEVER answer the door if you don’t know who it is.

Liv Tyler makes one of the best scream queens ever, in that she is truly terrified throughout filming. She wanted it that way – for the filmmakers to scare her for real. It works.

I also like how the guy stranger's mask is like a cross between the Friday the 13th sack mask from the first film (1980) and smiley Jack from Jack in the Box. Creepy. But the emotionless, blank masks the girls wear are probably even more scary.

One shot in particular was very haunting – the three killers stand triumphantly over the couple on the couch in such a way as it creates a disturbing image which lingers long after the credits roll.

Although the set-up of this movie works very well, in the end the film descends into a melee of mindless butchery. To say the ending killed it would be an understatement and a bad pun.

Both Speedman and Tyler are effective, and although I really liked Tyler, I got tired of watching her just cry hopelessly throughout the film. The best horror movies are the ones where the victims at least try to fight back.

A few of good examples of this are A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987), The Hills Have Eyes remake (2006) as well as The Decent (2005). And of course, we got to see the greatest scream queen of them all, Jamie Lee Curtis (as Laurie Strode), finally give her longtime nemesis Michael Myers what for in their final, conclusive showdown in Halloween Ends (2022).

The great thing about Laurie is she fights back. Just watching someone suffer helplessly is tiring. Throw in some humor. Have the victim say something stupid. False bravado, anything. At least get a punch or kick or bite or stab in before going down.

The ending of The Strangers leaves one deflated, with a feeling of hopelessness and dread. Not my idea of a good time, but that feeling may be exactly what the filmmakers were stabbing at.

While largely panned when it came out, in the years since its release, the psychological slasher became a cult film, eventually inspiring a sequel and series of reboot sequels.

The Strangers: Prey at Night, a sequel to the original, opened on March 9, 2018.

The Strangers: Chapter 1, a reboot of the original, was released in the United States on May 17, 2024.

The film was shot consecutively with two following chapters by director Renny Harlin, to comprise a trilogy.

The Strangers – Chapter 2 debuted on Sept. 26, 2025, and The Strangers: Chapter 3 is expected to be released in early 2026.

10/13/2025

CINEMA LEGENDS: THE PUNISHER —

Long before the character came on the scene in films and on TV, Frank Castle, aka Marvel Comics’ "The Punisher" first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #129 from 1974.

Although he tangled with Spidey many times, Castle became better known as a nemesis of Daredevil, and eventually, a begrudging ally.

Despite his lethal ways, people almost immediately identified with the Punisher.

In Marvel Preview #2 (1975), his first solo story, the Punisher's origin was revealed.

His family was brutally gunned down by the mob in Central Park after witnessing a gangland ex*****on. Frank Castle survived but was disillusioned when the corrupt police system failed to prosecute his family's killers.

We also learned that Frank was a psychologically traumatized military veteran, and it made sense that he would seek justice outside the flawed legal system, and meeting monstrous and violent criminals on their own lethal terms.

One of the first true comic book antiheroes, the Punisher’s tragic backstory and gritty, relentless pursuit of justice, made for a natural transition to the cinema. But there were bumps along the way.

Dolph Lundgren became the first live-action Punisher in 1989. Dolph gave a sincere performance, but the script lacked depth – so the movie did not carry enough weight to support the action. Also, comic purists lamented the fact that there was no skull logo, the iconic symbol of The Punisher.

Still, Lundgren was the first, and he portrayed vulnerability, and humanity, along with his natural, menacing physicality. It's not a bad, action movie, but doesn't quite get the tone of the comics right. The film would go on to achieve cult status over the years; although it was not the best live-action Punisher film.

The 2004 Punisher starring Thomas Jane was a better written and produced film, and the requisite skull logo was there. Jane gave a thoughtful, nuanced performance, and he made for a fantastic looking superhero Punisher. But there was still something missing.

2008's Punisher War Zone starring the late Ray Stevenson was the third feature film adaptation of the Punisher. Stevenson did tremendous research reading comics and underwent grueling training for the part. He also probably looks the most like Frank Castle from the comics.

Stevenson did a great job as The Punisher. He would continue on with many other iconic roles, such as the heroic legionary Titus Pullo in the HBO/BBC series Rome (2005-2007), and the warrior Volstagg in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Thor film series (2011-2017).

One of his last roles was as fallen former Jedi Knight Baylan Skoll, on the Disney+ Star Wars series Asoka in 2023.

Stevenson was hospitalized shortly before his death while filming the action-comedy movie ‘Cassino in Ischia’ on the island of Ischia in Italy. He died just four days before his 59th birthday On May, 21 2023.

Despite Stevenson’s great efforts, his Punisher film tanked at the cinema. Although it had great acting and excellent production value, the film’s grim tone and excessive violence were a turnoff to many. Still, Stevenson’s version does have a lot of fans.

But, it wasn’t until the wonderfully complex performance of Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle that everything finally came together — honoring the tone of the comics and pleasing both critics and fans alike.

We finally had a fully realized and relatable, live-action Punisher. Jon was able to bring together the conflicted humanity, dark edge, believable physicality, and his patented charm all into one package.

Bernthal is great at playing bad boy antiheroes. His Shane from The Walking Dead became a great antagonist for Season 2 (2011-2012). Even though he was bad, his charm and motivations earned a loyal fanbase and viewer sympathy.

Bernthal has continued to work regularly in a variety of roles. He starred as Julian Kaye on Showtime’s ‘American Gigolo’ TV series (protagonist of the original 1980 film, played by Richard Gere), further showcasing his range as an actor.

And he continued on, often playing complex, vulnerable tough guys in films like Fury (2014), Pilgrimage (2017), and The Accountant 2 (2025).

Bernthal first appeared as the Punisher in the Netflix Daredevil series season two premier in 2016, then later in his own Punisher series from 2017-2019.

Many fans clamored for a return of Bernthal’s Punisher to the screen, and we got our wish. Daredevil: Born Again, premiered on Disney+ on March 4, 2025, and featured a return of Jon Bernthal as the Punisher.

He first appeared in episode four and became crucial to the story, teamining wirh Matt Murdock’s Daredevil (Charlie Cox). Bernthal is also set to return for the second season in March 2026.

Bernthal will also get his own standalone special as the Punisher on Disney+. He’s even co-writing the series. The special is slated to appear alongside the second season of Born Again.

Then he will make his big screen feature film debut as the Punisher in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, set for release on July 31, 2026.

10/12/2025

RIP DIANE KEATON — I just wanted to take a moment to say goodbye to a truly iconic dramatic actress we have lost. Diane Keaton was 79.

Ms. Keaton, an LA native, was known for her leading film roles of depth and complexity, in both dramas and comedies, from the Godfather series (1972-1990) to Annie Hall (1977), and her many collaborations with Woody Allen, to Father of the Bride (1991), and so much more.

She enjoyed a 50-plus year career on stage and screen, and was known for her chic fashion style.

Keaton garnered numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, along with nominations for two Emmy Awards and a Tony Award.

She earned the Academy Award for Best Actress in the title role of the romantic comedy Annie Hall. She also received Oscar nods for playing Louise Bryant in the historical epic Reds (1981), as a woman struggling with leukemia in the family drama Marvin's Room (1996), and as an older woman looking for love in the romantic comedy Something's Gotta Give (2003).

Diane Keaton recieved numerous other awards and accolades over the years, and was honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2017. She was also a film director, producer, photographer and bestselling author.

In additon to Woody Allen, Keaton shared the screen with many of Hollywood’s top leading men, like Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty, Steve Martin, Michael Douglas, Mel Gibson, and Keanu Reeves.

She also starred alongside Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn in the 1996 film The First Wives Club.

Her most recent film was the 2024 comedy Summer Camp where she starred alongside Eugene Levy and Kathy Bates.

Ms. Keaton is survived by her two adopted children, daughter Dexter and son Duke. She never married and had no biological children.

SOURCES:
NBC 4, Los Angeles
AM 1070 Los Angeles
CBS News
CNN
People
BBC
Us Weekly
Page Six
ABC News
The Hollywood Reporter
https://fb.watch/CHhNtArnGk/?mibextid=wwXIfr&fs=e

10/10/2025

BLACK PHONE 2 — Death won’t stop him from calling again.

‘Black Phone 2’ is a supernatural horror film and sequel to the 2021 film ‘The Black Phone.’

The pic stars Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw and Jeremy Davies reprising their roles from the previous film, while Miguel Mora returns in a different role.

New cast members include Demián Bichir and Arianna Rivas.

The film is directed by Scott Derrickson, who helmed the original. It is written by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, also returning from the first Black Phone, with producer Jason Blum returning as well.

Principal photography began in Toronto on Nov. 4, 2024 with Swedish cinematographer Pär M. Ekberg behind the lens, and wrapped on Jan. 23, 2025.

The story is set in 1982, and follows Finney Shaw (Thames), who is dealing with the trauma from his kidnapping by, and killing of, child serial killer, “The Grabber.”

Four-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke returns to portray The Grabber. He is more sinister than ever, striking back at Finn from the spirit world.

He seeks revenge on Finn by menacing his younger sister, Gwen (McGraw). The headstrong 15-year-old Gwen begins receiving calls in her dreams from the black phone and seeing disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp known as Alpine Lake.

Determined to solve the mystery and end the torment for both she and her brother, Gwen persuades Finn to visit the camp during a winter storm.

There, they uncover an unexpected connection between The Grabber and their own family history.

The film, which is getting positive reviews, premiered at Fantastic Fest on Sept. 20, 2025, and is scheduled to be released in the United States by Universal Pictures on Oct. 17, 2025.

The moody wintry setting and chilling supernatural scares, along with an increase of violence and gore, shows the creative team is seeking to up the intensity in this follow on to the original.

Rated R for strong violent content, gore, teen drug use, and language.

SOURCES:
Wikipedia
Rotten Tomatoes
Ontario Creates
Worldwide Production Agency
Scream Horror Mag
JoBlo
Deadline Hollywood
Fantastic Fest 2025
IMDb

10/10/2025

DODGERS ADVANCE! The Boys in Blue are on their way to the National League Championship Series.⚾️

Congrats to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who defeated the Philadelphia Phillies today 2-1, taking the National League Division Series 3-1.

Andy Pages hit a walkoff in the 11th inning off a split-second error by Phillies’ pitcher Orion Kerkering in the bottom of the 11th in NLDS Game 4.

Kerkering faced intense pressure by the Dodgers offense with the bases loaded and two outs.

Pages popes a sharp ball right at the pitcher, who mishandled the ball and then made a wild throw home, allowing the series-clinching run to score by a slim but definitive margin.

Los Angeles gets the 2-1 win over the Phillies in Game 4 of the NL Division Series. The Dodgers will return to the NL Championship Series for the second consecutive season.

SOURCES:
Unimas
Fox Sports
Los Angeles Times
NBC Los Angeles

10/09/2025

CONGRATS DEF LEPPARD 🎸— Legendary rockers get a star on the Walk of Fame!⭐️

Def Leppard was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The band was recognized in the "Recording" category.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame presented the band with its 2,825th star at a public ceremony here in Hollywood today.

The event was emceed by Bob Buchmann and featured guest speakers, fellow rocker Jon Bon Jovi and President/CEO of Universal Music Enterprises, Bruce Resnikoff.

Jon Bon Jovi was previously inducted into the Count Basie Center for the Arts Walk of Fame in Red Bank, New Jersey, along with Count Basie, in the center's inaugural induction ceremony for its Walk of Fame Sept. 25, 2025.

Speaking at the Hollywood ceremony, Bon Jovi said, “I am a Def Leppard fan.”

The band, consisting of Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Rick Savage, Vivian Campbell, and Rick Allen, has sold over 110 million albums worldwide and was previously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Def Leppard credits their longevity to the fact that they like each other and enjoy the music and their devoted fans.

The English rock band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They would go on to become one of the best groups from the new wave of British heavy metal acts of the early 1980s, earning big hits through the 80s and 90s.

Their career includes two of the best-selling albums of all time: "Pyromania," my personal favorite, which is 11-times platinum, and the iconic "Hysteria," which is 14-times platinum.

Their music includes timeless rock anthems like "Rock of Ages," “Photograph,” "Foolin,” and of course, “Pour Some Sugar on Me.”

But my favorite Leppard songs are their lovestruck power ballads like “Love Bites,” “Too Late for Love,” and “Bringin' On the Heartbreak.”

Again, big congrats to Def Leppard on this well-deserved honor.

SOURCES:
Fox 11 Los Angeles
NBC News
KCAL 9, Los Angeles
ABC 7, New York
Spotify
Wikipedia
VEVO
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_X5A-BYjO8

10/08/2025

WEDNESDAY — Tim Burton and Jenna Ortega liven up the Addams Family franchise.

‘Wednesday’ is a charming supernatural mystery comedy television series based on the character Wednesday Addams and the Addams Family by cartoonist Charles Addams.

Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the series stars Jenna Ortega as Wedneday, with Luis Guzmán and Catherine Zeta-Jones playing her parents Gomez and Morticia Addams, respectively.

Four out of the eight episodes of the first season were directed by Tim Burton, who was also executive producer.

Christina Ricci, who played Wednesday in the 1991 Addams Family film and its 1993 sequel Addams Family Values, was asked by Burton to join the Wednesday series.

The first season revolves around Wednesday Addams’ attempts to solve a murder mystery at her new school, Nevermore Academy.

This is a case of perfect casting. Jenna Ortega plays the character on point and on brand — dark and deadpan, full of sarcastic wit, yet surprising warmth — despite her cold demeanor.

Her Wednesday becomes the center of all the intrigue and mystery at Nevermore, endearing herself to her classmates, not because of her talent and bravery, but because she actually cares about these outcasts, amongst whom, she finally begins to feel at home.

Ortega’s Wednesday, along with her sidekick Thing, a sentient (and softhearted) disembodied hand, played by Victor Dorobantu, are surrounded by a talented cast of supporting players.

Although they have limited screen time, Luis Guzmán as Gomez and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia are pitch perfect, along with Isaac Ordonez as Wednesday’s brother Pugsley.

Fred Armisen makes a surprisingly effective (and hilarious) guest appearance as Uncle Fester, bringing rare smiles from the stoic Wednesday.

And Christina Ricci’s appearance as “normie” botany teacher Marilyn Thornhill is a great throwback to the Addams Family movies and her previous role of Wednesday, ratcheting up the tension, as you know there must be more to her than meets the eye.

Meanwhile, Wednesday meets a colorful collection of friends at Nevermore, none more colorful than Enid Sinclair (Emma Myers), Wednesday's pink-wearing werewolf roomie.

She’s wooed by two boys, Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan) a local townie who works as a coffee shop barista. His dad is the town sherrif Donovan (Jamie McShane) who Wednesday jousts with even as she brings him evidence to help solve the murders.

Percy Hynes White plays Xavier Thorpe, a psychic student who can make his paintings come to life.

And Joy Sunday plays Bianca Barclay, the school queen bee and Xavier's ex-girlfriend.

Moosa Mostafa is Eugene Ottinger, a literal beekeeper. Wednesday is the only student to join Eugene on the bee club, as it gives her the access she needs to poke around campus looking for clues.

The cast is rounded out by Wednesday’s adult caretakers, Principal Larissa Weems (Gwendoline Christie), a shapeshifter who admires the dark raven’s confident independence, but wants to keep her young ward in check, while Dr. Valerie Kinbott (Riki Lindhome) is the cringingly cheerful therapist trying to decode what makes Wednesday tick.

In addition to the great cast, the show has clever writing and great production values, with cinematographers David Lanzenberg (who would receive an Emmy nomination for the episode "Woe What a Night") for the first four episodes and Stephan Pehrsson for the remaining four episodes.

Principal photography for Season 1 took place between September 2021 and March 2022 in Bușteni, Romania.

Filming locations included Cantacuzino Castle, serving as the setting for Nevermore Academy, Politehnica University of Bucharest, Sinaia railway station, the Bucharest Botanical Garden, Monteoru House and the historic Olga Greceanu Mansion in Dâmbovița County, standing in for the Gates mansion.

Other settings, including the entire town of Jericho, were constructed at Buftea Studios in Romania.

Production designer Mark Scruton based his set design on Charles Addams's original Addams Family cartoons and also drew inspiration from the previous films of Tim Burton.

Also, the series is bolstered by a terrific original score by Danny Elfman and Chris Bacon.

The whole thing feels like a Tim Burton movie brought to TV, with Jenna Ortega owning every scene. She learned to play cello and took canoeing, fencing, archery and German lessons.

And watch out for her self-choreograped dance to the Cramps' song “Goo Goo Muck" at Nevermore Academy’s annual Rave’N dance, in Episode 4, "Woe What a Night," my personal favorite episode of Season 1.

Despite the dark themes, Wedneday is a fun and lighthearted supernatural series, that shares a similar vibe to other spooky teen coming-of-age films and shows like Stranger Things and Harry Potter, with gothic riffs on classics like She’s All That (1999) and Legally Blonde (2001).

It’s a very entertaining watch, especially around Halloween. The show honors, and builds upon the legacy of the Addams Family franchise, while forging ahead into fun new territory.

Within three weeks of its release on Nov. 23, 2022, Wednesday became the second-most watched English-language Netflix series. It received two Golden Globe nominations: Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy and Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy for Ortega.

It also won four Primetime Emmy Awards from 12 nominations, including nods for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Ortega.

In January 2023, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on Aug. 6, 2025; the second half was released on September 3.

In July 2025, the series was renewed for a third season.

SOURCES:
Netflix
Wikipedia
The Hollywood Reporter
MovieWeb
Midgard Times
Romanian Insider
Collider
Addams Family Wiki
Company 3
Tunefind
BT
CNN
Radio Times
IMDb
TUDUM
Television Academy

10/07/2025

DREDD (2012) — This is a terrific science fiction-action film based on the 2000 AD comic magazine stories featuring Judge Dredd, a character created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra.

This movie is way better than the previous Judge Dredd (1995) starring Sylvester Stallone, a wonderful actor but shackled by a poor script. The legacy of that film may be why this one underperformed at the box office. But it went on to become a cult classic.

Directed by Pete Travis and written and produced by Alex Garland. Karl Urban stars as Dredd, a law enforcer given the power of judge, jury and ex*****oner in a vast, dystopian city metropolis called Mega-City One that lies in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Dredd and his apprentice partner, Judge Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), are forced to bring order to a 200-storey high-rise block of flats and deal with its resident drug lord, Ma-Ma, played to wicked perfection by Lena Headey (Game of Thrones).

Garland began writing the script in 2006, although the development was not announced until December 2008. The film is unrelated to the 1995 misfire, and producers likely wanted to distance themselves as far as possible from the previous installment.

Produced by British studio DNA Films, Dredd began principal photography in November 2010. Filming took place on practical sets and locations in Cape Town and Johannesburg and it was shot in 3D.

Dredd was released Sept. 7, 2012 in the United Kingdom and September 21 worldwide, to positive reviews. Some people thought the violence was excessive, but I thought it was spot on with the source material.

And unlike the 1995 film, John Wagner, co-creator and writer of the Judge Dredd comic was consulted on and approved of the 2012 film Dredd, calling it "a true representation of Judge Dredd.”

I liked it a lot and felt the performances by Urlban and Thirlby provided the needed humanity to ground the film. Urban’s chin alone could nearly nab an Oscar nod. And they kicked a lot of butt too!

Overall, it is a fun, cathartic cinematic escape with glossy visuals which worked just fine even without the 3D.

The film earned some $41 million at the box office against an estimated budget of $30-45 million, but has seen greater success following home release, where it would become a cult classic.

Urban has won over many more fans in other roles like playing Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy on the Star Trek Kelvin Timeline series of films (2009-2016) and kicking butt on the Amazon Prime Video series The Boys (2019-2026).

L.A. Film Reviews

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